But American Fork is questioning the $4.5 million bonding effort to upgrade the course and make it self-sustaining - although the city embraced the proposal earlier this year along with Lehi and Pleasant Grove.

Now American Fork officials are putting off passage - initially set for tonight - on an interlocal agreement that would give a golf course board the ability to bond. American Fork officials aren't sure if setting up a separate governing agency to bond is the best idea or if one city should spearhead the bonds.

“It's not an issue; it's a question,” said American Fork City Attorney Kevin Bennett. “We better look and find out what we've got before we decide if this is the way to go.”

Tri-City, an 18-hole course located at the north end of American Fork, was built in 1971 and thrived financially until recent years.

Like many municipally owned courses in Utah, Tri-City has struggled to compete with the onslaught of new golf resorts. A study by the Salt Lake City-based municipal-securities firm Lewis, Young, Robertson & Burningham suggested the $4.5 million capital infusion would allow the course to become self-sustaining within 10 years.

That money would go mostly to a new irrigation system and improvements to the clubhouse, with additional funds to fix the entry and playing surfaces - fairways, tee boxes, greens and bunkers.

“We want to at least break even so all of the taxpayers aren't subsidizing golf,” Pleasant Grove Mayor Mike Daniels said. “The bond needs to move forward.”

Pleasant Grove officials have been more eager to act and approved the interlocal agreement last week.

Lehi Mayor Howard Johnson said his City Council will discuss the agreement tonight. But American Fork won't decide on it for at least a month.

Officials there want to iron out exactly what the new agreement would do to the existing golf course board and how ownership issues play into it.

American Fork, Lehi and Pleasant Grove all have ownership in the course, but how much each city owns is unclear.

During a recent work session, Bennett and adviser Jason Burningham said they don't know which city owns what.

“This doesn't sound very comforting,” American Fork Mayor Heber Thompson said. “This sounds like a loose cannon.”

Councilman Shirl LeBaron will lead an effort to dig up documents and research the course's history, and the council won't revisit the interlocal agreement until at least late January.

toddh@sltrib.com