City Council Approves $67,000 in Pomme Creek Renovations, Equipment Purchases

Arnold City Council members approved, during Thursday night’s meeting, about $65, 000 in equipment and renovations for the city-owned Pomme Creek Golf Course.

The money will come from bonds issued in 2007 and which must be used for physical improvements on the golf course or to retire the debt, Finance Director Deborah Lewis said to the committee.

“The money must be used within three years (of when the bond was issued),” Lewis said.

Lewis said Parks and Recreation Director Susie Boone had a three-year plan to improve the golf course.

After the renovations and equipment purchase, about $100,000 will remain to finance other Parks-related projects, Lewis said.

Boone said the money will be used renovate the 19 year old Clubhouse and Cart Barn, purchase a modern cash register system, a new irrigation box, an air cooled ice maker, and used mowers.

Documents presented to council members indicated about $39,500 will be paid to R. T Hediger to repair the 19 year old Clubhouse roof and façade and to improve the Cart Barn.

Contractors recommended new shingles for the roof, repairs to the façade and to the cart barn, Boone said. “It’s good protection on our investment and keeping our infrastructure in good shape.”

About $9,500 will purchase an eGolf cash register system that provides trend reports about sales at the golf course, Boone said.

City Administrator Matt Unrein said the new cashier system would indicate profitable items sold and help profitability at the golf course.

Boone said about $11,000 will buy two mowers — a greens mower and a rough mower — to improve the course. 

“We currently have one type of each mower. Whenever one of the mowers is in need of repair, staff must rent a mower to complete the work on the golf course,” Boone said.

The rough mower is used on the fairways. The greens mower creates a collar of grass, at a different height, around the putting green and creates a level of difficulty for golfers, Boone said.

About $5,000 will be used to purchase an irrigation control box and an air-cooled icemaker, Boone said.

The irrigation box will replace a faulty control box, Boone said. “There is only one vendor in a three state region that carries this product.”

Turf Werks will receive about $2,200 for the irrigation box, Boone said in documents given to the council members.  

A $2,700 air-cooled icemaker will reduce Pomme Creek’s water and sewer bill, Boone said. “It will pay for itself in about three months.”

New Cell Phone Tower Proposed

In separate business, Community Development Director Mary Holden said the planning commission granted a permit for a 100-foot cell phone tower 1156-1158 Telegraph Road.

A second cell phone tower is needed to handle growing number of cell phone calls and demands for 4G cellular phone service in Arnold, Holden said in documents given to council members.

Fenton-based contractor St. Charles Tower said, in documents to the council, the 100-foot pole will expand Clearwire’s 4G network in Arnold, improve E911 service, and provide wireless Internet service to businesses and homes in the area.

The documents said St. Charles Tower has a contract with Clearwire, a publicly held company headquartered in Washington State, to find locations for cell phone towers in the St. Louis area.   

$30,000 Chemical Waste Grant Awarded

Also, City Administrator Matt Unrein said the city received a $30,000 grant for a waste management program to help people safely throw away chemicals in their homes.

“It’s a one day event, where people drop off old paint, cleaners and chemicals they no longer use,” Unrein said.

 The project must go through a bidding process and it should be complete by spring, Unrein said.