City assumes operation of Fox Hills Golf Course
By Neal A. Shipman
Farmer Editor
January brought about some big changes at the Fox Hills Golf Course as the City of Watford City and the Watford City Golf Course board of directors agreed to management changes for the course’s operations. Under the new agreement, the city will assume all management of the course and clubhouse, while the golf board will be responsible for maintaining the golf leagues and conducting fundraising to pay off the debt of the 18-hole expansion project.
“We (the city) need to operate that multi-million dollar investment with a paid city staff rather than a seven-member volunteer board,” stated Kenny Liebel, city council president. “It’s one of the city’s biggest investments. It has to be managed professionally.”
Liebel credits the golf course board with overseeing the expansion of the golf course from nine to 18 holes. And he says that the council believes that the volunteer board can handle the operation of the course going forward.
“The construction of the new 18-hole course evolved into something bigger than what anyone imagined,” stated Liebel. “It’s unrealistic to assume a volunteer board can manage it. They did a good job with what they had.”