(Picture: Bob Ford)
Residents of Northbay are having problems with a so-called charity that owns part of the golf course. The Clarion-Ledger reported:
"Overgrown grass, downed tree limbs, varmints and snakes are worrying residents living around three holes on what was once Northbay subdivision's golf course.
For now, the city is moving ahead to clean up holes one, two and three and to bill the owner, Bob Ford Christian Golf Foundation. But homeowners want a perm-anent solution.
Attorney Dale Danks Jr., whose Northbay home backs up to the first hole, said he and neighbors are tired of the hazardous conditions allowed by the nonprofit foundation on what was once a viable nine-hole golf course.
"We can't prolong this," he told the Board of Aldermen earlier this week.
Ford or a representative of the foundation could not be reached for comment. Attorney Sanford Knott, who said he represented the foundation in 2009 and whose phone number is listed as that of the foundation, said last week: "Whether it (the foundation) exists as of today, I can't say. ...."
The foundation owns the first three holes on the course, while the Northbay homeowners association owns the ninth hole and the former clubhouse and pool, which had previously belonged to the foundation. The Pearl River Valley Water Supply District holds the leases on the other five holes after foreclosing on the foundation several years ago, Danks said. Aside from the first three holes, all the other holes are being maintained..." Article
Another publication reported nutria now inhabit the golf course and have been attacking pets. The homeowners are limited in what action they can take against this so-called charity in a way that will quickly solve the problem.
So-called? What do you mean, Kingfish? Aren't you being a little harsh? Well, it seems the Secretary of State fined the Bob Ford Golf Foundation $25,000 and issued a cease and desist order two years ago but let the the foundation off of the hook in a consent order. The foundation was not registered with the state to solicit donations and did not keep records as required by law. The state could not contact the foundation. The state said
"The exam indicated that BFCGF lacked receipts and invoices to support its soliciation activity. Moreover, solicitation records had not been maintained for three years as required."
The state ordered the charity to cease and desist operations and fined the charity $25,000 for each offense on November 10, 2009. Copy of order. However, the state changed the order to a consent agreement on January 29, 2010. The new ruling stated the charity had taken significant steps to cure the problems found by the charities division. The penalty was reduced to $1,000 and suspended if the charity followed several conditions. Consent agreement. The charity has been the target of several lawsuits in Madison County. Northbay foreclosed on part of the golf course. The City of Madison sued it for zoning violations as the foundation attempted to operate a day care center and summer camp at the golf course, thus violating zoning regulations. The District sued the foundation over the golf course as well this year, seeking to terminate the lease. The termination was granted by Judge Brewer on July 5, 2011. The foundation never responded to the District's complaint.
Old MBJ story about the foundation
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