The county's horses have become its black sheep when it comes to budget cuts, as officials are once again exploring ways to save money at Carousel Park.
The 217-acre Pike Creek park, which features an equestrian center that cost more than $900,000 last year to operate, could soon be back in the hands of a private contractor.
The equestrian facility and park was operated and maintained by the Dawson family until 1996, when then-County Executive Thomas Gordon reasserted county control there, making Carousel one of the county's showcase facilities.
But the economy was better then.
With revenues sagging and officials questioning what the government's core functions should be, Carousel has long been on the hit list.
"A million dollars is ten cops," Council President Paul Clark said bluntly of the money the county spends operating the riding center.
Last year the county discontinued special events like bull riding and equestrian competitions, hay rides, pony rides and family events like Sleep Under the Stars, allowing it to reassign six staff members to other areas in the county and cut $500,000 from the park's budget.
At one point, the county considered relocating the police's mounted patrol unit from the stables, though public pressure and the lack of a viable alternative ultimately forced officials to drop those
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Carousel by the Numbers Size: 217 acres |
plans.
Mike Svaby, who is the acting general manager of the Special Services Department, said the county would likely begin taking bids for the facility this spring. Ideally, the private vendor selected would take over all events at the park (and any corresponding revenues), but he conceded there could be the chance for a cooperative arrangement where the county still directly provides some programming.
"We'd think someone with a farming business or who has experience with horses or agriculture would be interested," Svaby said.
Councilman Timothy Sheldon (D-Pike Creek), whose district includes Carousel, says he often hears from residents that the county is "wasting" money at the park.
"People keep coming to civic meetings and asking what we're doing at that park," he said. "They want us to privatize it."
Any agreement would require that public amenities like walking paths, the dog park and disc golf course would remain open to the public free of charge, Sheldon said.
Some on council said they had concerns about the administration's plans to divest itself of such an important asset in the face of tough economic times.
"How far do we ride this train?" asked Councilman Penrose Hollins (D-Wilmington South). "It's easy to say we should run government like a business but if we did that in public safety, people would have to pull a credit card out every time they call the cops."
