SAFFORD — The City of Safford is terminating the agreement to jointly operate Mt. Graham Golf Course with the Town of Thatcher.
In a letter dated April 7, Safford City Manager John Cassella informed Thatcher Town Manager Heath Brown that the city was exercising its option to end the agreement with 90-days notice.
The letter states the Town of Thatcher will no longer remit utility payments and sales tax revenue to the City of Safford, Thatcher employees will no longer receive discounts at the golf course, the town is discontinue any improvements to the course, and the town may not use images or video of the course in town marketing or economic development efforts.
“If you want to get mad at us, it would be for not promoting the golf course, which is in our town limits in our community,” Brown said, “but no, we’re being told we can’t comment or acknowledge that there is a golf course in our town limits. It’s asinine.”
Brown said the move will likely cost Safford upward of $100,000 every year, with utilities costing $50,000-$60,000 per year and annual sales tax collections at $24,000-$36,000, which Safford will now have to remit to Thatcher.
Brown added that the Thatcher Town Council had agreed to install water bottle filling stations on the course, and considered authorizing a project each year at the golf course, starting with improved cart paths to better protect the greens. However, with the April 7 notice those projects will no longer be considered.
“I don’t understand where they’re coming from,” Brown said. “If they think they’re doing this to hurt us in some way, I mean, they’re not. We were happy to be a partner but it’s certainly not hurting our feelings to save $100,000 a year when you don’t want us there.”
When reached out by Gila Valley Central for comment, a Safford spokesman said a statement might be forthcoming on Friday, May 2.
In January, the Safford City Council authorized city staff to negotiate a new agreement with the Town of Thatcher for the golf course, and to work on an agreement for joint funding of the library with Thatcher, Pima and Graham County.
In March, Brown told the Thatcher Town Council that 44 percent of usage at the golf course was by Safford residents, compared to 28 percent by Thatcher residents.
Safford, which owns the property, and Thatcher first agreed to jointly operate the golf course in 2016.
