Beff’s restaurant, a longstanding Capital District eatery, will take over concession duties at the Town of Colonie Golf Course after the Town Board awarded its owners the bid at the Thursday, April 19, meeting.
Just two weeks ago, the town evicted the owners of Chip Shots, then-concession vendor at the golf course for six years. Though town officials and owner Gene DeGeorge are vague in what lead to the eviction, citing a probably lawsuit over the dispute, Town Attorney Mike Magguilli said last week, “It’s not something the town takes lightly, and we’ve been trying to address this issue with the operator for over four years.”
Golf course manager Noel Gebauer took the reins on finding a replacement concession vendor and on Thursday thanked the Town Board for helping to make that process so speedy.
“As I had canvassed our outings and leagues over the last couple weeks informing them they’d be having a new concession coming on board, there was excitement but also apprehension as to the timing of when this was going to happen. They don’t like to be thrown out of their routines,” said Gebauer.
Gebauer said he reached out to various restaurant owners who he thought would fit the bill but Beff’s owner Mickey Blanchfield hovered at the top of the list because of an experience from Gebauer’s time managing Normanside golf course in Bethlehem.
“We had a tough time keeping the golfers at the club after they played golf. I found out the reason for that was they were going two minutes down the road to the Delmar Beff’s,” said Gebauer. “… They said Beff’s was the perfect place to go after golf.”
Patti Vardaro’s husband worked at Chip Shots and lost his job in the shake up. She expressed outrage at the April 5 meeting, saying the eviction changed her family’s life, and on Thursday night was alarmed that Beff’s was being handed a contract so soon.
“I was under the impression this evening was going to be a discussion, a public forum. I didn’t realize you were going to already make the decision and what we say really doesn’t have any bearing on anything,” said Vardaro.
Maggiulli said under town law and based on state comptroller opinions, golf course food concessions don’t have to be competitively bid or be the subject of an RFP.
“Because of the nature of the business they can simply be awarded,” said Maggiulli.
Vardaro then took issue with whether it was appropriate for Gebauer to solicit food vendors and make a recommendation to the Town Board.
“How is this the decision left to the golf pro?” Vardaro asked.
Maggiulli said since he’s not a golfer, leaving it up to someone with years in the industry was a no brainer.
“That was left in Noel’s hands because he’s in the industry. … We listen to the opinions and recommendations of our experts. Noel is highly respected in the industry,” said Maggiulli.
“But, not an expert at food,” Vardaro said.
Supervisor Paula Mahan said she understood Vardaro’s frustration with her husband’s job loss and subsequent change in family dynamic.
“It’s a difficult decision but I don’t want you to think this is something that just came up and there were no issues involved because there were,” said Mahan.
Beff’s will sign a short-term agreement for a trial run.
“We’re looking to change to a seasonal type business rather than all year long because it’s not profitable for the town to be having this all year-round,” said Mahan.
The Town Board also said goodbye to Deputy Supervisor Nancy Hernandez, who is stepping down in the middle of her second term to take a job with the New York State Comptroller.
Mahan presented Hernandez with a proclamation and plaque to display in her new office, thanking her for her service to the town and highlighting her accomplishments.
