►
Description
The Committee on Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs of the Council of the City of Philadelphia held a Public Hearing on Wednesday, February 17, 2021, at 10:00 AM, in a remote manner using Microsoft® Teams to hear testimony on the following item:
200617 An Ordinance authorizing an initial 10 year conversion of the current Term with up to two 5 year Renewal Terms for a Lease Agreement the City has entered into with the First Tee of Greater Philadelphia for operating, managing and maintaining the John F Byrne Golf Course, all under certain terms and conditions.
A
A
A
A
A
I
now
note
that
the
hour
has
come
and
clerk
will
you
please
call
the
roll
to
take
attendance
members
that
are
in
attendance?
Will
please
indicate
that
you
are
present
when
your
name
is
called
and
also
please
say
a
few
brief
words
when
responding
so
that
your
image
will
be
displayed
on
screen
when
you
speak,
madam
clerk.
C
B
A
B
Authorizing
an
initial,
an
initial
10-year
conversion
of
the
current
term,
with
up
to
two
five-year
renewal
terms
for
a
lease
agreement,
the
city
has
entered
into
with
the
first
tee
of
greater
philadelphia
for
operating,
managing
and
maintaining
the
john
f
byrne.
Golf
course
all
under
certain
terms
and
conditions.
A
A
A
A
F
F
F
Yeah
we
had,
we
had
tested
it
and
it
worked,
but
I'm
gonna
go
ahead,
and
that
was
a
video
of
our
students
and
their
their
words
speak
volumes
and
they're
much
better
spokespeop
people
than
I
am
that's
why
I
had
a
clip.
I
want
to
give
you
a
quick
background.
The
first
t
is
a
youth
development
organization
who
serves
30,
000
kids
and
aims
to
set
each
up
for
success
to
deal
with
life's
challenges.
F
F
Golf
with
the
help
of
first
tee
opens
many
doors
for
our
inner
city,
kids,
skills,
fun,
personal
development,
jobs,
internships,
scholarships,
networking,
mentors
time
off,
electronics,
exercise
and
a
game
to
play
with
friends
and
family
for
their
entire
lifetimes,
and
that
list
goes
on
first.
He
runs
two
of
the
city's
golf
courses
because
over
10
years
ago,
walnut
lane
had
no
management
company
interested
in
bidding
to
run
the
course
because
it
was
a
perpetual
financial
loser.
F
First,
he
ran
programs
at
walnut
lane
and
stepped
in,
so
that
our
kids
were
not
abandoned.
Similar
to
john
f
byrne,
golf
club,
walnut
lane
had
been
neglected,
but
first
he
invested
to
make
it
a
viable
entity
for
our
students
and
public
golfers,
with
over
1.2
million
dollar
investment
and
a
little
more
to
go.
Walnut
lean
turned
back
into
a
community
asset,
a
stage
for
first
tee
kids
to
develop
and
a
business
which
was
not
a
burden
on
our
non-profit
organization.
F
F
F
Discord
across
the
country.
One
thing
our
organization
and
supporters
are
certain
is
that
an
investment
in
our
kids
is
one.
Nobody
disagrees
with
john
byrne
gives
first
tee
another
springboard
for
our
students
to
fully
develop
their
potential,
and
the
opportunity
also
provides
a
place
where
many
philadelphia,
golfers
and
non-golfers
can
enjoy
the
stunning
natural
beauty.
The
course
offers
thank
you
for
considering
first
tee
to
have
a
long-term
lease
to
run
the
john
f
byrne
golf
club.
A
D
You're
muted,
thank
you.
Thank
you,
madam
chair.
I
just
want
to
go
on
the
record
and
say
that
what
the
testimony
you
just
heard
is
true.
Walnut
lane
was
on
the
verge
of
becoming
a
nine
whole
golf
course,
as
opposed
to
a
full
golf
course
when
they
stepped
in
and
really
breathed
life
back
into
that
course
it
is
an
asset
to
the
city,
but
also
to
the
immediate
community
in
the
roxboro
area,
where
people
get
to
enjoy
outdoor
golfing.
D
Personally,
when
I
first
got
elected,
I
didn't
consider
golf
a
sport
people
dressed
too
nice
for
that
to
be
a
true
sport,
but
I
quickly
found
out
that
it
was
because
I
assaulted
the
grass
on
that
court
debits.
