The rookie Town Manager’s budget proposal for Cherry Hill is, thankfully, not on par with Pollyannaish budgets previously crafted by crafty veteran Town Manger and head Cheerleader Barry Del Castillo…but Mr. Shaffer is still guilty of omissions.

Yes, Year To Date revenues are up $18, 624 (+25%) over last year, but he conveniently neglects to mention that operation expenses were also high since the course didn’t close until mid-December. And those last two months were hardly worthwhile, spending $31,815.64 to intake a pathetic $2,908.69

The year to date revenues and expenditures tells the sad story without any spin required: Total intake $92,032 against total expenditures of $137,712.

On several occasions Golf Course ex-manager Dan Engstrom (now demoted to turf manager but still collecting a $60,000 annual salary) has testified that to project total revenues for the Fiscal Year simply double the amount of revenues at fall/winter closing. So, by his formula, the ailing business is on target to intake $185,000 a tad shy of the $220,000 target.

And if you double expenses…well, it’s safe to say Cherry Hill will also easily overrun (like it did last year) its $192,385 budget.

Thus, miscalculating $25,000 or $35,000 in revenues combined with $15,000 or $20,000 in operational overruns equals losses roughly the same as last year ($59,000); or roughly the amount required to subsidize the War Memorial outdoor pool.

At least the new town manager had the business sense to nix Harpo Power’s sweetheart, no-bid concession contract ($1,050 for the entire year, which is about half what the concessions person pays PER MONTH in South Hadley for a run down trailer park building).

Although once again, we get the “membership fee increases”. Considering Season Pass sales last year were down 8% (as were overall rounds of golf played) you have to wonder if they are pricing themselves out of a very competitive (or should I say “desperate”) marketplace.

The main point is prioritization. You need not compare Cherry Hill losses with one or two firefighters (out of the five on the hit list) just compare it with that other—now endangered—recreational endeavor, the War Memorial Pool.

Should taxpayers subsidize swimming—a health activity mainly utilized by children (disproportionately low-income and minority); or should we subsidize golf, a more elite activity mainly utilized by white males (mostly from out of town)?

Unfortunately, that decision will be made by a clueless Town Meeting.