Improvements set for POA structures

Improvements to a trio of structures and repairs to the Highlands Golf Course cart paths caused by flood damage gained approval of the POA Board of Directors July 20.

The three structures to benefit from improvements are:

• The restroom at Metfield Park, estimated to cost $64,000;

• The Blowing Springs restroom, estimated at $94,000;

• The Blowing Springs RV park entrance building, budgeted at $50,000.

Property Owners Association general manager Tom Judson said the Metfield restroom will see a complete rebuild to become usable in all weather and to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Renovations at the Blowing Springs restroom will be, in part, to become usable in all weather and achieve ADA compliance. The renovation, he said, will also add showers to the restroom, primarily aimed at campers.

“This would allow us to provide showers to those customers,” he said.

Renovations at the RV park entrance building will roughly double the size of the building, he said, and will add an employee restroom as well as space for retail items, including soda, snacks and bug repellent.

Judson said that getting bids for the cart path repairs at Highlands proved difficult because contractors are occupied. Additionally, he said, because the needed repairs are scattered rather than all in one spot, contractors are less interested in doing

the work.

“We really struggle to get a company to come out and give us a bid,” he said.

The good news, he said, is the bid the POA received from Hutchens Construction, which has done well on path work for the POA in the past, came in under budget. The association budgeted $107,700 for this work, he said, but the bid came in at $104,160.

Additionally, repairs to Country Club Golf Course

also came in under estimates, he said.

The estimate prepared by Golf Course Maintenance director Keith Ihms anticipated repairs would cost $65,000.

Judson said the lowest bid came in at $60,315 to repair the tee on hole 2, the green on hole 8 and bunkers on holes 2, 3, 4 and 8.

It’s important to note, he said, that while hole 8 may look OK to play on, it cannot be used because

the grass is thin and fragile.

Chairman Ron Stratton suggested placing signage to explain why the hole is not currently in use.

The board also discussed partnering with the city to save both parties some money on hydrology studies of Little Sugar Creek, appointed David Whelchel to fill a board vacancy until May 28 and discussed changes to employee benefits.