Lyle Brown, 88, tees off at Big River Golf Course in Umatilla on March 26, 2020. The Umatilla City Council voted on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2020, to purchase the course for just over $2 million.

UMATILLA — Big River Golf Course in Umatilla will be under new ownership in 2021.

The Umatilla City Council voted on Tuesday, Dec. 1 to purchase the course for just over $2 million.

The course’s owners, which include various members of the Hosek family, had already announced last month that after 13 years of ownership, they are planning to sell to the city.

“This golf course has been a labor of love for over a decade and we are truly grateful for the experience, the tremendous friendships made, and the endless amount of support we have received from members and patrons throughout the years,” they wrote.

According to the sale agreement, the city will purchase the golf course, its water rights and all of its equipment for just over $2 million and take over operations on Jan. 1, 2021. During the council meeting, finance director Melissa Ince said the city would finance $1.7 million through Banner Bank and the rest would come from the city’s reserves and money left over from a recent land sale.

Before the meeting, City Manager David Stockdale told the East Oregonian there were several reasons for the city to invest in the course when its collection of partners decided to sell.

First and foremost, he said, the course generates economic benefits for the community by drawing visitors, and serves as an amenity for area residents. While a golf course may go out of business if its private owners are not successful in turning a profit, Stockdale said the city would have more flexibility to supplement the course from its general fund during a bad year if needed.

“Big River Golf Course is one of our premier recreational features in the community, and we wanted to make sure it will stay there, and will always be here,” he said.

The golf course also comes with a valuable water right and an already established point of diversion in the Columbia River, which Stockdale said will be helpful for the city’s overall efforts to expand its water infrastructure, including developing its surface water right. The course also adds value to the undeveloped property the city owns adjacent to the course, where they hope to see housing built someday, and preserves better access to the property.

One of the city’s goals is to create more “destination” events for Umatilla, and Stockdale said the golf course could possibly be used for a concert or other event during the “shoulder season” when fewer people are using the course but it is not too cold to hold an outdoor event. He said as the city looks to expand its recreational offerings, ownership of the course also opens up opportunities, such as golf classes and tournaments.

According to Stockdale and the statement by Big River Golf Course, during 2021 the city plans to continue the course’s current business model, including honoring current memberships, trail fees, rentals, book money and other arrangements already in place.

Stockdale said once the city owns the course it does plan to make some improvements to the irrigation system to increase efficiency and automation, and add some other enhancements, including additional hazards.

“There will be some nice changes out there that I think will be welcomed by the golfers,” he said.

The Oregon Secretary of State’s business registry lists 10 partners for the course. Megan Olsen, who manages the course, said the statement from Nov. 25 is a good reflection of how they feel about the years they have enjoyed running the course. They stated that the city of Umatilla shares “the same love for the course that we will always have” and they believe the course will be in great hands.

“We will walk away from this experience with full hearts and gratitude,” they said. “Thank you again for all of your support throughout the years. The friendships made during our time at Big River will always be cherished. If we aren’t able to see you in person before the end of the year, then we will see you out golfing!”

UMATILLA — During the Tuesday, Dec. 1, Umatilla City Council meeting, the council voted to apply for matching funds from Business Oregon for the money the city expects to receive from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for replacement of a pedestrian bridge and water line.

The bridge, which connects the South Hill neighborhood with Umatilla High School and Clara Brownell Middle School, was broken in half, along with the water line underneath, during a flood of the Umatilla River in the spring of 2019. The city has been working with FEMA and other government agencies since then on plans to replace it.

City Manager David Stockdale said the process was a long one because getting permission to do any construction work on waterways is difficult, and they wanted to raise the bridge and make other adjustments to the previous design so that it doesn’t get washed out again.

He said he hopes to see construction of the bridge and accompanying water main during 2021, finishing up in early 2022.

During the meeting, the council authorized city staff to submit an application to Business Oregon’s Infrastructure Finance Authority for a grant of $175,000 for the water line and a grant of $500,000 and loan of $950,000 for the bridge, which together would make up the required 25% match for FEMA’s funding.

— Jade McDowell, East Oregonian