WARREN Golf course, city set deal over money

The city may appoint someone to monitor golf-course books and records.
By DENISE DICKand PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- An escrow account will be established for monthly deposits from Avalon South Management Inc.
That's one of the items agreed to by the city and the management company that operates Avalon South Golf Course at a pretrial hearing Thursday before Judge Andrew D. Logan in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court.
Avalon South Management, operated by Tony Joy Jr., sued the city, contending breach of contract after the city tried to evict him as course operator. The city cited unpaid rental fees, failure to pay a bank loan and failure to maintain liability insurance.
Joy has operated the city-owned course in Howland since the late 1980s.
The company will pay monthly into the escrow account a percentage of revenue from green fees, food, alcohol, golf-cart rental and other items.
Payments are retroactive to June 1 and are to be made by the 14th of each month.
Other terms
Joy also will provide monthly accounting ledgers. The city also can, at its own expense, appoint one person to monitor the course books, records and receipts related to the agreement.
"We didn't get everything we wanted, but this allows us to protect the city at this time," said Greg Hicks, city law director.
The next proceeding in the case is set for July 11.
The city considered asking the court to appoint a receiver to oversee money at the course, but the city would have to pay someone to be at the course while it's operating, he said.
"I'll go back to the administration, and they'll decide the appropriate person," Hicks said.
The agreement also makes Joy and his wife, Susan, parties to the case. The company is allowed to amend its filings to add other parties as defendants under the judgment entry.
Atty. Daniel Thomas, one of the attorneys representing the Joys and the management company, said who those parties may be hasn't been determined.
He said his client wants to run the course to make money for himself as well as the city.
Joy won't have a problem allowing a city designee to review the books, Thomas said.
"Anybody from the city could come look over the books at any time," Thomas said.
dick@vindy.comsinkovich@vindy.com