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CEDAR HILLS -- A group of citizens in Cedar Hills is upset with city plans to build a new facility at the city golf course. What it will be and how it will be funded stirs heated debate.
The citizens call the new building a "clubhouse" and argue the city stalled their petition drive to put it to a vote. But city leaders say it's a "community events and recreation center," and that it included plenty of input from the people.
By law, the petition would need 500 signatures by Friday in order to put this issue before the voters of Cedar Hills. At issue: how the city will spend $3 million in recreation fees collected from the taxpayers.
"The city council is taking the rec funds - which is to be dedicated to recreational facilities - and diverting it over to the golf clubhouse, wedding reception center, without asking the citizens what they want," said Paul Sorensen, a petitioner opposed to the golf course plan.
Sorensen and other opponents of the plan say it's a golf clubhouse - an inappropriate use of $1.7 million out of a $3 million recreation fund.
Cedar Hills collects around $1,600 per household in one-time rec fees. Records also show the golf course loses money each year.
On March 10, the opponents filed this citizen initiative petition to put the deal to a vote in November. They claim the city stalled the petition to keep them from getting the necessary signatures.
"That's virtually impossible. We were set to gather signatures this whole past week, and it didn't happen," said petitioner Julie Sessions. Now everyone is gone on vacation for spring break.
The mayor and city council members are all out of town this week for government meetings. In a telephone interview with KSL News, Mayor Eric Richardson insisted the city has listened to the wishes of the people and prepared the petition as quickly as it could.
"It is not a traditional clubhouse in any sense, but is instead based off the recommendation of the city's blue ribbon committee on how to get multiple uses out of the building," Richardson said.
The mayor said it is a community center for everyone, for diverse activities located at the golf course. He said he met with petitioners to streamline the process and they should use this time to gather signatures. The residents say that won't happen, and they are considering other options.
Email: jboal@ksl.com
