As the county board continues to work on a plan to prop up Superior National at Lutsen (SNL), it seems to me that this would be an excellent time for the board to put into place some requirements that would protect the county and its taxpayers going forward—no matter who is running SNL.
Whoever is running SNL, whether it be the Cook County/Grand Marais Economic Development Authority (EDA) or some new entity, accountability must be built in to ensure that there is clear, transparent reporting on what is happening.
I would like to suggest that the board put into place the following requirements as part of any loan package:
. Timely monthly financial statements prepared on generally accepted accounting principles.
. Monthly budgets and at least a five-year projection of income and expenses.
. Cash flow statements that would show how the loans will be paid off from operations.
. Reports on number of rounds of golf played each month with a breakdown of where the golfers come from to determine just how much tourism SNL produces for Cook County.
In keeping with the board’s policy, an annual audit would be required.
Bob Hahn
Lutsen
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