The
size
of
craters
were
created
by
me,
but
it,
but
with
a
little
bit
of
tender,
loving
instruction
by
a
walnut
lane,
I
can
actually
hit
a
golf
ball
a
little
better
and
I
bought
a
bunch
of
used
clubs
right
out
of
the
center
and
I
enjoy
of
the
park
more
because
of
that
experience.
D
A
Thank
you
thank
you
for,
for
the
validation
of
the
programs
that
you
know
we
work
so
hard
to
get
into
the
neighborhoods
to
make
sure
that
kids
have
access
to.
So
I'm
glad
to
see
that
you
know
the
program
is
here
and
I'm
glad
to
see
that
your
golf
game
is
hopefully
going
to
get
better.
I
want
to
get
that.
D
B
A
A
G
Thank
you
good
morning,
chairperson
bass
and
members
of
the
committee
on
parks
and
recreation
and
cultural
affairs.
My
name
is
catherine
aunt
level.
I'm
the
commissioner
for
the
department
of
parks
and
recreation,
and
I'm
here
today
to
testify
in
support
of
bill
number
200-617
and
norton's
authorizing
a
10-year
conversion
of
the
current
term,
with
up
to
two
five-year
renewal
terms
of
a
lease
agreement.
The
city
entered
into
with
the
first
tee
of
greater
philadelphia
for
the
john
f
byrne.
G
G
In
order
to
capitalize
and
secure
six
hundred
thousand
dollars
in
initial
capital
improvements
to
the
golf
course.
First,
he
has
requested
a
conversion
of
the
lease,
as
provided
for
in
the
rfp
to
the
longer
term.
10
years
with
up
to
two
five-year
renewals.
This
long-term
lease
will
allow
first
tee
to
expeditiously
proceed
with
the
initial
planned
capital
improvements
for
the
course,
including
ada
upgrades
sand,
trap,
rebuilds
equipment
purchases
course,
irrigation
installation
and
cart
path,
repairs
first,
tee
has
already
made
significant
clubhouse
roof
and
window
repairs,
as
well
as
coarse
bridge
renovations.
G
First,
he
estimates
that
their
total
capital
spending
over
the
next
three
to
four
years
could
exceed
1.5
to
2
million
dollars
and
is
aggressively
raising
the
necessary
funding.
The
operating
and
capital
outlay
by
first
tee
will
will
assure
adequate
upkeep
of
a
value
municipal
golf
course
that
was
in
serious
need
of
upgrade
and
renewed
on-site
management.
G
G
G
First,
tee
teaches
life
skills
by
teaching
golf
to
children
throughout
the
city,
regardless
of
their
background,
their
ability
or
their
past
experience.
All
that
first
he
requires
is
that
a
child
has
a
desire
or
interest
to
learn
and
play
golf
as
bill
hyman
stated:
55
percent
of
all.
First
tee
students
come
from
an
ethnically
diverse
background,
and
40
percent
are
female.
G
First,
he
has
proven
at
walnut
lane
golf
course
that
it
can
take
over
management
of
a
municipal
golf
course
and
make
that
course
work
for
all
parties
involved,
the
city,
the
neighborhood,
the
children,
visitors
and
staff,
all
at
no
direct
cost
to
taxpayers
parks.
America
respectfully
asked
for
the
opportunity
to
permit
first
tee
to
extend
its
already
successful
track
record
and
burn
over
the
next
10
years.
G
For
that
reason,
we
support
this
legislation
and
I
respectfully
request
this
committee
approved
bill
number
200617,
I'm
also
requesting
a
suspension
of
the
rules
so
as
to
allow
for
first
reading
at
the
next
session
of
counsel.
Thank
you
and
we'll
be
glad
to
answer
any
additional
questions
you
may
have
thank.
A
You
both
for
your
testimony,
quick
question:
can
you
speak
to
diversity
in
terms
of
the
numbers
of
children
that
are
served?
What
is
the
diversity
among
the
the
youth
that
are
served
by
first
tee
and
also
among
instruction?
I
know
that
they
don't
really
do
a
brick
and
mortar
sort
of
you
know,
operation
or
the
maintenance
or
anything
like
that
for
the
fields.
But
can
you
talk
about?
Maybe
the
instructional
staff
and
what
that
looks
like
for
first
tee.
