Two groups are in the process of taking over the three Brevard County-owned golf courses — The Savannahs on Merritt Island, The Habitat in Grant-Valkaria and Spessard Holland, which is south of Melbourne Beach.
 

County commissioners are set to vote on the community development district on Tuesday.

Assuming the vote goes through, the district plans to contract out management duties to the privately owned Savannahs Partners LLC.

"We think this can be a pretty lucrative organization and licensed course, with the right management," Savannahs Partners Vice President John Richardson said.

All five members of the group's board are homeowners in the community or have been involved with the Savannahs for many years, uniquely suiting them to rehabilitate the troubled course, Richardson said.

"With our background, being involved there for so long, we have a pretty good insight what the problems have been in the past," he said. "The county wanted out, and we looked at this as a good opportunity to make the necessary changes."

Plans for improvement include re-establishing restaurant facilities and renovating the course's ailing sand traps. The group also is looking at ways to make the notoriously difficult course more attractive to casual or less experienced players.

The homeowners' association is scheduled to assume ownership on June 1, with the group taking over management possibly as soon as July.

Habitat, Spessard Holland

County commissioners have approved a 49-month agreement with a new nonprofit organization of local residents called Golf Brevard Inc. to operate The Habitat and Spessard Holland, effective Sept. 1.

Under the agreement, the county will pay Golf Brevard a $490,000 "transitional fund." Golf Brevard will be required to pay back $390,000 of that amount in three annual payments of $130,000 each on Sept. 1, 2021, Sept. 1, 2022, and Sept. 1, 2023. Additionally, if Golf Brevard's cash reserves exceed $500,000 on Oct. 1 during the first two years of the agreement, the amount above $500,000 will be paid to Brevard County.

The agreement — which can be renewed three times for an additional total of 20 years — was approved 4-1, with County Commissioner John Tobia voting no.

In a separate vote, commissioners unanimously approved Golf Brevard's seven-member board of directors.

"Make us proud out there," County Commission Chair Rita Pritchett told Golf Brevard representative Tom Becker of Indialantic, who will be one of the seven directors.

Contingency plan rejected

Commissioners, however, rejected a proposal by Tobia to approve a contingency plan if Golf Brevard defaults on its agreement.

Tobia's proposal never received a second, so it did not come up for a formal vote.

Under Tobia's proposal:

• If Golf Brevard defaults on its agreement, county staff would issue a request for proposals, seeking investment partners to bring the golf courses up to standards to make the courses marketable for sale or lease to third parties, with provisions for profit-sharing.

• If there is no response to the request for proposals, staff would proceed to a plan to convert Spessard Holland to a public park and revert the Habitat property to Valkaria Airport.

County Commission Vice Chair Kristine Isnardi said she sees Tobia's resolution as "another law for the books that is unnecessary," since commissioners already are empowered to do what the resolution suggests.

"We absolutely do have the power to act," Tobia responded. "The problem is we just don't. We do not make definitive decisions."

Breach-of-contract settlement

County commissioners unanimously approved a settlement of the county's lawsuit against the company that operated the three courses.

Under the settlement, Integrity Golf Co. LLC, three affiliated companies and their principal, Eugene Garrote, agreed to pay the county $200,000 over a five-year period, with a $20,000 upfront payment, followed by 60 payments of $3,000 a month.

If there is a default in payment, Garrote would be personally responsible to pay the county $500,000.

Integrity Golf took over operations of the three courses, starting Feb. 1, 2016. In July 2017, Integrity notified the county that it was terminating the management agreements, effective at the end of that month, because it was losing money on the operation.

Commissioners in July unanimously decided to have International Golf Maintenance Inc. temporarily provide operation and maintenance services for the three courses while the County Commission considered long-term options.

Commissioners in October directed the county attorney's office to begin legal action against Integrity, for its alleged breach of its 10-year agreement with the county. The complaint was filed in March.