CALIFORNIA CITY, Calif. (KERO) — James Robinson stepped down as Cal City golf course manager on Monday; City has no immediate plan to fill that position as three more cuts to come on Aug. 6.
- Two part-time workers are the only ones available to take care of Tierra del Sol Golf Course.
- Robinson says volunteers, including himself, will help with the golf course.
- The golf course has an estimated $300,000 deficit after the recent fiscal year that ended on June 30 and is an estimated $3.4 million in the hole, according to the City.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Cal City's golf course has been without a manager since Monday, with no immediate plan to fill that spot...
I'm Steve Virgen, your neighborhood reporter...
James Robinson stepped down because his staff was cut short by the layoffs last week... and many are now wondering how the course will survive.
“It was Mission Impossible before, now it’s just impossible," says James Robinson, the former Cal City golf course manager.
On Monday, James Robinson left a checklist behind...a checklist of how to maintain the Tierra del Sol golf course because on Monday he resigned as the course manager.
Checking off those tasks will be a difficult job, as Cal City is cutting three employees from the staff, their last days are scheduled to be August 6th.
That means two part-time workers are left to care for 18 holes and more than 160 acres.
“Tragically it’s just barely hanging on. It’s not lost or anything, it’s just you got eight more weeks of summer here that are going to be pretty harsh on it. And without a full crew, not even a partial crew, it’s going to be hard for it to survive the summer," Robinson says.
Latisha Lamberth, the acting city manager, is assuming the role of golf course manager. But she’s also in charge of the parks and rec and is the human resources director.
The City has asked other workers to become the manager, including Duane Vasquez and Joseph Munoz.
Munoz says he might take the offer. He declined to go on camera, but tells me he’s concerned about the future of the course.
According to the city, Tierra del Sol has an estimated deficit of about 300,000 dollars for the past fiscal year that ended on June 30th and is an estimated 3.4 million dollars in the hole. This comes as the course is also in need of equipment and improvements.
“It’s a rough situation," Robinson says.
Robinson is pastor of the First Baptist Church in Cal City. He’s also the golf coach at California City High School. He’s unsure if he’ll continue to have junior golf clinics as he has, but he says he’ll volunteer to help out at the course.
For more than three years, he volunteered as golf course manager before becoming a paid employee.
Cal City Mayor Pro Tem Ron Smith says he has the utmost respect for Robinson.
But the 19 city employee cuts made last week were necessary due to budget problems, even as many expressed disappointment.
“We’re all moved by emotion up here. But we can’t make our decisions based upon emotion," says Ron Smith, the Cal City mayor pro tem.
The golf course has already reduced its hours of play... and the word is... further reductions could be on the way.
I'm Steve Virgen, your neighborhood reporter.
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