The Property Owner’s Association met September 12 to discuss the necessary repairs after flooding in August severely damaged the property. The Branchwood Golf Course alone sustained about $600,000 in damage and has been closed and deemed dangerous with the cart paths and irrigation system “washed out.”
The Bella Vista (Ark.) Property Owner’s Association met September 12 to discuss the repairs that need to be made as a result of August floods, with damage to golf courses and other amenities adding up to $1.8 million, the Fort Smith (Ark.) KFSM TV reported.
“We have our RV Park, which is estimated at over $100,000 to repair it, we have one of our Country Club Golf Course pump stations that’s going to cost about $400,000 to $500,000,” said Tommy Bailey, POA President and General Manager.
Benton County is receiving FEMA assistance to make repair flood damage. The Bella Vista POA doesn’t qualify for FEMA assistance since it’s a private community and will have to use 30 percent of the association’s reserve money, KFSM reported.
“We have never been eligible for FEMA outside of the water company and our water company did sustain small damage, about $50,000,” added Bailey.
The Branchwood Golf Course sustained about $600,000 in damage, which accounts for a third of the total damage, KFSM reported.
“We got it completely closed off, it’s actually dangerous. We don’t even walkers down in there, the cart paths were all washed out and the irrigation system was all washed out. It’s truly a hole back there and we don’t want anyone back there,” said Bailey.
The POA board is discussing whether to make repairs to the Branchwood course at all, KFSM reported.
The POA has spent almost $500,000 over the last five years in creek bed stabilization in Bella Vista to prevent flooding. However, there isn’t much they can do if heavy rain comes, because some of the area is in a flood zone, KFSM reported.
“I really don’t think there’s anything you can do to prevent that kind of rainfall, you just kind have to grit your teeth and hope you come out on the other end of it,” said Casey Crittenden, Golf Course Maintenance Manager.
Eighty-percent of the amenities are now reopened, but it could be awhile before all repairs are made, KFSM reported.
“There’s different sections of each golf course that will probably take a year or so to get those back in shape,” said Crittenden.
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