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There were smiles all around last Thursday as Port District 7 officials got the year-end financial report on Banks Lake Golf Course, which they manage.

At the end of 2015, port commissioners were looking at red ink to the tune of $32,000. But last Thursday, district Secretary Joanne Davidson brought smiles to commissioners when her report stated that the golf course was in the black for 2016, $17,006.16.

Actually, things look better than that. The Port District paid off its golf carts in 2016, a $17,048.37 non-recurring expense.

Given that, and the 2015 $32,000 deficit, the golf course faces a much rosier future in 2017.

Much of the 2016 turnaround was due to district commissioners volunteering for clubhouse duties, and not hiring paid help.

“We really learned how to operate a golf course,” Port District Chair Jim Keene stated.

The district plans to hire some help for the coming season.

In 2016, paid membership and rental of golf cart storage space accounted for $63,948.85 of income. Other major income areas were green fees, $50,568.90; and rental for carts, $15,872.55. The golf course revenue for the year was $162,956.37.

Expenses for 2016 totaled $145,950.21. The major expenses were paying off the golf cars $17,048.37; mower expenses, $21,122.04; irrigation water $21,023.85; Department of Revenue, $12,688.60; grounds payroll, $8,714.67; liquor, food, pop, bottled water and candy, $11,096.19; maintenance, $24,632.97; insurance, $3,114; electricity, $3,069; and diesel fuel, $4,034.52.