Three of the nine Rye Golf Club Commission members’ terms expire in January, and club members have until September 8 to vote online or at Whitby Castle for new Commission members to be appointed by the City Council.

 

Three of the nine Rye Golf Club Commission members’ terms expire in January, and club members have until September 8 to vote online or at Whitby Castle for new Commission members to be appointed by the City Council.

 

The seven candidates to fill the new two-year terms were at a forum at the castle August 28, answering questions from moderator and Commission member T.J. Hanson, as well as other club members. Among the candidates are current Commission Chair John Duffy and Commission member Angela Sposato, Mack Cunningham, Bob DiMaggio, Akhil Kumar, Barry McGowen, and Leon Sculti.

 

The election of members to new terms comes after the City’s more than $300,000 investigation of former club manager Scott Yandrasevich’s alleged theft of hundreds of thousands of dollars from the City over a six year period. It also comes amidst questioning of the City Manager’s management of Yandrasevich and the club, and whether the Commission should have more control over Rye Golf Club in the future.

 

Hanson asked the candidates to briefly discuss why they want to serve, what skill-set they bring to the Commission, and what they would like to see changed.

 

Nearly all of the candidates noted their business experience as an important asset. Cunningham, a former City Councilman, has run a number of business operations; McGowen and Sculti have real estate experience; DiMaggio and Duffy run their own businesses; and Sposato is an HR executive.

 

Among Kumar’s goals is to offer corporate memberships and attract a greater number of younger members.

 

Sposato, a 40-year club member, believes everything must still begin with the members, not just the Commission or the City.

 

Cunningham led the club’s recent bond refinancing and cited his assistance in reducing the club’s bond interest by $85,000 through 2018 and another $10,000 annually by leveraging the County’s chlorine contract.

 

Sculti, who is widely credited for his work in exposing the Yandrasevich corruption scandal, believes the Commission should ideally “run the club separate from government,” or at least flex their muscles for personnel changes in the current structure.

 

The candidates generally agree that management of the pool should not be outsourced and that a food minimum could be used as leverage in finding a new caterer at Whitby Castle.

 

The forum was well-attended by members, especially considering it was held in late August.