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photo by Marcus Frazier
Tydarrius Gooden, 9, and Allen Davis, 11, play around after school on the rock climbing wall at Duncan Park Thursday afternoon.
Borrowing money sends recreation over budget
Published Saturday, March 14, 2009
NATCHEZ — Robbing Peter to pay Paul has sent the recreation department over its budget.
This fiscal year, the recreation department has taken out three interfund loans to balance its budget month-to-month, for a total of $80,060.
An interfund loan transfers money from one area of the city’s budget to another, which is normal practice, Recreation Director Ralph Tedder said.
He said the loans have come from the city’s general fund.
Tedder anticipates taking out two more loans of $18,000 and $11,600 for a projected total of $109,660.
However, the recreation department is being repaid $14,660 this fiscal year from a previous loan, which brings the total of interfund loans to $95,000.
Each year, the city provides an interfund loan budget, and Tedder was operating under the belief that he had a budget of $95,000.
City Clerk Donnie Holloway said each year an interfund balance is budgeted for the departments that generate revenue.
However, Tedder was operating this fiscal year under a $95,000 interfund budget from 2005 because of Hurricane Katrina.
This fiscal year, the interfund budget is only $75,000, which means the recreation department is $20,000 over budget.
Tedder said he has been borrowing money to balance the budget because he’s operating on a budget that’s been cut back over the years.
In the 2006-2007 fiscal year, his budget was $1.21 million. In the 2007-2008 fiscal year, it was $1.17 million. This fiscal year, it was pared down to $1.04 million.
And revenue has been decreasing over the years as well, he said.
The recreation department is one of the few departments in the city that creates revenue, and through several different avenues — fees, ad valorem and concessions.
At the beginning of the fiscal year, Tedder said the amount of ad valorem revenue is projected, and the actual income inevitably ends up falling short of the projection.
Two fiscal years ago, the ad valorem revenue was projected at $218,344 and fell short by more than $18,000.
In the 2007-2008 fiscal year, the ad valorem projection was set at $218,992 and was actually only $204,311.
This fiscal year ad valorem revenue is projected at $215,940.
Golf course fees are another major source of revenue — with $200,000 worth of collections projected.
But just like ad valorem revenue, golf revenues have been dwindling, also.
Over the past 12 fiscal years, golf hits its peak in 2001-2002 at 27,110 rounds played.
This past fiscal year, only 13,532 rounds of golf were played, a near 10,000 drop from the previous fiscal year.
This fiscal year, out of the $200,000 projected revenue for golf fees, $47,231.50 has been collected so far.
Tedder said part of 2008 decrease is hole closure due to Hurricane Gustav and the Dec. 9 tornado.
Tedder said he’s being careful in his expenditures.
“On our expenditures, we’re doing really well,” he said.
Two employees were cut from the budget at the beginning of the fiscal year — a golf clerk and a tennis clerk.
Tedder also said he has a system of checks and balances set up for reviewing invoices to make sure no unnecessary purchases are going through.
“My staff’s been doing an excellent job in not buying things that aren’t needed,” he said.
Also for the golf course, $24,000 was budgeted for gas, and in the first quarter of the fiscal year, only $4,735.55 has been spent.
He said money could be shifted around from the fuel line item, but he can’t make a call right now on how much money will be saved there.
“Our biggest expenses are yet to come,” he said.
Spring and summer call for heavy maintenance, Tedder said.
The most likely place to cut, Tedder said, is personnel.
Salary and benefits take up nearly 60 percent of the recreation’s budget.
“Reduce services and reduce personnel — that’s all that left,” Tedder said.
Tedder has 20 full-time employees and four seasonal program employees.
Alderman Dan Dillard, who chairs the recreation department, said one option for cutting back on personnel is not layoffs, but reducing the work year.
“We may hire a percentage of staff more seasonally,” he said.
Dillard said because a lot of work done for recreation — like grass cutting — is done during spring, summer and early fall, workers could only work during the peak season.
“I think there are ways that we could do things more efficiently and cost effectively,” he said.
A few months ago, the board of aldermen voted to raise golf cart fees, green fees and tennis court fees by a few dollars.
The fee hike began Feb. 1.
By raising the fees, Dillard and Tedder said they would hope to create a new position at the golf course — a golf marshal.
Tedder said money would be spent paying the golf marshal, but it would only be a part-time job with no benefits.
And Dillard said you have to spend money to make money.
“It would be a revenue generator,” he said.
Sometimes people sneak onto the golf course and play a round without ever paying, he said.
“There is a certain amount of our revenue that is being lost because of not being able to oversee all of the play,” he said.
Also, Dillard said a golf marshal would keep the play from being stagnant, therefore moving more players through within the course of a day.
“Another aspect of the marshal is to keep (golfers) from tearing up the course,” he said. “You can have somebody drive a cart on the green and they can do $10,000 worth of damage.”
The city enacted a case-by-case-basis hiring freeze on Tuesday.
Mayor Jake Middleton said he isn’t against hiring a golf marshal, but he would like to get the board’s approval first.
