Volunteer help, financial donations being sought for new clubhouse

(Photo by Brian Mohr) Everly Construction, which was named general contractor for the Spencer Municipal Golf Course's new clubhouse project, began work on the framework in mid-November.

But your help -- both physical and financial -- is being sought to finish the new clubhouse and keeping costs in check.

"It's nice to see that it's finally becoming a reality. It's also great to see the folks who come out here to help us by volunteering their time and enthusiasm that they have," Brian Mohr, the Spencer Municipal Golf Course superintendent, said while working on the new clubhouse's interior finishing touches this week. "Even people who are just popping their heads in to take a look are real excited about everything. So, this is really an exciting time and we're looking forward to being done with it."

After years of hoping for a clubhouse like the one currently being built, construction on the 4,800-square-foot facility, which also includes an attached sun room, began in August.

"This space will allow the golf course to hold a maximum of 180 people at one time, and should accommodate the majority of our golf outings," Mohr said. "There will be no kitchen in this facility and it will operate with a snack bar, to provide quick-service food items only. Our pro shop area will only provide golf balls, golf gloves, clothing items and other small necessity items. These two new areas of the new clubhouse facility will be operated no differently than currently being done at the existing facility. The size and the fact that there is no kitchen, though, will insure that it will not be in competition with the (Clay County Regional) Events Center."

Cannon Moss Brygger & Associates of Spencer, which was hired to provide architectural services for the municipal course's new clubhouse, prepared a floor plan, elevation drawing and projected a $357,25 cost estimate for the facility. After architectural fees and other amenities were added, its total estimated cost increased to be less than $400,000.

While city representatives agreed to help finance a $350,000 project, the golf course was assigned responsibility for coming up with anything over that amount.

An agreement reached between the two parties outlines $10,000 a year being set aside over the next 10 years from Spencer's hotel/motel tax revenues. The golf course, which is responsible for the remainder of the project's balance, implemented a few rate changes last season in hopes of generating additional funds to apply toward the clubhouse's construction. Mohr also acknowledged the $25,000 payments the municipal golf course is responsible for repaying to the city's coffers each year over the next decade will commence on July 1.

"The actual contract bid for the building was $291,000. We spent about $35,000 doing the foundation work ourselves, which was the concrete work, the backfill and all of that stuff. That was done with city staff," Mohr said.

Because landscaping and interior furniture costs were not included in the agreed-upon $350,000 figure, Mohr said the aim now is to keep costs down by utilizing volunteer help.

"The one thing that we're really going to need help on pulling the project together is some financial donations for tables and chairs and the plant materials. Right now, we're looking at having 50 sets of tables and chairs, which would be a set of four chairs and table, in the building. That's going to cost us $295 a set," Mohr said. " ... We've already had a few people who have helped us through donations for those, but we don't have any money in our budget to pay for all of that. So, we're hoping that we can get some help from the public with that portion of the project."

(Photo by Brian Mohr) Volunteers gathered last weekend to paint the Spencer Municipal Golf Course's new clubhouse interior walls and ceilings.

"We are looking at about $4,400 for the landscaping design. Hopefully we can get to that this fall," the golf course superintendent continued. " ... We want to get our sidewalks in and get as much of the area sodded as we possibly can. We're going to use sod from around the existing clubhouse, cut that up and get that laid once we've backfilled everything and we've got everything graded to where the drainage will flow naturally to the north, east and west, so we don't have any puddling anywhere. Then we're going to start laying sod."

Spencer Municipal Golf Course staff were assisted by 26 volunteers this past weekend who helped paint the new clubhouse's interior walls. Once doors are hung inside, trim will be placed and carpet will be installed by additional volunteers.

"We'll also have volunteer help looking to help us sod outside, as well as do the landscaping, putting in the plant materials and whatnot," Mohr added. "We'll also be building a retaining wall on the north side of the building. We're going to hopefully count on volunteer labor to help us with a lot of that work."

All volunteer labor and financial contributions tied to the project will be recognized on plaques displayed in the new clubhouse.

The existing clubhouse, meanwhile, is for sale by public notice. The clubhouse has a vacant apartment above it, as well as a garage, all of which are available for purchase.

"Our hope is when that clubhouse is removed, that's going to be additional parking area and we'll have a breakeven on that part of the project. So, we're hoping that we can sell the apartment or the building for enough money to cover our expenses of turning it into a parking lot," Mohr said.

June 15 is the deadline to have a bid submitted to the city.

* To volunteer to help at the Spencer Municipal Golf Course or to make a monetary donation to this project, contact Mohr by telephone at 580-7281 or by e-mail at smgolfcourse@smunet.net. Progress made to date on the clubhouse may also be viewed via a slideshow on the municipal golf course's Web site: spencermunigolf.com.