Free-Golf Policy Expected to Be Abolished

Nearly nine months after officials revealed that City Council members have enjoyed free golf at the publicly owned River Ridge Golf Course, the council is poised to abolish the controversial policy.

Tuesday night, council members are set to vote on whether to do away with the privilege, which has been extended beyond current members to include some former council members since the course opened about a decade ago.

The policy of free play for Oxnard’s top public officials came to light earlier this year, when newly elected City Councilman John Zaragoza went for a round of golf at River Ridge.

Zaragoza, who is among four golfers on the five-member council, said he was surprised to learn that he was not required to pay the greens fees charged to the public. He insisted on paying.

The Ventura County Grand Jury soon investigated the policy, and this summer issued a finding that while there is nothing illegal about the practice, Oxnard officials should reconsider the fee waivers.

After numerous residents assailed the free play as unethical during the presentation of the golf course’s annual report last month, council members indicated they will abolish the policy.

On Friday, Zaragoza said city officials should pay the greens fee required of Oxnard residents--on weekdays, the charge is $16--because the entire point of owning the course is to generate revenues for the city. On weekends, the rate for residents rises to $20; nonresidents pay $20 on weekdays and $25 on weekends.

“I should pay for it, because Oxnard gets the profits,” he said. “If I don’t pay, taxpayers get less.”

Defenders of the policy have said the free rounds allow them to monitor upkeep of the fairways and clubhouse service at the city-owned course. Councilman Tom Holden, for instance, has said he was able to give valuable advice to course officials after free rounds. Holden was unavailable for comment Friday.

But Zaragoza and Mayor Manuel Lopez, who does not golf, have condemned the practice.

Lopez criticized the arguments used to defend the free play. By that logic, he said, council members also should be entitled to free trash pickup, free water and other services at no cost.

“Obviously, that would not be right,” Lopez said.

According to River Ridge managers, the policy of free play for City Council members was established by Oxnard’s golf commission about 10 years ago. The commission has since been disbanded.

During recent years, course officials said, Holden, Councilman Dean Maulhardt and former Councilman Andres Herrera have played for free at River Ridge about once every two months.

But since the practice of free play was disclosed, these officials have paid for their rounds, said Otto Kanny, course manager. This year, Holden, Maulhardt and Councilman Bedford Pinkard have played at River Ridge, and all have paid, Kanny said.

Kanny added that the furor over council members’ free play has obscured many of River Ridge’s attributes. The 20,000-square-foot clubhouse has been remodeled, dozens of sand traps have been added, and the cost of playing the 18-hole course is much lower than at many other courses in Southern California, he said.

“This free-golf thing is a moot point,” Kanny said. “I can’t believe there’s so much noise over this 10-year-old policy that’s not being abused. In all, it’s maybe a dozen rounds a year.”

But Lopez said council members should pay their greens fees to avoid angering voters.

The mayor criticized a parks department report that suggests free play can be discontinued now that a long-held goal of 85,000 rounds per year at the course has been reached.

Lopez said the report fails to make clear the more important issue--that local voters believe free golf for council members is unethical.