Letter: More RedTail wrangling

The July 26 Lakewood Board meeting was another marketing presentation, one long ”fallacy of the false dilemma”: Should we do nothing and let the existing clubhouse crumble into the ground? Of course not. Which proves we need a new clubhouse two-thirds bigger than the existing RedTail clubhouse.

No, it doesn’t.

This approach is unethical. Staff has an obligation to objectively present relevant information, not to mislead. Staff made no case for a larger clubhouse beyond some anecdotes and the plural of anecdote is not data.

Staff didn’t get bids on repairing the clubhouse, as they were directed. They did present statements from two builders saying the current structure couldn’t be salvaged, which was credible if not conclusive.

Staff also demonstrated that because of higher rates, RedTail can reasonably be expected to generate $100,000 to $125,000 per year to pay for a new clubhouse. (Staff used a higher number, but prudence, the watchword where taxpayers are concerned, dictates a lower number.) That’s enough to support a $1.5 million property-tax backed borrowing.

Staff recommends using impact fees to defray the cost of a more expensive clubhouse, fees collected for the Park District, not a Village golf course clubhouse. Non-Lakewood Park District residents might wonder why this money, collected more than twenty years ago according to the Village Manager, was never turned over. And the impact fee ordinance says any money not expended in 13 years is to be refunded. These issues haven’t been explained yet.

I look forward to further evidence and explanation.

Steve Willson

Lakewood