A Soldotna ordinance to allocate $350,000 to the purchase of the Birch Ridge Golf Course will be introduced and two public hearings have been scheduled.
At a work session on January 28 the Central Peninsula Health Foundation presented their proposal as to why the city should fund a matching grant so that the non profit can purchase the golf course for $700,000.
Council Member Keith Baxter asked the Foundation if the donation could go farther if it were used directly towards helping patients versus purchasing the golf course.
Baxter: “There are great reasons to keep that golf course in our community and if their board has decided that’s the best use of a $350,000 donation, I’m not on their board, it’s not my job to make that decision. If the city decides to be in partnership on a plan like that it will be for it’s own reasons and interests because the city is not in the business of using taxpayer money to perform their mission. If the city were to partner with them it would have to be for reasons that made sense to our constituents and tax base.”
If the city allocates the $350,000 from the general fund, the Foundation would apply to other grant organizations for a matching amount. The Foundation has only requested funding from the city thus far.
Birch Ridge owners Pat and Myrna Cowan attended the work session; Pat is also the Vice President of the Central Peninsula Health Foundation and said they have considered other options in case the city does not choose to commit to the grant but he was encouraged by what he heard last night.
Public hearings for that ordinance to purchase the golf course are scheduled for February 25 and March 11.
Also on the agenda for the February 11 Soldotna City Council meeting: certifying the February 3 Soldotna Special Elections and introducing ordinances pertaining to marijuana in public places and restaurants.