All in all, Tedder said with the mid-year budget review coming up at the end of this month, it will give him and the board of aldermen a chance to look at and rework the budget to get things in line.
Comments
Posted by Krogers (anonymous) on March 14, 2009 at 12:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
incredible that the golf play has dropped off so sharply,
sometimes when you raise rates you DECREASE business, maybe reducing fees would INCREASE use, as folks could afford to play???
supply and demand
with a flat demand, increase the supply by dropping the cost
with 20 men working, or more than a man a hole, that seems a bit heavy on personnel, or are these guys loafing?
all these years without a golf marshal, I don't see the need for one now
Posted by escapee (anonymous) on March 14, 2009 at 1:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Mayor Jake Middleton said he isn’t against hiring a golf marshal, but he would like to get the board’s approval first.
Are you kidding me? He needs a second opinion? Natchez police officers and fire fighters might be losing their jobs due to lack of city funds, and the mayor is considering hiring a golf marshal.
Give me a break! What is he thinking? It's an easy call, a new police officer vs. a new golf marshal. The answer is: a new city government.
Times are so hard right now for everyone in Natchez and the US, and his decision is a new golf marshal? No way man, this is just terrible leadership.
Posted by ntz143 (anonymous) on March 14, 2009 at 1:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
One thing that would help is parking the city vehicles at night. I see recreation vehicles all over town after hours. New programming for kids..like a soccer league, a concolidated youth basketball league, etc. would generate income And keep kids off the street. I would be very interested in how many youth..up to age 16 they actually served last year. Our rec program seems to be 85% focused on adults, not kids.
Posted by jlmorris (anonymous) on March 14, 2009 at 3:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If this story is any indication of city finances and city management, we are in serious trouble.
Tedder should submit his resignation, immediately. Dillard should step down from the board of alderman.
Posted by msubulldog (anonymous) on March 14, 2009 at 4:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
jlmorris would you step down from your position as head of household if this was your situation? I think not. The golf course has had damage from mother nature that decreased play ergo decreased income. Also, people will slip in and play a round of golf without paying the fee due to the setup of the park. Some of the freeloaders used to be city officials.
Posted by Bifflefan16 (anonymous) on March 14, 2009 at 6:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Well I have to agree raising the fees is a bad decision.
Me and one of my buds can go to Beau Pre for the same price now and play at a real golf course with a real pro shop and get a real sandwich between front and back, not to mention get to hit balls free at the driving range.
A public course is not supposed to cost as much as private course. If you want to get more golfers to Duncan make it more affordable than it is to go to Beau Pre and id bet revenues would go up...
Posted by lsumom (anonymous) on March 14, 2009 at 7:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Mr Tedder said it was his "belief" that he had a budget of 95k. As department head it should be his duty to know exactly what the budget is and not go by what he believes. Sounds exactly like the grant problem when the board "thought" the money was in the bank for the streets. What an incompetent bunch of people.
Posted by ProNatchez (anonymous) on March 14, 2009 at 8:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Our local government's next purchase needs to be a bunch of calculators. It is obvious that they can not count.
Posted by thompson39120 (anonymous) on March 14, 2009 at 9:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Tedder left and then came back, but also wasn't his Dad an Alderman or something for the city when he was hired as director, which is a conflict if memeory serves me correct. When I was worked and also participated in the recreation department at the North Natchez Youth Center under Henry Harris and Wilbert Whitley from the 1980's to about 1997, recreation was strong for all. The thigns we did was raise money for a lot of the travels we did in tennis, since the city was not fully willing to help us get there.
The city depends on the golf in Natchez for some strage reason, and it has not been a thriving sport for years. Natchez Recreation under Tedder has had more waste of money than anything over the years and Tedder thinks that what other cities are doing it can be done in Natchez, and it can't so he spends money on it and it fails. Tedder is not a people person, and really and truly don't know what is needed for the recreation department in order to make it work. There needs to be someone in charge who is in touch with the community and people who they repsect and trust and it is not Tedder.
A new golf marshall and why, well it seems like YOUR NEW MAYOR who one was already rich and did nothing as Alderman but collect a check and now mayor is only looking out for his best interest, because if YOUR MAYOR chooses a golf marshall over keeping fireman and police on the job, then that city will continue to go down hill for the next 4 years.
Posted by beammeupscotty (anonymous) on March 14, 2009 at 9:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The first choice of action cut the personnel that do the physical labor but keep all the office staff. No layoffs just cut their hours back until they are part time with no benefits, such as unemployment workers comp if we screw everyone we save more. The Walmart mentality is taking over the world, no one is a full time employee and no one has benefits. Work them just enough that they don't qualify for unemployment or other services and hope they quit that way you get out of paying anything.
