Flooding Causes A Budget Bogey County Must Scrape Up $240,000 To Fix Golf Course Bridges

Wed., March 6, 1996

By J. Todd Foster toddf@spokesman.com

February flooding caused nearly $240,000 in damage to a pair of bridges at Hangman Valley Golf Course.

To pay for repairs, Spokane County commissioners Tuesday shunned another greens fee increase and decided to defer improvements and equipment purchases at all three of its courses.

“I’ve just raised fees. I don’t want to raise fees again,” said commission Chairman Phil Harris.

In January, golf fees were increased $1 per round to bring their costs more in line with other municipal courses and to help pay for a computerized cash register system.

The bridges at Hangman Valley will cost $237,000 to repair, but much of the work will involve raising them five feet above the 10-year flood plain.

The spans and concrete abutments remained intact after Hangman Creek spilled its banks. But the decking on both bridges was damaged.

County golf manager Mike Kingsley said the bridges should be repaired by May 1 but hopes to open the back nine by April 1.

“We need like three good weeks of help from Mother Nature to get that mud off the back side,” he said. “Pray for good weather.”

Eighteen holes could be open before the bridge work is completed with a little finagling, Kingsley said. For example, to avoid crossing the creek on hole No. 3, players would tee from the ladies markers on No. 3 and play the ninth green. The 17th tee would lead to the No. 3 green.

All three of the county’s courses would have to sacrifice an estimated $97,000 in improvements this year.

The county is expecting about $40,000 from its insurance carrier after paying out a $100,000 deductible. The rest would come from not purchasing a greens mower and tee signs at MeadowWood, or paving the cart path near the 17th tee.

Hangman Valley would forego two heavy-duty carts and possibly $40,000 in roof repairs.

“This is devastating to any capital improvements,” Kingsley said.

The county also must find between $45,000 and $65,000 to repair the flood-damaged Centennial Trail near Barker Road.

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