The debate over keeping Roanoke's Countryside as an active golf course for at least another five years may not yet be over.

Though Countryside Golf Club advocates thought the Roanoke City Council had settled the matter two weeks ago, a councilman's request for more financial data Monday opened up some raw emotions that date to the May elections.

Councilman Court Rosen asked city officials to compile projections on how much money the city will spend over the next several years on debt service and some needed capital improvements, including updating the irrigation system and golf-cart paths.

The city paid $4.1 million to buy the golf course in 2005 with the intention of developing it for housing -- a plan that fell through. It's currently paying $472,000 in annual debt service on the property, while it makes only $17,500 from leasing the course to Meadowbrook Golf, which operates the property.

The council decided earlier this month to issue a request for proposals to operate the course, but during his request Rosen also mentioned another possibility: selling the property instead of continuing to lease it.

"I just want to explore all options before we get contractually obligated to an operator," Rosen said.

He said he was concerned about the city losing money on the course, especially if it's locked in for a 10-year period.

City Manager Darlene Burcham said the council shouldn't expect the course to pay for itself, and that most every other publicly owned course in Virginia is subsidized. And she mentioned that Meadowbrook has asked its fee be lowered even further if it's to extend its lease, which expires at the end of October.

When pressed by other council members, Rosen said his motion included only the request for more information. The discussion whether to sell was intended for the future, after the city hears back from its request for proposals.

But other council members disagreed with the request for more data.

Mayor David Bowers said that during May's municipal election voters clearly said "they want to keep Countryside as a golf course."

And he thought that the request for more information may send a signal to potential operators that the city wasn't fully committed to the course, which could "scuttle" the request.

Councilman Alvin Nash likewise opposed Rosen's request, saying that the responses by potential operators would provide the information he was looking for.

Rosen's motion eventually passed on a 4-2 vote, with Rosen, Gwen Mason, Anita Price and David Trinkle voting yes while Bowers and Nash voted no. Vice Mayor Sherman Lea was absent when the vote was taken.

The request for proposals on managing Countryside has yet to be issued because city officials wanted direction from council members on whether they could include an option to seek proposals for a 10-year lease on the property, which some potential respondents have requested. In response, the council unanimously agreed to allow Burcham to include the possibility of a five- or 10-year lease when she issues the request for proposals.

Valerie Garner, president of the Countryside Neighborhood Alliance, later told the council she was "flabbergasted" by the discussion and that residents near the course are "being punished for the decision by the city purchasing the golf course."

In other business:

n The council voted unanimously to reappoint all eight members of the Mill Mountain Advisory Committee to one-year terms that expire June 30, 2009. It also authorized the city clerk to advertise for a new, ninth member of the committee for a term that will also expire next year. Bowers said those reappointments should give the committee time to act on a number of council suggestions that include the implementation of bylaws and staggered terms.

n The council voted unanimously to authorize the issuance of $8.21 million in general obligation bonds to fund the Fire-EMS facility improvement program, the library master plan, streetscape projects, bridge renovations and school roof repair and replacement. It also voted to schedule a public hearing on Sept. 15 for the issuance of about $16 million in school financing bonds for the William Fleming High School project.

n After a public hearing, the council voted unanimously to rezone a 1-acre parcel it had previously sold to Newbern Properties. The parcel was taken off Countryside Golf Club and was rezoned to light industrial.