The right of Middle Smithfield Township in Pennsylvania to legally acquire the Country Club of the Poconos golf course and operate it in direct competition with privately owned courses was the subject of a hearing Monday before Monroe County President Judge Ronald Vican, reports the Pocono Record.
A group of township residents have challenged the legality of the township takeover. The township filed a motion to dismiss their suit on grounds the Pennsylvania second-class township code allows municipally-owned golf courses.
The township says it was given the golf course by the developer of Country Club of the Poconos-at no cost-as part of a complex arrangement by which the township bought the remaining unused sewage plant capacity set aside for CCP residential development.
Attorney Robin Snyder, representing the township, said Middle Smithfield has the right to own the course and hire township personnel to operate it. She said the township code doesn’t prevent Middle Smithfield from operating the course and clubhouse at a profit.
Judge Vican reserved for a later date his ruling on whether the case against the township can move forward.
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