F
F
F
A
A
E
F
So
you
know
I
don't
have
a
specific
number,
probably
60
of
our
coaching
staff
live
in
philadelphia,
our
organization,
our
reach,
is
greater
philadelphia,
so
we
also
have
programs
in
camden
and
the
surrounding
suburbs
of
philadelphia,
but
we've
got.
I
tell
you
what
it's.
If
you
go
to
our
website,
you
can
look
at
our
our
coaches.
We
have
a
former
nfl
football
player,
he
coaches
in
camden.
For
us
we
have
a
former
major
league
baseball
player.
We
have
a
philadelphia
police
officer.
F
We've
got
multiple
philadelphia
school
teachers,
we
have
financial
advisors.
It's
it's
really
a
great
group
of
coaches
that
serve
as
mentors
for
our
kids
and
it's
been
a
drive
of
ours.
To
you
know,
just
continue
to
you
know,
find
coaches
specifically
with
diverse
backgrounds,
because
that's
what
the
majority
of
our
population
is
that
we're
serving
that's.
E
Really,
I'm
really
excited
to
hear
that
my
undergrad
degree
is
in
therapeutic
recreation.
So
catherine,
we've
had
an
extensive
conversation
about
my
love,
for
you
know
sports
and
recreation,
even
though
I
don't
play
as
many
sports
as
I
would
like
to.
But
you
know
working
in
that
field.
My
next
question
is
related
to
wages.
Do
you
know
what
the
lowest
paid
employees
make
at
your
organization
also.
F
F
Yeah
and
a
lot
of
things
that
we're
working
on
too,
because
it's
been
a
great
development
of
our
program
staff.
This
who
has
hired
some
of
our
students
and
some
of
our
students,
have
become
coaches
that
are
high
schoolers,
we're
starting
some
financial
literacy
classes.
So
we're
going
to
offer
those
too
to
our
students,
who
we're
also
helping
get
jobs.
Some
of
the
kids
graduated
from
a
caddy
academy
and
then
we've
helped
them
get
jobs
at
local
golf
courses.
F
The
kids
that
are
working
for
us
were
working
on
the
financial
literacy
classes
that
we
are
also
going
to
offer
to
our
parents
and
and
one
of
the
neat
things
with
the
pandemic.
One
of
the
silver
linings
is,
you
know
when
we
would
try
to
do
meetings
and
put
a
lot
of
effort
into
having
a
meeting
and
ask
for
parents
and
kids
to
come
out
at
night.
You'd
have
very
low
attendance,
and
now
with
zoom,
you
know
our
microsoft
teams.
F
E
That's
really
good
to
hear.
I'm
really
excited
to
hear
about
that,
and
my
final
question
is:
how
do
you
partner
with
schools?
Do
you
seek
out
partnerships
or
do
the
schools
reach
out
to
you
directly
and
if
they
reach
out
to
you
directly,
I
would
like
a
little
bit
more
information
about
that,
and
I
definitely
would
love
to
come.
Do
a
tour
of
the
course
because
I'm
I
drive
faster
all
the
time
and
I
always
wonder
you
know
what
it
looked
like
on
the
other
side
of
the
gate.
F
They
have
no
idea
that
they're
working
on
their
interpersonal
skills
or
they're
gaining
their
confidence,
and
you
know
they're
speaking
in
front
of
the
class
and
you
know
telling
something
about
their
partner,
and
you
know-
and
you
know,
from
an
early
age
of
you-
know:
age
five.
You
know
they
are
developing.
You
know
great
skills
and
I
forget
your
question.
The
main
question.
F
F
How
you
hit
a
golf
shot
and
that's
how
we
kind
of
correlate
golf
and
the
key
is
to
have
with
the
kids
to
have
fun,
so
they
get
hooked
on
golf
and
then,
when
they
became
teenagers,
they'll
want
to
continue
participation.
So
it's
word
of
mouth,
but
it's
what's
most
important.
Is
that
there's
an
advocate
at
the
school-
and
I
think
you
know,
there's
a
misconception
about
golf
and
so
people
aren't
interested
in
it.
They
think
it's
too
expensive.
You
know
our
two
golf
courses
in
philadelphia
are
extremely
affordable
for
kids.
F
They're
free.
