Councilmember Bill Henderson played through at Wednesday’s Rye City Council meeting and with a final stroke flattened the fee structure at the Rye Golf Club. It was a reversal of the Council’s prior approval of 2024 Rye resident fees at Rye Golf Club.
The Club had been criticized by Henderson and others for a two tier system where new members are charged more for the same benefit. The Rye Golf Club and its chair did not see it that way, but on Wednesday evening that did not matter.
Under direction of the Council and with the help of City Manager Greg Usry the Rye Golf Club designed a new fee schedule for all Rye residents, reflecting an overall 6% increase for both new and renewing members. Under the prior plan, new resident members were charged a 30% premium. The City still projects approximately $850,000 of net income for Rye Golf Club even with the adjustment.
Mayor Josh Cohn again voiced by opposition to the new plan, arguing the first year upcharge was still a good deal, that there are pending large capital projects at the club and that it was in comparison, still a great deal compared to other local options. “In fact, the total Rye Golf rate golf rate is a tiny fraction of, for example, the cost of a first year membership at Apawamis, the private golf club in town,” said Cohn, in a not so veiled swipe at Henderson, who was a prior president of the private club.
After listening to the Mayor, Henderson said “I totally disagree with your position. Let’s vote. The Mayor, now in the minority, was the sole no vote. Henderson along with Goddard, Jensen and Nathan voted in favor of the change. Both Cunningham and Souza were absent from the meeting.
This was more than a vote about which fee structure is best. It was a vote to take that decision away from the Golf Club members, even though they, rather than Rye taxpayers, pay the club’s expenses. I wish the Council members had debated the pros and cons of this change before voting.
Bravo Zulu Bill!
The last time the council was told to butt out (me, followed by George Pratt) We had the Scott Yandresivich scandal. The City, as represented by the council, is reposible for city facilities and property. Contr Meg, it belongs to all of us. Good Job!
Bob Cypher
Bob, if I remember correctly, Mayor French increased the City’s oversight of the enterprise funds after the Yandresivich swindle. Can’t argue with that! But last night’s vote wasn’t about financial soundness. It was a decision to override a fee schedule on the basis of fairness, even though that fee schedule had been set by club members themselves, via their elected representatives. I don’t remember the Council doing anything like that before.
Meg, Many Rye residents have been on a wait list for years, due to the excessive number of non resident members. To be told that they are “new Members” and now must pay an additional 30% to join is classic bait and switch. This not a private club. It is a city facility, and is not the exclusive domain of the current members. The new council was well within its rights to reverse thiis inequitable two-tiered system. You know as well as I do that Rye taxpayers are on the hook for multiple aspects of the club. This was the right, bi-partisan decision
Bob, I have no opinion about which fee structure is fairer.* It’s none of my business. I’m not a member, and it won’t affect my taxes by one cent. By the same reasoning, I see no reason for the City Council to override the preference of the members themselves (via their elected representatives).
*Though Mayor Cohn makes a compelling case for the one chosen by the Golf Club Commission: https://myrye.com/my_weblog/2024/02/mayor-on-rye-golf-club-flattening-resident-fee-is-not-right.html?mc_cid=51f7486abd&mc_eid=a5243bd1eb
The mayor has been wrong on many things. This is just the latest example