Thomas Camacho, who has been running Montebello’s municipal golf course since 1992, will step down Saturday, Feb. 29 after agreeing to a $400,000 buyout.
His current annual salary is $214,000, and his contract was good through June 30. The buyout includes lifetime golfing privileges for Camacho and three guests.
It’s time for a change, Montebello City Manager Rene Bobadilla said in a Friday phone interview. Throughout the last decade, the golf course has lost $5.4 million, according to figures city officials presented in 2018.
“It’s very clear,” Bobadilla said. “We have to do a better job of generating revenue at the golf course. We are bringing in a new management company.”
Should Bobadilla be unable to negotiate a deal with a new operating company by Feb. 29, city staff will take over running the course. None of Camacho’s four-person staff will return.
As the city has overseen its struggling pitch, it has made some changes, Bobadilla said, such as creating an online booking system. But he is looking for more ways to make it profitable.
“We’re subsidizing our golf course and only 20% of Montebello residents play on it,” he said. “We’re doing our due diligence.”
Unloading the property is not on the table because the 1941 purchase contract included a covenant prohibiting the city from selling it, Bobadilla said. However, a 2018 state audit recommended exploring alternate uses for the golf course because of its deficits.
Camacho, who is in his 80s and has had some kind of involvement with the course for about 50 years, didn’t return multiple phone calls seeking comment.
But as news of his ouster became public — the agreement is dated Feb. 7 — many of his supporters came to last week’s City Council meeting, demanding to know who will be running the golf course.
“We want answers,” Luis Garcia, who is involved with junior golf, told the council at its Feb. 12 meeting.
“We want to know why the current staff is being displaced on a three-week notice,” Garcia said. “What is the plan? I have a younger son who may want to go through the ranks.”
Frank Millan, co-founder of the Kathryn E. Millan Memorial Foundation, which holds annual fundraisers at the course, said he’s concerned about the future of tournaments.
“It’s hard to believe you can kick these people out on the street,” Millan told the council. “And not to mention, no one informed me of the changes.”
Bobadilla said that any scheduled future tournaments will go on as planned.
Councilman Jack Hadjinian said change is needed: “I like the man, but we no longer can turn a blind eye to $850,000 in (annual) deficits.”
Reached by phone Thursday, Joe Thomas, president of the Men’s Golf Club, said he’s sorry to see Camacho leave.
“I know he’s been at the golf course for at least 50 years, if not longer,” Thomas said. “Retiring is probably good for him. I have mixed emotions. It might be good to have new management, but Tommy has always been good to the Men’s Club.”
The golf course first opened in 1928, when it was built as an enterprising country club designed by Max Behr. It became public in 1941, the city purchased the course.
The 120-acre, 18-hole public championship course was remodeled in 1998-99, reopening on May 7, 1999. The remodel included the addition of three lakes, all new greens, tees, bunkers and cart paths
https://www.whittierdailynews.com/2020/02/23/longtime-montebello-golf-course-director-takes-400000-buyout/
2020-02-23 14:01:23Z
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