Carson Golf to change managers

Carson City Golf Corp., which runs city-owned golf courses at Eagle Valley, will not renew a contract with its general manager, the chairman of the board said Thursday.

Board members and manager Mike McGehee had a "parting of the ways" earlier this month during the contract renewal process.

"The board has elected to go in a different direction," said chairman Mark Sattler. "We're not going to renew his contract."

The board is putting together a severance package for McGehee's official departure at the end of December. McGehee will be on leave, however, after next week when he will undergo hip replacement surgery.

Sattler said he will act as interim manager until the board decides what to do next.

McGehee said he was advised not to discuss the decision with anyone and doesn't yet know what his plans will be.

"I think the record since I've been there really speaks for itself," McGehee said. "I think we've greatly improved the place. There's just been a parting of the ways."

McGehee was hired as the course's first employee in June 1997 when the not-for-profit corporation was organized.

Before taking the Carson job, McGehee had worked as a superintendent with the Silver Lakes Country Club of Helendale, Calif., Misawa Resorts Inc., Tokyo, Japan; Woodhaven Developers, Inc., Palm Desert, Calif., for the Woodhaven and Rancho Mirage country clubs; and the Ironwood Country club in Palm Desert.

Only three of the original board members remain since 1997, Sattler said. Sattler would not comment about what caused the decision for McGehee's departure.

As general manager, McGehee supervised the two courses and six to seven employees during the winter months. The course employs up to 40 workers during the busy summer months, Sattler said.

The municipal golf corporation recently filed a criminal report against the courses' golf pro Mike Browning, who was suspected of embezzling $4,600 during the past year from men's club dues. Sheriff's detectives were investigating the case after Browning resigned in August. Browning was in charge of a bank account for the men's club and its 100 players.

Carson City owns the golf courses located off Centennial Drive. The corporation was put in place in 1997 to operate the course as a nonprofit organization.