Municipal Golf - Sustainable Funding Solution

~6 min survey

Expires on 10/27/2022

The City of Rochester is working with Minnesota-based provider Morris-Leatherman who will conduct a telephone survey of up to 500 randomly selected community members. This includes an oversampling to gain a representative population of the golfing community. It is anticipated the survey will begin September 28, 2022 and continue into early October. The City and the Parks & Recreation Department encourage community members to answer the call if selected as a part of the random sample.

There will also be an opt-in opportunity for the entire community, provided via the Polco digital survey channel, to answer the same questions. City teammates and the survey provider will provide a summary report of the engagement activities and outcomes with the Park Board on November 1, 2022 and during a City Council Study Session on November 28, 2022.

The City Council resolution, previously referenced, asked for the exploration of the following for the City’s golf program:

Maintain existing complement of courses and develop a strategy to fund the recommended $722,500 per year to support the Capital Improvement Projects and the appropriate level of annual operating support, as well as the cost of additional operations needed (e.g. maintenance staffing, marketing, other service level enhancements) to maintain the complement of courses, and better preserve the value of new investment in an improved system.
Optimize the Rochester Municipal Golf System by repositioning a course and a) evaluate the opportunities and challenges associated with repositioning each, and b) identify high-level future uses for each, and c) assess the long-term financial impact associated with maintaining or repositioning each.
Maintain the existing complement of courses with the current level of funding and identify service and user experience reductions needed overtime.

Since the resolution was passed, the recommended fund strategy, to support a sustainable golf operation, has been modified to be $500,000 a year. $100,000 of that would be for annual operations and $400,000 of that would be for annual Capital Improvement Projects across the golf system. Additional information and updates can be found on the Municipal Golf Project webpage.

Do you consider the City portion of your property taxes to be very high, somewhat high, about average, somewhat low, or very low in comparison with neighboring cities?

Property Taxes

In 2021, the actual percentage of your property taxes going to the City of Rochester was just under 36%. The City of Rochester uses this funding to provide services such as Public Safety, Parks & Recreation and Public Works.

Would you favor or oppose an increase in your City property tax if it were needed to maintain city services at their current level?

Favor

Oppose

Don't Know / Prefer Not to Answer

Would you favor or oppose an increase in your City property tax if it were used to improve or enhance current City services?

Favor

Oppose

Don't Know / Prefer Not to Answer

When you consider the property taxes you pay and the quality of city services you receive, how would you rate the general value of city services?

For each of the following, please answer for yourself and/or members of your household that use that facility.

For each of the following City golf courses, please share if you and/or a member of your household play it frequently, occasionally, rarely or never.

How would you rate the maintenance and upkeep of the municipal golf courses?

Please share the course and improvements you believe are needed.

What is the PRIMARY reason you choose to play on a City golf course?

Other - please use text box below to provide your answer.

What do you think about the current price for a round of golf at the City golf courses?

Too High

Too Low

Right Amount

Don't Know / Prefer Not to Answer

Proposed Annual Operations & CIP for Golf

As you may know, the City of Rochester owns and operates four municipal golf courses. After an evaluation, all of these courses need to complete deferred maintenance, capital improvement projects and have increased operational needs. The estimated cost increase for these project is about $500,000 a year.

Would you support or oppose an increase in the City's property tax levy for these projects?

Instead of increasing the City's property tax levy for these projects, another option would be to raise the green fees by about $5.20 a round. Would you support or oppose this?

Support

Oppose

Don't Know / Prefer Not to Answer

The final option would be for the City to fund these projects by both increasing the City's property tax levy and increasing the green fees. Would you support or oppose this?

Support

Oppose

Don't Know / Prefer Not to Answer

Which option would you prefer to provide funding for golf course projects?

Please share any other comments.

Do you rent or own your home?

Rent

Own

Prefer Not to Answer

How much do you anticipate your household’s total income before taxes will be for the current year? (Please include in your total income money from all sources for all persons living in your household.)

Do you have a physical, mental, or emotional condition that limits and/or shapes your participation in work and society?

Yes

No

Prefer Not to Answer

Is English your first language?

Yes

No

Prefer Not to Answer

What is your race and/or ethnicity (select all that apply)

Menu

Municipal Golf - Sustainable Funding Solution