Scotsdale irrigation expense draws POA board scrutiny

The difference between a capital expense and a repair was discussed at the POA’s Board of Directors meeting last week.

The discussion, which will continue during next month’s Rules and Regulations Committee meeting, came about as General Manager Tom Judson described problems with the irrigation system at the Scotsdale Golf Course.

The agenda called the item a capital expense and stated the final cost was $10,800.

Board member Pat Laury pointed out that capital expenses over $10,000 require board approval before the money is spent. He asked why the board wasn’t asked to approve it.

Judson explained that a computerized controller for the irrigation system went out. The system needed immediate

attention. Scotsdale maintenance employees were able to manually operate the system but that meant arriving at the course at 4 a.m. and working extra hours. “The work had to be done quickly,” he said. Even a day or two without water could damage or even kill the greens, he explained.

Laury said that the board could have been consulted by telephone or email.

A second regulation requiring three bids for a large purchase was also ignored.

“We hire people to take care of the courses,” board member David Brandenburg said, agreeing that even a day or two without water would hurt the greens.

Laury said he would have voted in favor of the expenditure, but he wasn’t given the chance.

“It’s a matter of principal,” he said.

Judson explained that when he authorized the purchase of the controller, he considered it a repair, not a capital project. As general manager he can authorize repairs.

It became a capital project when the Accounting Department got involved. They realized that the new part was not an exact duplicate of the older part, because the manufacturer had improved it since the original purchase and that improvement made it a capital expense.

Board chairman Ron Stratton suggested that the Rules and Regulations Committee, at their next meeting, should review the guidelines on purchases authorized by the general manager. The purchase and the three bid waiver were approved, retroactively, by a unanimous vote of the board.

A waiver of the three-bid rule was also approved for cart path work on Dogwood Golf Course. The work begins this month. Judson said that area contractors have been busy recently and didn’t respond to his request for a bid. The company he plans to hire just completed cart path work at the Highlands.

The board also voted to accept the Lake Committee recommendation on guidelines for wake boarding over the objection of a member. Board member Bruce Portillo said that the boats that pull wake boarders are damaging the shoreline. Bella Vista lakes are just too small, he said, suggesting that wake boarders be directed to Beaver Lake.

The committee has discussed the issue several times over the past two years and heard from several members including wake boarders and lakeside residents complaining of damage. Their solution was to limit wake board use to more than 150 feet of the shore. Water skiers are allowed within 100 feet of the shore.

Board member John Nuttall said that only three lakes allow boats that can pull a skier: Loch Lomond, Ann and Avalon.

Judson said that a ban on wake boarders could be considered if the new regulations don’t solve the problem.

The board approved changing the name of the Young Residents Committee to the Community Involvement Committee. Because the name change involves a policy change, the approval was the first of two required readings.

The work had to be done quickly because even a day or two without water could damage or even kill the greens." Tom Judson POA General Manager