POLSON — The Polson City Commission on Monday night continued to ponder options on how to best fill the golf course restaurant space left open again for almost the eighth time in nine years.

Outgoing vendor Papa Don’s owners Don and Stephanie Clement, who signed a two year lease in 2008, opted out of the remaining year this December and halted business this month after moving into the city-owned spot last March.

City manager Todd Crossett is recommending the city take on the job of managing the beverage and food operations at the golf course. He believes having stock in both the food and golf sides will help stop the turnover there, and give the city time to consider options for the all-beverage liquor license it owns.

“What we need to do is help grow our golf business,” Crossett said. “It’s an important anchor to this city.”

The business plan Crossett proposed was drawn up with the help of course manager Roger Wallace. The operation could break even if the business increased business by 15 percent, Crossett said. This business could come from things like a more a simple menu and a more controlled, efficient alcoholic beverage service, Crossett said.

The plans also calls for keeping the restaurant open only eight months out of the year. It would be run by a cross-trained golf and food service staff, which would be overseen ultimately by Crossett and on-site by Wallace. Two full time staffers, including a manager, would be on duty during down months.

The city stands to lose $10,000 to $15,000 each year by switching vendors, Crossett said. However, gross profit or losses would not effect the city’s general fund.

Finding a happy medium between vendors and  course operators was mentioned as a problem several times. 

During the Dec. 7 meeting when Stephanie Clement announced Papa Don’s would opt out of the lease, she said they were “appalled by the language in the lease.”

The situation was made stickier in 2009 after state laws changed, making it illegal for a contracted vendor to operate a city-owned, all-beverage liquor license.

The city could operate the all-beverage license while continuing to look for a buyer, Crossett said. The market for an all-beverage license is down now and the city has only a year to hold an unused license. If it’s sold, the beverage option at the golf course could be switched to beer and wine only.

Golf advisory board president Dave Sheesley said action should be taken quickly, as golfing could start as early as February. It would be dangerous to have zero food and beverage options for golfers.

“When golfers go to the golf course, they like a beer or a sandwich or something,” Sheesley said. “I don’t think we would lose a whole lot of money to get the ball rolling.”

Former commissioner Jim Sohm said he, speaking on behalf of several golfers, did not believe the city should run the restaurant. Sohm said the golf management and restaurant management should be completely separate. The lease language should be redone to help a vendor make it work, Sohm said, and the issue of golfers bringing their own alcohol to the course needs to be seriously addressed.

Commissioner Ron Boyce wondered if other restaurant owners around town could given the option to run the food service there for only eight months. Past leases have been signed for 12 month operation periods.

Commissioner John Campbell called for a decision to be tabled until the next meeting to give the council more time to digest the information.

The council voted 5-1, with mayor Pat DeVries in opposition, to table a decision on the item for the Wednesday, Feb. 17 meeting.

The council on Monday  also approved unanimously a fee waiver for the Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry’s new location on First Street East. The pantry is continuing remodels of the larger location in the old Folk Shop recycling building.

Pam Gibson, of the Lake County Spay/Neuter Task Force, thanked the commission for its $1,000 general fund donation to the cause. More than 1,100 animals have been helped and approximately 664 births have been diverted through the clinics. The group continues to seek donations for anyone interested, Gibson said.

Carolyn Heinz was approved to replace John Harrop on the Polson City Library Board of Trustees and the Monday, Feb. 15 regular commission meeting was moved to Wednesday, Feb. 17 in observance of President’s Day.

Crossett reported that the bid package for the Streetscape project to improve Main Street is underway. The project is slated to being in mid-April, beginning at the highway and running south. Any work not done by Memorial Day would be completed later in the summer, Crossett said. The water main project is slated to begin in March.