Clouds emerge over council decision to fast-track Kalgoorlie Golf Course clubhouse
The Kalgoorlie Golf Course recently jumped five places in the top 100 golf courses in Australia, surging into 18th spot.
The boost wedged the public course between two Greg Norman-designed courses based in Queensland: the Brookwater Golf and Country Club and the Glades Country Club.
But while praise for the course’s lush fairways and spectacular desert views has never been misplaced, the makeshift clubhouse, which was always designed as temporary, has been a sticking point for negotiations between the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder and the Goldfields Golf Club.
Council votes to fast track design plans
The City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder introduced an item of urgent business at an ordinary council meeting on Monday night to finalise plans for a new clubhouse at the Kalgoorlie Golf Course.
The item passed eight votes to three and a contract for more than $63,000 was awarded to Kalgoorlie-Boulder company Quality Design Drafting.
The decision was made despite the fact the contract did not fit within the city’s purchasing policy, which states at least three written quotes are required.
Asked why he strayed from the policy, Mr Bowler said
“you don’t have to stick to that policy”.
“The reason we didn’t stick to this is because the design came to us via the Goldfields Golf Club; they are going to be one of the main, if not the main, tenants in the building.”
The city’s purchasing policy does not require a tender process for the procurement of goods and services below $100,000, but it does call for at least three written quotes for purchases between $40,000 and $100,000.
Only one quote was obtained for design of the Golf Course’s new clubhouse.
Development commission denies deadline
Mr Bowler said the reason for fast-tracking the contract was a matter of timing as a Goldfields-Esperance Development Commission (GEDC) deadline was looming in March.
But GEDC CEO Shayne Flanagan told the ABC no such deadline existed.
“No specifications were set out in the discussions with the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder,” he said.
“They were given some indicative timelines but of course, they’re conditional on board endorsement of our future funding processes.”
Mr Bowler conceded he knew the funding was not “set in stone”, but thought it prudent the council got ready.
High-level staff member resigns prior to vote
Earlier this month, the city’s commercial manager Simone De Been penned a report for the golf course committee.
The report recommended the city followed its own purchasing policy as well as seeking quotes from “suitably qualified architects and design teams with specific golf course clubhouse experience”.
Both the Golf Course committee and the city council decided not to follow Ms De Been’s advice. She has since resigned.
When asked why the city chose not to follow the advice of the city’s commercial manager, Mr Bowler said: “You’ll have to ask Ms De Been that”.
“The fact of the matter is, she has since resigned; why she resigned I don’t know,” he said.
Quality Design and Drafting is owned by Kalgoorlie businessman Mark Baroni.
Mr Baroni is also listed on the Goldfields Golf Club’s website as a being on the board of management and the director of house and director of junior golf.
Mr Bowler said Mr Baroni had been working with the golf club and, more recently, the council, for many weeks.
“He’s put a lot of his own time into it, it’s a design or a concept that we’re very happy with,” Mr Bowler said.
He said any perception of conflict of interest was “up to the Goldfields Golf Club”.
“From a council point of view, all we’re worried about is getting something done that fits the purpose that is right for the community, right for the golf club and right for the council,” Mr Bowler said.
Club chairman Graeme Wilmot said Mr Baroni’s role with the club board ceased eight months ago, and said the club had failed to update the website to reflect the changes.
Mayor failed to declare interest
A City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder spokeswoman has confirmed that no member of council declared an interest in the Golf Course item at Monday’s council meeting.
However, minutes from the Golf Course committee meeting, which was held eight hours before the council meeting, showed Mr Bowler did declare an interest affecting impartiality at the committee stage.
During the same committee meeting, he was also elected chairman of the board.
Asked if he was a member of the Goldfields Golf Club, Mr Bowler said: “I am a proud member”.
“Earlier on in the day I declared an interest at the committee stage, and the minutes of that committee go to the full council — I just simply forgot,” he said.
“I don’t think it’s a big deal. It’s not a financial interest; I’m just a member of the golf club just as hundreds of others are.”
Move on to reverse decision
Councillor Suzie Williams has confirmed she will try to have the decision reversed at the next council meeting, scheduled for January 18.
She told the ABC she had been trying to gain support, but only had four votes.
“Five votes are needed for a rescission motion,” she said.
“I’m really unhappy with the process; I don’t like going outside our policies because they’re there for a reason.”
Ms Williams said during her time on council she had never before strayed from the city’s policies and procedures.
“I’m assuming that [Mr Baroni] declared an interest in the matter and left the room. That’s the normal procedure, and I’m hoping that’s what happened,” she said.
The Golf Course committee, which held its most recent meeting at 10:30am on Monday, voted unanimously to have Mr Baroni present during discussions, which ultimately led to the acceptance of his company’s design by the committee.
