Lights, Action, Country Club of Woodbridge

The 'new' Country Club of Woodbridge is going to see its name in lights. The club will serve as a backdrop in a low budget movie-very low budget, according to producer Onyeka Ejikeme of Onyekachi Productions. Ejikeme asked the Boards of Selectmen and Finance for permission to film the landscape at the country club. He plans to film two short scenes totaling four minutes Monday.

Brian O'Hare, VP of Operations for Billy Casper Golf, the national company now managing the country club, asked about the nature of the film: "We need to be sensitive to what the scenes entail."

Board of Selectman member Susan Jacobs, got straight to the point: "Is everyone going to have their clothes on in this movie?"

Ejikeme assured her and her fellow board members that though the movie is a low-budget comedy, nothing inappropriate was going to be filmed at the country club.

"We will see 'Thank you to the town of Woodbridge,' in the rolling credits, right?" asked Jacobs. Woodbridge will be credited and thanked for its use of the club. The movie producer is required to have a certificate of insurance in order to film at the club.

Club is Having Strong Start to Season

The new managers of the Country Club of Woodbridge presented their budget for fiscal year 2013 at a a joint meeting of the boards of Selectmen and Finance Wednesday evening.

Jason Beffert, the club's general manager, said he's heard nothing but good comments since the club opened a few weeks ago. So far, he has taken in 60 memberships including 35 Woodbridge residents and 25 non-residents. He anticipates that number will rise when ads placed in seven area newspapers come out.

Brian O'Hare presented the budget, which forecasts $1.9 million in total revenues and a gross income of $1.8 million after the costs of pro shop merchandise, food and beverage are accounted for.

On the expense side, total labor costs are $702,444 and include salaries and related expenses in golf operations, general and administrative positions, golf course maintenance, food and beverage preparation and service, and sales and marketing.

Other operational expenses include those typical to running a golf course: administrative, maintenance, food and beverage, amenities and sales and marketing.

The most discussed item at Wednesday's meeting was the lease of new golf carts for $71,700 payable over six months each year. It wasn't so much the year-to-year cost that was a question for some board members, it was the commitment to a four-year lease.

"If the town decides in the next year or two that it's not interested in running a golf course - it's not hitting its numbers - it will be a substantial loss to us," said Thomas Kenefick, a member of the board of selectmen. 

Club management anticipates bringing in $371,458 in golf cart fees in its first year of operation.

The joint boards voted 10 to 1 to approve the budget. Selectman Gregory Coyne voted against the budget. He said, "We haven't yet determined if we as a town want to continue to run a golf course."     

First Selectman Edward Sheehy responded that the budget will be fully funded by the revenue generated. The budget has a $318,000 operating income.

Said Board of Finance member Sandra Stein, "We have to accept some risk. We just have to determine how much. There's risk considered with any option in front of us."

Finance Board Chairman Matthew Giglietti supported the budget: "If we can't develop a piece of the land to offset the debt, then we have to run a golf course. We have no choice at this point."

"This is a fair budget, not a bucket list of things that a golf course doesn't need," said O'Hare. His budget was approved as submitted.