Golf Course’s Future : McKenna Looking Ahead to 2014

Town Manager James McKenna has laid the groundwork for the approach the town will take when the Winthrop Golf Club’s lease of the golf course land with the town ends in April, 2014. (The lease was recently extended by one year from 2013 to 2014.) McKenna has stated that the town will seek proposals for the future administration and operation of the course when the current lease expires.

Our town manager, who has been a visionary in so many aspects of his leadership, has obviously thought about the best course of action the town should take with respect to the Winthrop golf course. An ad hoc committee consisting of McKenna, DPW Director Steve Calla, Council Vice President Paul Varone, and Norm Hiatt of the Conservation Commission is formulating ideas in preparation for putting a request for proposals (RFP) for the leasing of the golf course which the town is required to do under the law.

In the end, there may be no change in the future leadership or administration of the Winthrop golf course if there is no outside interest from municipal golf course operators Currently the Winthrop Golf Club pays the town $100 per year for its lease, a 25-year lease that is set to expire.

The discussions with the people at the Winthrop Golf Club have been amiable and productive and McKenna had praise for Patrick Lally, who has been the liaison from the golf course, for the professional manner that he has represented the golf club members’ interests. Like the manager, we admire Patrick Lally as well. He’s been a terrific aide and representative of Congressman Edward J. Markey’s office for the congressman’s constituents in our town.

But let there be no doubt that Town Manager McKenna is doing what he always has done so well in the three years he has been a top administrator namely, acting in the best interests of the town, a responsibility he consistently has upheld to the benefit of all Winthrop residents.