A $138,800 patio project at Cattail Crossing Golf Course will get a second chance at approval Monday when the Watertown City Council gathers for a work session.
Supporters of the patio, which will be constructed directly east of the clubhouse, were expecting the project’s low bid to receive council approval at its May 29 meeting. But a few hours before the meeting, Mayor Ried Holien said the item had been removed pending review of certain details.
Donors and other golfers felt like the project had been hit out of bounds. Councilman Mike Danforth, who had questions about the project, drew some of their anger.
“Although Mike Danforth claimed he needed more information regarding financial and planning info, I have not yet heard from anyone that he has identified what it is he claims to need,” Watertown Attorney Nancy Turbak, one of the patio’s proponents, said last Tuesday night. “Strange that he had pressing questions at the last minute, but 24 hours later, I've not heard that he's asked anyone involved for whatever info he needs.”
Holien said that although Danforth did have the most questions, such as carryover money from past golf course projects, it was the mayor who made the decision to ask the council to postpone the bid approval.
“It was me being cautious,” said Holien, who doesn’t want council discussions to become accusatory in nature. “I want to make every council meeting as professional as I can. I didn’t want to take a positive project and tarnish it.”
Holien said the delay request was approved by all council members.
When bids were opened May 21, Creative Visions Landscape and Design of Watertown was the winner. Holien said he knew the bid didn’t have to be approved by the council until June 21, which meant there was time to work out questions.
The upcoming work session on June 10 will allow the council another chance to vote, and Holien expects the council to be fully on board with it.
Former councilmember Dan Albertsen is handling the project’s donations and said about $50,000 has been pledged in cash and other assistance. The Watertown Community Foundation has pledged $10,000, Dacotah Bank President Troy Zebroski has said his company will pay for new furniture and 1889 Meats will be providing a large gas grill.
According to Golf Operations Manager Levi Pearson, the patio project began to take shape over the winter. Golf Architect Kevin Norby of Carver, Minnesota, who has previously worked for the golf course, was asked to do a course assessment late last fall.
Norby suggested a new clubhouse or improving the clubhouse area. Replacing the clubhouse has been on the city’s capital improvement project list for at least a dozen years, but Pearson told Norby that it may be another 5 to 10 years before it is replaced.
Pearson and Course Superintendent Scott Schunter met with Watertown Parks, Recreation & Forestry Manager Dusty Rodiek before coming up with the patio idea, which will allow golfers or visitors to sit outside in shaded areas. Rodiek and City Manager Amanda Mack both approved it.
The project will be covered by money set aside in the course’s improvement fund as well as donations.
“Our concern right away was do we put funding into something that can’t stay if the clubhouse goes away,” said Pearson. “Ultimately, as we have gone through this process with the architect (Mack Landscapes) and the landscaping company, we want this to be a standalone facility at the end of the day.”
The project is teed up again. Will the council take a swing?
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