Elizabethton City Council members voted to pay the 160-thousand dollars in operating debts for the city owned Elizabethton Municipal Golf Course. Council members considered loaning the money to the Golf Course Board expecting to be repaid in payments. The State Comptroller's Office said that was not allowed due to the six figure financial shortfall. The City Council agreed to pay the debt but wants both short and long term plans by February. The Council had to decide what form help to provide, a grant or a gift. Either way the golf course would have to answer to a committee of some kind concerning the use of money. The city council likes the gift idea. (bg)