Posted by justthefactsman (anonymous) on March 14, 2009 at 9:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
As far as a golf course marshall goes there is no need for one. All they do is drive around an make sure everyone paid for there golf game. i know when they did have a marshall that is all he did. Now as far as people going out and driving on the green, that can be controlled by the golfers. If they don't have enough respect for the course and the game, what the HE hockey sticks are they doing out there.?? Mr. Tedder is a good recreation director. At least his job in the city is doing something for us...The Citizens...Having a nice golf course and a nice park for the kids to play in is very rewarding. At least i know I can go to Duncan Park with my kids and feel safe, because that is about the only place left in Natchez where the riff raff haven't taken over. The saggy pants riff raff have ruined Wal-mart. And just about every other public place in Natchez. If you look closely there lies your problem.. I don't lay blame on Mr. Tedder. I lay blame with the city officials that are over him. POOP ROLLS DOWNHILL. It has to be dropped from people over him. Face it people this city is broke. Welfare, Medicare, and very poor city management have taken this city under. Really,,,What city moans and cries over 20000 dollars. Come on. Better look closely at who is over budget in this city. 100 dollars says that recreation department isn't the only one!!! :)
Posted by buttercup26 (anonymous) on March 14, 2009 at 9:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
hahahaha what the heck is a golf marshall?
Posted by justthefactsman (anonymous) on March 14, 2009 at 9:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
A golf marshal is a dude that rides around in a golf cart and watches the people playing golf all day. Checks reciepts to make sure that the people have paid for 18 holes of golf instead of 9 holes. SOME people pay for 9 holes of golf and play 18 holes. At least they used to. It really isn't a job that needs to be filled. Kind of a waste if you ask me. Save the money and plant some grass or something for the golf course.
Posted by ladyrider (anonymous) on March 14, 2009 at 10:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
lsumom and ProNatchez, you are so right. And, like justthe facts said, the recreation department is not the only one over budget. We need a completely new set of elected officials. I am very disappointed in Jake and the entire BOA.
Posted by freedom42 (anonymous) on March 14, 2009 at 10:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)
When Marvin Gray was there as pro the course ran well and made money. Why was he let go? To save money. I remember seeing him ride around sometimes and check on people, the greens were in great shape, and he was always willing to give good advice. The last time we played "someone" let a group of eight people play together and they would not let anyone play through to get ahead of them. When reported to the shop/office, the people there just shrugged and said they couldn't do anything about it. We usually spent around $200 a month there. How many other people have quit playing there because of the same things?
Posted by justthefactsman (anonymous) on March 14, 2009 at 11:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Ladyrider, see I find it hard to blame everything on Mayor Jake. See things started the downhill slide way before Middleton. Even before West. I started to see the downturn when Butch Brown left as mayor. The Board of aldermen. Well I think a few of them need to go FOR SURE. We all know who they are. But when Marvin was at the golf course things did go smoother. They had a course marshal then. Can't recall his name, but it isn't a job that needs to be there. Golf PRO now that is another story. I think they need a Golf Pro more than they need a course marshal. Marvin did do alot for the youth as well as the adults that wanted to learn the game of golf. Times are just hard right now. People don't have the free spending money they used to have. I know I don't. But as for a whole, Natchez is in bad shape. Worst I have ever seen it.
Posted by straightshooter1 (anonymous) on March 14, 2009 at 11:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree with one of the comments above about the golf rates being too high. Duncan Park is a public course and in most towns that I have played, the public courses have fees that are much lower than private or semi-private courses in order to encourage the public to use them. What the park should consider is reducing the cost of a round of golf so that the people who haven't been able to afford to play, can now start playing again. There are lots of people like me who would love to go and walk a round of golf, who don't want to use the carts, that would play again if it was affordable. The young people can't afford it anymore and neither can the older folks. The golf shouldn't be nearly as expensive as it is now. Tedder needs to go also and they need to get someone out there who is involved with the people...someone who has more personallity that a head of cabbage. The old men and the ladies that worked there years ago added value because they were always interesting to talk to and they would give pointers too. And as far a a Marshall, that's a joke. They need to encourage the regulars to do the marshalling by having a signup sheet like they had many years ago and offer a free round of golf for each 4 hours of marshalling that one performed. Only the cost of the round, not the cost of the cart. Bottom line, reduce the price a lot and then start encouraging, perhaps even advertising for a short period in area papers, and watch the utilization of the course increase.
Posted by NtzRiver (anonymous) on March 14, 2009 at 12:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Why don't the City get on a Dave Ramsey plan. If you don't have to the cash dont need it. I played on the course the other day and I couldn't tell the putting green from the sand trap. What are these workers doing?? The fee was high and won't waste my money on crappy courses. And all the pro shop workers do is sit their and watch TV.
Posted by jlmorris (anonymous) on March 15, 2009 at 10:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Golf fees and tennis fees have been increased and Tedder is whining.
His budget has been cut along with other city departments and he is whining.
Maybe, Tedder should try to figure out why patrons are going else where to play golf.
You know, maybe we should have reduced fees for city youth to play golf and tennis. Say half the adult rate during non prime times or if playing with adults during prime times.
Posted by guy2co (anonymous) on March 15, 2009 at 11:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Why not sell sponsorships of the holes to local business. They could have their name on a sign or something for a fee, this would help raise money without raising the rates to play. They could also encourage a package deal for groups and spend a little on advertising. Maybe have a fundraiser tournament where adults use kids clubs or something fun and different.
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