Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Community Events topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council approves cooperative agreement to rent bleachers for Greenville Springs Youth Riders rodeo
Summary
Central approved a cooperative endeavor agreement with the Greenville Springs Youth Riders (GSYR) to rent bleachers for the Shady Park Arena rodeo after council debate about who should pay and whether the school board or BREC should provide seating. The one-time rental is approximately $22,000, council members said.
The Central City Council on March 11 authorized the mayor to execute a cooperative endeavor agreement (CEA) with the Greenville Springs Youth Riders (GSYR) to fund rental bleachers for the rodeo at Shady Park Arena.
Council member McKinney moved to authorize the agreement and council member Meyer seconded. The item prompted extended debate about funding responsibility, liability, and whether permanent seating should be installed instead. Mayor Riley and several council members said the rodeo is a long-standing community event and that rental seating is a stopgap while the city and other partners work on a permanent arena as part of Main Street 2030.
Council members and speakers provided several cost and logistics figures in the discussion. Mayor Riley said permanent bleachers would cost roughly $400,000; council members and staff repeatedly described the current rental quote as about $22,000 for the event. Council member Freilich asked that the city require documentation that funds were spent on the bleacher rental; Mayor Riley said staff planned to request invoices or canceled checks "so that the money ... went for the intended purpose." Council members debated whether the city should pay the vendor directly or disburse funds to the GSYR; some favored the city paying the invoice to limit liability.
Ken Ray, identified as the rodeo chairman for the Greenville Springs Youth Riders, described the event’s history and said the club cannot absorb the cost of rentals without jeopardizing the rodeo. He and others urged the council to approve a one-time arrangement for this year and work toward a longer-term solution.
Public commenters, including Randy Anglin, asked about seating capacity and alternatives; council members discussed the logistics of relocating school-system bleachers and whether those bleachers could be disassembled and moved, concluding significant logistical and safety obstacles.
The council voted by roll call to approve the CEA authorizing assistance for bleacher rental. The roll call recorded all present council members voting yes. Several council members emphasized they view the agreement as a one-time or short-term measure and urged the rodeo and other partners to secure long-term funding or infrastructure solutions.
