GOOD NEWS! Cedar Hills city officials have publicly admitted the golf course is not profitable. Thank you!
The September 2011 front page Newsletter incorrectly gave the impression that the golf course was profitable, when it declared,
“The City golf course has shown positive cash flow from operating activities since 2005 and even had a cash surplus of over $90,000 in 2009.”
A coalition review of audited city financials proved otherwise. The City’s July 2012 Newsletter correction stated,
“…It created the impression that the golf course, as a whole, was profitable. This was not the case.”
The profitability of the golf profitability and city finances were the main issues at the last election, an election result which was very close.
Our Citizens coalition believes it was unfortunate that City officials involved themselves in promoting a slate of candidates by promoting financial misunderstanding at the election, and have regularly asked for the correction ever since.
Therefore, the City Council is to be CONGRATULATED for recognizing the value of promoting the truth, and doing a difficult thing in publicly correcting themselves on this important issue.
In light of the tragic loss of our Mayor, and three other high profile, so-called “resignations”, we hope for a fresh start and that the City will trend towards more openness and transparency. This will help to rebuild and restore the public trust. We must work to restore public trust in Cedar Hills government. Promoting TRUTH — even when it hurts — will help restore peace & harmony in Cedar Hills!
You can find the city’s correction in small print on page 3 of 4 of the City’s latest July Newsletter. The City Council has been asked for fairness by putting the “clarification” on the front page of the next newsletter, just like the original error was. Putting it on the front page will increase the likelihood of being seen by those who still may believe that the golf course is profitable. Ideally this will also include a year by year simple table of taxpayer subsidies spent to cover the golf course’s significant annual losses.
The complete “clarification” can also be found at the City website “News Archive” at… http://www.cedarhills.org/node/1467 Also, a revisit to Daily Herald article “Money Trap in Cedar Hills”, which first exposed the misleading information, is also interesting… http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/north/cedar-hills/article_74123cc0-c0e7-5820-81a4-038d88083c5e.html
Admittedly our coalition’s efforts on this website have of necessity focused on providing the truth and highlighting the City’s misleading actions. Our efforts to provide Truth has contributed to huge shake-ups that have resulted in four resignations, and more needed changes likely to come.
So, when City Officials do something right, we are just as anxious to highlight and congratulate that too. Finding and sharing TRUTH is this coalition’s only goal!
PLEASE CONTACT YOUR CITY COUNCIL AND THANK THEM for this welcome effort of openness on their part, and invite them to please continue to do so. Thanks!