Anyway, I'm thinking that The Des Moines Register is out to "get" Mauro. In this morning's edition Reporter Bert Dalmer writes that Polk County Conservation Director Pat Boddy will consider turning over daily operations of Jester Golf Course, which received a four star rating from some organization or other, to a private company. Dalmer's story continues:
Democrat John Mauro proposing "privatization"? I thought privatization was a Republican thing. But I could be wrong. Naturally one wonders what marvelous and local private business can run a public golf course?
In January, during a public hearing on the conservation board's budget, Supervisor John Mauro accused conservation officials of shunning an offer to privatize Jester Park years earlier. Mauro said the proposal had promised the county $200,000 a year, regardless of the costs to run the course.
If $75,000 is all that the county makes on Jester Park golf, then "shame on us," Mauro then said. "If there's a $200,000 savings there, I think you have an obligation to address the public and say why you're not doing it."
A company owned by a close friend of Mauro's, Ned Chiodo, has run Des Moines' Blank Golf Course since it opened in 1971.Another case of cronyism?! The Southside "Machina"?! Could be. But the alternative to Mauro is longtime asshole and Southsider Gene Phillips, a nominal Democrat who is not a member of the Italian dominated "Machina."
Parks officials recently told city leaders that the Blank golf operation cost the city about $700,000 over the past decade. Last month, councilmen amended their contract with Chiodo in such a way as to guarantee the city $100,000 in revenue from the operation.
It's pretty clear. Des Moines and Polk County needs some fresh political blood.
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