You
know,
people
have
trouble,
you
know
paying
for
clubs,
you
know
a
lot
of
times,
we'll
give
them
clubs,
so
you
know
we're.
We
are
working
on.
You
know
that
accessibility
aspect
and
we
just
want
to
be
able
to
spread
the
word
so
that
our
kids
that
see
it
in
the
gym
class
can
come
and
participate.
F
C
Thank
you,
madam
chair,
good
morning
to
the
panel.
I
love
the
work
that
first
tee
is
doing
and
it
seems
like
had
a
great
partnership
with
the
city.
I
was
looking
at
some
of
the
eop
goals
for
the
contract,
around
capital
improvements,
operations
and
maintenance
sessions,
and
I
just
wanted
to
hear
you
talk
more
about
those
goals
and
how
they
were
decided
or
agreed.
F
Well,
first,
he
will
make
every
effort
that
we
can
to
reach
the
minority
business
and
women
business
enterprise
goals
that
are
in
our
contracts
and
one
of
the
things
that
we
we
will
do
because
the
majority
of
our
capital
spend
will
occur.
You
know,
hopefully
in
in
this
near
future,
where
we'll
spend
you
know
well
over
a
million
dollars.
You
know
we're
going
to
be
posting
notifications.
F
You
know
within
our
clubhouse,
for
all
of
our
golfers
to
see
that
may
have
a
mbe
or
wbe
business
to
help
with
you
know
some
of
the
needs
that
we're
gonna
have
at
our
two
golf
courses.
You
know
going
forward
but
they're
important
to
us,
and
you
know
we
realized.
You
know
it's
so
important
to
be
all
about
community
and
that's
why
you
know
at
john
byrne,
95
of
the
employees
live
in
philadelphia.
G
Sure,
hi
councilwoman,
so
the
office
of
economic
opportunity
oeo,
helps
to
set
those
goals
for
us.
So
my
understanding
is
that
they
do
a
a
scan
of
you,
know:
sort
of
the
potential
vendors
and
and
opportunities
that
may
exist
after
talking
to
us
and
first
t
about
their
their
operations
and
understanding
where
their
spends
will
be.
G
A
A
Please
be
feel
free
to
speak
at
this
point
and
hearing
none.
I
want
to
thank
all
the
panels
and
witnesses
for
their
participation
today
and
we
value
your
opinions.
I
now
invite
all
panels
and
witnesses
to
please
disconnect
from
the
meeting
before
we
go
into
our
public
meeting.
We
will
now
pause
the
proceedings
briefly,
as
multiple
participants
leave
the
hearing.
A
A
A
We
need
one
more
member,
so
we're
going
to
pause
for
just
a
moment.
While
we
get
one
more
member
for
our
quorum.
I
do
see
that
council
member
thomas
was
on
the
line,
so
I'm
not
sure
if
he's
having
technical
difficulties,
but
we
will
pause
the
proceedings
until
we
get
a
quorum.
Madam
clerk,
if
you
could
reach
out
to
the
members
of
the
committee
who
are
not
one
and
let's
try
to
get
them,
one.
C
C
C
B
A
G
A
A
We
can
hear
you
now
we're
gonna,
you
know
what
we're
going
to
give
it
one
quick
second
councilwoman
sanchez
is
also
getting
on.
No,
no,
no!
No
it's
happening
today.
It's
one
of
those
days
and
councilman
sanchez
is
also
joining
us,
but
we'll
give
her
a
quick
second,
my
apologies,
not
a
problem.
It's
one
of
those
days
we're
having
technical
difficulties
all
over
the
place,
bad.
Madam
clerk,
can
you
grow
through
go
through
a
roll
call
again,
so
we
can
establish
forum.
C
A
Can
we
get
a
second
second
okay
councilwoman
for
the
for
the
record?
Councilman
maria
quinones
sanchez
offered
the
second
the
chair.
Well,
it
has
been
moved
and
prop.
It
has
been
moved
and
probably
seconded
that
bill
number
200617
be
reported
from
this
committee,
with
a
favorable
recommendation
and
further
move
that
the
rules
of
council
be
suspended
to
permit
first
reading
of
this
bill
at
the
next
session
of
council.
All
of
those
in
favor
of
this
motion
will
signify
by
saying
I
I
I
anyone
opposed
okay,
the
eyes
have
it
and
the
motion
carries.