LIHUE — For more than eight decades, the County of Kauai-owned Wailua Golf Course has been known as one of the more affordable pastimes on the island.
Because the course is subsidized by the county, it has one of the cheapest tee times on Kauai.
And that, some golfers say, is a tradition worth keeping.
“It’s one of the main sources of recreation for a lot of the older folks that live on the island,” said Richard Dornbusch, a monthly pass holder to the 18-hole course, who played on Tuesday.
He said people pay a lot of taxes to live on Kauai as it is, so it’s a nice trade-off for locals and a wise investment by the county.
“Sixty dollars per month is a great deal,” he said.
But deciding fees for the golf course could change. The Kauai County Council is expected to decide today whether to put the issue on this year’s ballot for voters to decide.
Should changes to golf course fees or charges go through the council’s public hearing process like most every other rate change?
Or, should the mayor and his administration have the authority, meaning setting changes could be done quicker by skipping the several-meeting process that’s in place now?
If the seven-member council approves sending the question, county voters will determine which method they’d prefer.
Councilwoman JoAnn Yukimura, the introducer of the measure, said the move is needed to generate more revenues for the golf course and respond quickly when economic and seasonal changes occur.
Some county officials, however, say the proposal would not allow the public, especially county residents, to have as much of a say in how fees and charges are adjusted.
“The Wailua Golf Course is a revenue generating operation and the ability to set fees needs to be flexible so that it can easily respond to market conditions and to seasonal changes in play and customer base,” Yukimura wrote in a memo to fellow council members.
As it stands right now, the Kauai County Charter specifically delegates the authority to set fees and charges to the County Council.
Wailua Golf Course operations, Yukimura said, are currently subsidized by the county’s general fund by about $1 million, primarily through real property tax revenues.
“This is not sustainable,” Yukimura said. “Furthermore, in the context of the extremely tight budget situation this year, this subsidy is drawing general fund dollars away from other pressing needs such as transportation, housing and public safety.”
For the 2014-2015 fiscal year, which ends on June 30, just over $2.4 million has been budgeted for operations, improvements and staff at the Wailua Golf Course.
About $2.4 million, according to county budget documents, is being proposed by Kauai Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. for the golf course next year.
The subsidized infusion helps keep rates relatively low.
Weekday rates range from $15 for kamaaina and $48 for non-residents.
The now 18-hole course is the only county-owned golf course on the island.
It’s one of the most affordable ones, too.
Kapaa resident Adam Jimenez, a monthly pass holder at the course, said he plays two to three times per week, mostly because of the cheap rates and convenience.
“Could (the county) make more money? Yeah, probably,” he said of charging more. “But for a local guy, you got to be going, ‘I don’t want them to do anything.’”
Rates at Puakea Golf Course in Lihue, for example, range from $35 for tee times after 3 p.m. or 9-holes at anytime to $99 for tee times before 11 a.m.
At Kiahuna Golf Club in Poipu, rates begin at $75 for games played at twilight after 2 p.m.
“The County ‘subsidizes’ all of its parks facilities to one extent or another,” Department of Parks and Recreation Director Lenny Rapozo said. “The Wailua Golf Course does generate significant revenue from users to help offset the cost, unlike our beach parks, for which there is no user fee. At the Wailua Golf Course, the county does its best to run a facility that is as cost-efficient as possible, while still offering residents and visitors an affordable recreational experience.”
A reason for the proposed change is to speed things up.
Under the Kauai County Charter, the fee-setting process requires a minimum of two readings of a bill and a public hearing before the County Council can make any changes.
The process, Yukimura said, is “extremely cumbersome” and can take several months to complete as opportunities and revenues are lost.
“Not all adjustments are raises,” Yukimura wrote. “Sometimes a downturn in the market will require lowering the fees to attract customers and/or minimize losses. Having the ability to set fees in a more responsive, flexible and business-like manner will help to optimize revenues.”
But not everybody sees it that way.
Rapozo said requiring County Council approval for fees and charges — as is the case with other county fees — allows for public input into the process instead of leaving the decision up to the discretion of a single individual.
“There does not appear to be a compelling reason for making such an exception for Wailua Golf Course fees,” Rapozo wrote in an email. “The Department of Parks and Recreation feels that it is better to retain the current process for setting fees at the Wailua Golf Course.”
The measure is scheduled to be heard during the County Council’s meeting beginning at 9 a.m. today in the Historic County Building’s Council Chambers in Lihue. Public testimony can also be sent to counciltestimony@kauai.gov.
• Darin Moriki, county government reporter, can be reached at 245-0428 or dmoriki@thegardenisland.com.
• Chris D’Angelo contributed to this story.
