City seeks golf pro for Ruby View

The City Council unanimously approved a motion to hire a golf professional as an employee/contractor to manage the day-to-day operations and seek proposals for a professional services agreement to operate the bar and restaurant.

The City will handle golf course maintenance.

Mayor Reece Keener said the City is under a time crunch to line up a golf pro and food service at Ruby View before March.

“Due to the essence of time, it’s the intent of the board not to have this come back, but rather to have this completed by the Financial Director so it can be distributed immediately,” Keener said.

Parks and Recreation Director James Wiley said he supported the council’s choice. “It’s our best shot at playing golf this spring. That’s what’s the most important to me.”

“Food and beverage is great and it’s important, but if we had to delay the food and beverage side of things, I could live with that,” he continued.

Wil Moschetti, who has served on golf course advisory and selection committees for more than four decades, said finding management “is a lengthy process,” stating it was necessary to get started as soon as possible.

“James hit it right on the head, we really need to get after this. There’s no time to waste,” Moschetti said. “March 1 is really around the corner.”

The council’s choice also allows flexibility if someone wants to manage the pro side and the food and beverage side by submitting two separate requests for proposals, said incoming City Manager Jan Baum.

Two other agreement options were also presented to the council for review. Among them were to hire an “all-in-one management company” to handle operations, the pro shop, food and beverage and maintenance.

Another choice would have kept the City on for maintenance only and sought proposals for someone to manage the pro shop, restaurant and bar.

On Nov. 11, the City received a formal notice that Duncan decided not to pursue extending their contract for five years. The action canceled a special meeting scheduled four days later that would have worked out details of the extension, but also reviewed a petition from golfers and city residents critical of Duncan’s management of Ruby View.

The petitioners also wanted the City to advertise for other proposals.

After hearing complaints from multiple golfers and homeowners living on the golf course on Sept. 27, the City voted 4-1 to renew Duncan’s contract for five years, but with stipulations and input from a golf course advisory committee.

DGM Vice President Scott Wackowski told the City Council he was “surprised” at the criticism, stating that he did not receive “negative feedback” during his visit to the golf course in August. “It hasn’t been shared with us for two years.”

Councilman Clair Morris opposed the contract renewal, telling Duncan’s vice presidents that although he supported them when they took over Ruby View, “I don’t think you delivered on what you said you were going to do.”

Councilman Giovanni Puccinelli said he would give DGM “a chance to make this right,” but wanted the City to include more stipulations in the agreement if it was going to be extended five years.

Mayor Reece Keener agreed with Puccinelli, stating he was also willing to give the Reno-based company a second chance with the extension, but told Duncan that the company needed a stronger presence in Elko.

Wackowski assured the City Council that despite coming short of customer expectations, “we stand here before you. We think we can make a big improvement here.”

Duncan Golf Management was selected to run Ruby View Golf Course in December 2020 out of four proposals submitted to the City to replace golf pro Brad Martin, who announced his intention to leave the facility at the end of the year.

In the initial agreement, Duncan would collect all golf fees, provide food and beverage services, bring in a golf pro, arrange golf tournaments, and manage golf cart rentals, tee times and the pro shop.