Talks fail; Joy to stay on for another year

A Dec. 8, 2003, trial date has been set.
By PEGGY SINKOVICHand DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- The city has decided to play another round with the operator of Avalon South, the municipally owned golf course.
City Law Director Greg Hicks and Atty. Richard Schwartz, who represents Tony Joy, said after a pretrial Friday that Joy will remain at the course for another year.
Hicks and Schwartz said the two sides were unable to reach an agreement so a trial date had to be set. Because of the court's schedule, the trial was set for Dec. 8, 2003. The next pretrial has been scheduled for March 7.
The city tried to evict Joy from the Howland course in February. The city cited unpaid rental fees, failure to pay a bank loan and failure to maintain liability insurance as its reasons for the action.
Joy filed a lawsuit. He countered that officials told him he would be credited for improvements he made to the facility, which include the construction of a new clubhouse, and that in 1988, the city's safety-service director told him he would not have to pay property taxes.
'Open for business'
"We want the word out that the course will be open for business," Schwartz said. He noted that sales were down this year because people did not know if the course would remain open throughout the season.
"While this suit is pending, I really hope people go out and utilize the course because the city will still reap the benefits," Hicks said.
Mayor Hank Angelo declined to comment until he gets the details from Hicks and speaks with members of the council committee formed to consider the city's options regarding the golf course.
But one committee member is not happy with the yearlong wait.
"I'm disappointed with the judicial system at this point," said Councilman James "Doc" Pugh, D-6th, adding that he had hoped the case would be resolved sooner.
Wants it to be sold
Councilman Gary Fonce, D-at large, another committee member, says he would like the course to be sold.
"I don't see it benefiting the city in the least bit," he added.
Although the money from the sale would be a one-time windfall, Fonce reasons that the funds could be used for quality-of-life issues in the city such as road improvements and park maintenance.
Council members recently approved a resolution for a feasibility study to sell city properties and consider developing a consolidated administration building. If that proves feasible, money from the sale of the golf course could put a dent in that cost, Fonce said.
The city has lost thousands of dollars from the course that will never be recouped, he said.
Councilman Brendan Keating, D-5th, committee chairman, couldn't be reached.
sinkovich@vindy.comdick@vindy.com