There is an inaccurate perception held by some Signal Mountain residents regarding the just-approved Signal Mountain Conservation Easement Agreement and the Signal Mountain Golf & Country Club.
At the town’s monthly meeting held Monday, Vice-Mayor Susan Robertson expressed her dismay at alleged anger from SMGCC being brought to bear against the Town Council over the proposition. Also of note, her comments came after the period allowing public address and immediately before the council’s vote. Please let me be clear that the club holds no hostilities, personal or otherwise, to the town, its employees, any members of the Council, or the legal counsel.
As the president of the SMGCC, I am only concerned about the well-being of the club, and earlier versions of the conservation easement offered no assurance that any part of our golf course, which is leased from the town, was exempt from the trust. Thankfully, after meeting with the Council, our request to remain exempt from any conservation easement agreement was granted with the publication of the final version on Oct. 9.
The reason I have taken the time to write this is that it is important that our neighbors understand the truth. SMGCC members are, by and large, Signal Mountain residents. We are in favor of conservation. We love our green spaces and agree that they should be protected for posterity. We enjoy clean air and water and the great outdoors like everyone else. The only action taken by the club in response to the conservation easement was to ensure the protection of the golf course from the trust. We took no stand on any other facet of the debate.
For the record, the town and SMGCC have deep roots, each whose founders were deeply involved with the other. Our relationship is mutually beneficial. As the town’s second largest private employer and supported entirely by dues paying members, we provide many things to the community.
We support many civic organizations, help with fundraisers, provide a place to practice and play golf for the SMMHS teams, provide the mountain’s clergy a place to play golf, and many more. We do sustain damage from sledding when it snows and the Independence Day fireworks with no complaints.
Everyone may not agree on the town’s course of action, but SMGCC’s involvement in this debate has only been to ensure the long-term well-being of our golf course and our members.
Bobby Morrison III