City of Hartford Keney and Goodwin Golf Courses Special Review
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The scope of our review included interviews with some Hartford (City) residents and the Keney Golf Course attendant, the Goodwin Golf Professional, the Director of the Department of Public Works (DPW), the Town Clerk, City Forester/Tree Warden, Corporation Counsel, City Treasurer, City Council members, MDM owner, Windsor, Connecticut Town Tree Warden, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Forester, Health and Human Services Department (HHSD) Director, License and Inspections, MDM hired logger and others. We physically inspected the entire 18 holes at Keney and Goodwin golf courses including clubhouses and out buildings and took photographs. We reviewed the Hartford Municipal
“Tree
Code” and the Connecticut “Tree Warden Statute”. We reviewed all four bids from golf course management companies responding to the City’s RFP in 2009
and the USGA Turf Advisory Report for Keney Golf Course and other pertinent documents. General Based on our work as outlined in this report, there is evidence that several hundred trees were cut down in Keney Golf Course at the direction of MDM,
the City’s contracted golf course operator, without the required written approval from the Wind
sor, Connecticut Tree Warden as outlined in Chapter 451, Section 23-59 and 16-
234 of the Connecticut General Statutes related to the “Powers
and Duties
” of town Tree Wardens
. Trees removed from Keney Golf Course, as evidenced by about 75 tree stumps; do not appear to be cited in the USGA report for removal. MDM contends that those remaining tree stumps were the result of downed trees from the severe October 2011 snow storm. However, the City Tree Warden
’s
reviews of aerial photographs before and after the Octobe
r, 2011 storm, in the Warden’s opinion, prove
otherwise. On September 18, 2013 MDM provided us with evidence from their insurance agent, that MDM was paid a $50,000 claim under their insurance policy for the removal of about 25 t0 30 trees damaged during the October 2011 snow storm. City Golf Course management oversight was also found to be severely lacking and as a result the golf courses fell into severe disrepair. MDM reported to the City in late 2011 that over $1 million in capital improvements were made to both Keney and Goodwin golf courses, however, MDM could not provide us with documentation supporting the capital improvement values reported to the City and City management did not verify that the improvements were made as reported by MDM. Furthermore, our inspection of the Keney property revealed that the conditions of the Keney Golf Course turf, cart paths, bridges and club house are in severe disrepair and in our opinion pose a health and accident risk to the public utilizing the facility. Our observations of the Godwin golf course, although not as severe, were similar. The City Council has appointed an 11 person task force made up of City employees and Hartford residents to determine what work is needed to be done on the properties and how the Golf Courses will be operated going forward including related controls over the operation and maintenance of the properties. The City also budgeted $5 million this fiscal year for repairs and improvements to the golf courses.
II. Results of Work Performed Tree Removal
The lease agreement with MDM stipulates that MDM is required to make and pay for $1.1 million and $1.3 in capital improvements to Goodwin and Keney golf courses, respectively,
as set forth in MDM’s 2009 bid which
cited extensive tree removal at Keney Golf Course. (See Capital Improvement section below). Based on the allegations mentioned above, we concentrated our review on Keney Golf course. MDM engaged the USGA North East
Region Green Section to perform a “Turf Advisory Service” for Keney
Golf Course which was performed on July 2, 2009. The report cited two primary