Unless you are a regular golfer, you probably aren’t aware that the most competent and responsible employee the City has ever seen (with the possible exception of Ricky Roy) is retiring.
Van Berry is basically in charge of his own half-million dollar business over there at the golf course [page 53]. He has had to deal with drought, ice storms, Covidiots complaining about masks, busted golf carts, massive oak trees falling down, cart sheds falling apart, repaving cart paths, Mike Holland passing out on the course every month or so, and all sorts of other insanity. And he did it all for LESS money than our useless Economic Director made in her FIRST year.
A travesty, to say the least.
He deals with tournaments, greens fees, cart fees, membership fees, shed rentals, concessions, and a whole lot more – and unlike Finley, he doesn’t have an Assistant Manager bitch boy to do half his work for him. He runs it all.
And he does it all for LESS money than our quasi-retarded Assistant To The City Manager made in his first year. Another travesty.
Unlike the heads of other departments who spend tens of thousand of dollars to hire outside people to do their jobs for them, Van Berry got his hands dirty all the time. My usual route to town takes me past the golf course about 25 times per week. I have seen Van working on carts, fixing broken mowers, helping clear felled trees after a storm, and doing all sorts of other work that Stacey Ybarra, Ryan Ward and Finley deGraffenreid would never be caught dead doing because they might break a nail or get some doodie on their hands.
Besides all that, he’s a hell of a nice guy with a great head of hair and a very lovely family. He’s probably retiring to go cure cancer and wrestle alligators with Ricky Roy. That’s how bad-ass he is.
Quite frankly, I don’t know how he put up with the idiot Big Wigs at City Hall. That alone should have warranted a yearly bonus in the $10,000 range.
Whoever takes over has some big shoes to fill.
Anyways, I wish you good luck Mr. Berry! Thank you for making Lampasas Golf Course one that is respected and admired by every serious golfer I have ever spoken too.