Bartlett looks at $250,000 upgrade for Bartlett Hills clubhouse

Bartlett trustees are weighing whether to sink an estimated $250,000 into a clubhouse addition at the village-owned golf course, where taxpayers have bankrolled steep deficits for years.

The expansion would center on the wedding and banquet business at Bartlett Hills Golf Club on Oneida Avenue.

After implementing a series of steps to jump-start revenue this year — most notably raising most fees by $1 — officials are crunching numbers to see whether the construction project pays off.

“We're not going to try to fix something else that's not broken,” Mayor Kevin Wallace said.

Bartlett Hills posted a nearly $244,000 shortfall in the 2013-2014 fiscal year. To plug the deficits, the village borrows from the general fund, especially in winter months when golfers stay off the course. Once business picks up in the spring, revenue goes toward paying back that short-term loan, Finance Director Jeff Martynowicz said.

In 2015, however, Bartlett Hills appears to be turning a corner: The village is forecasting a $19,000 surplus.

“We may be able to turn this into a facility that's making money for the village,” Wallace said.

General Manager Bob Gavelek credits improvements that had nothing to do with the 18-hole course.

Employees updated the menu at the clubhouse's bar and grill, rotated lunch specials, began serving mixed drinks on a beverage cart and added more group outings later in the season. Bartlett Hills also keeps credit card numbers on file to charge no-shows for holiday and weekend times.

The modest fee hikes are expected to generate $20,000 annually.

“We've been able to hold our expenses down considerably this year due to some good weather, no major catastrophes out there,” Gavelek told the village board this week. “We're very pleased about that, but we're very sensitive toward our expenses.”

Trustees, meanwhile, want to see a study that shows investing in a clubhouse addition will further boost business.

The work would double the number of seats at the bar to about 50 by expanding the 19-year-old building onto an outdoor veranda.

Growing the banquet space also would allow Bartlett Hills to host weddings with up to 250 guests. Employees are forced to turn away couples because of the limited layout, Gavelek said.

Wallace called the addition just a concept. The village has not sought bids from contractors, either.

“This is not something we would anticipate jumping on right away,” he said.