Plans are to keep the Gunflint Hills golf course open now and into the foreseeable future, but Grand Marais Recreation Park manager Dave Tersteeg admitted, “Since Mike Kunshier’s unexpected retirement on July 12, keeping the course open has been a struggle.”
Tersteeg was addressing the Grand Marais park board on Tuesday, August 7 at their monthly meeting.
In the wake of Kunshier’s departure, Tersteeg said Ada Hill, a seasonal clubhouse attendant, had resigned and Marlo Luick, an experienced seasonal groundskeeper, had also left.
Attempts to find a new golf course superintendent were unsuccessful, noted Tersteeg, although three people were interviewed for the job.
In the meantime, Tersteeg said it has taken a team effort to keep the clubhouse doors open.
“The course continues to operate with a skeleton crew and considerable input from the city staff across multiple departments. A clubhouse attendant has been hired, and a front desk attendant from the park has been reassigned to the course.
“The lack of chemical spraying and higher-level turf maintenance, especially given the extreme winter kill, leaves the course in poor to fair condition. The team effort necessary for keeping open has been significant and commendable, but is unsustainable.”
Next Tersteeg laid out six options for the park board to consider.
The first was to “intensify the search for a replacement superintendent, casting a broader, regional net.”
Option two was to contract a superintendent that could perform many of the duties Kunshier did such as applying fertilizer, pesticides, fungicide, aerate the greens and complete the preparation for the turf during the spring and fall.
“Paul Jones, a contractor from the Duluth area, has submitted a proposal for these services on a bi-weekly basis for the 2019 season for roughly $26,000. Not including daily mowing, maintenance, irrigation and operation of the clubhouse.”
If the city okayed this contract, it would still require someone to be hired who could manage the day-to-day operation, as well as know how to take care of the varied turf. “Hiring a seasonal manager could prove difficult,” supposed Tersteeg.
Jones, who recently toured the golf course, has also offered his services this year, an option the city is exploring, and one Tersteeg hopes comes to fruition.
Park board members expressed interest in the first three options, but more so for option number three, which called for exploring the feasibility of Gunflint Hills and Superior National combining forces under a Cook County umbrella.
Superior National, located in Lutsen, is a 27 hole public course managed by the Cook County/ Grand Marais EDA.
“It makes sense when you think of the co-marketing possibilities and the sharing of rental equipment, but this is something that would have to be worked out with the EDA, county and city council,” Tersteeg said.
Option four would be to lease the operation.
Steve Ortmann, a member and regular golfer at Gunflint Hills, was on hand to explain option four. Among his golfing friends, Steve noted, “There is a big concern that the golf course will be closed.”
Ortmann’s plan was to see if he could form a group to lease the course, much the way a group had done three years ago in Two Harbors when that course was threatened with closure by the Two Harbors city council. However, as he listened to the options put forth by Tersteeg, he withdrew— for now—option four.
The fifth proposal was to sell the golf course to an interested party, and the sixth option was to create an alternative use for the site.
The big problem, said Tersteeg, is that Kunshier— and only Kunshier – knew how to do some of the jobs that are required to keep the course operational. For now, Tersteeg said the best hope is to work out an agreement with Jones to help save the greens and fairways through the season and then make sure the course was properly put to bed for the winter.
“This seems to me to be the best option we have,” said park board member Kay Tavernier. “That way we can have time to put together a plan for next year.”
Park revenue
July proceeds were $280,000, down from 2017 July’s tally of $281,000. Overall, however, year-todate, the park is up $46,000 (6.6 percent) over the same time last year.
Motions approved
WTIP’s application to use the west side of the park for its September 7-9 Radio Waves concert was unanimously approved.
Mike and Anne from North House Folk School brought drawings for two picnic shelters that would replace the two that are in poor shape on Sweet Heart’s Bluff. Both current shelters are a shade under 12 feet by 12 feet and the new grindbygg style frame and queen post-style frame shelters will be the same size.
The students, who are offering their time and talents for free, asked to build two different shelter styles so they could both learn more about wood joinery.
Park board members thought the two shelters would be a great complement to the area and gave them the green light to begin work. Plans are to have the new shelters on site October 21 and October 22.
The park will pay for the lumber and roofing materials and other materials needed for the construction of the buildings.
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