Golf club owner indicted for stealing city water

The owner of the Staley Farm Golf Club has been indicted on a felony charge of theft for taking city water.
Marty Ostronic, 42, pleaded not guilty today to the Class C felony charge, which was issued earlier this week by a Clay County grand jury.
Ostronic was released on his own recognizance.
Jim Roberts, a spokesman for Clay County Prosecutor Daniel White, said a felony conviction in the case could carry penalties of up to 7 years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.
In 2008, the Kansas City Water Services Department placed a lien on the Northland golf course, saying it owed $1.6 million for city water and other fees. Utility officials said an unauthorized valve near the golf course had been diverting water. Later, the city reached a settlement of the case, although the golf club declared bankruptcy in September.
Mark Simpson, principal of Staley Land Company, issued a press statement today saying the residential development is not related to the golf club or its owner. Simpson said the water loss was discovered when the developers audited irrigation water being used on the development’s common areas.
The developers, Simpson said, immediately reported the discovery to the city water department. The water losses allegedly occurred between July 2003 and August 2008.
| Michael Mansur, mmansur@kcstar.com