Policies At Multi-purpose Building Surface At Second County Meeting

COFFEEVILLE – The number of keyholders and renter’s policy for the county-owned Multi-purpose Building in Coffeeville resurfaced in Tuesday’s Board of Supervisor meeting.

Retired MSU County Extension Director Steve Cummings was first on the agenda to address the matter.

“I am here today not as the retired extension agent but as the director of the Coffeeville Saddle Club,” Cummings told county officials, as he thanked supervisors for their strong support for the club.

Cummings noted that the saddle club has booked 21 horse shows in the Multi-purpose Building. The shows attract, on average, 300 people to the county for each show, Cummings explained.

“I just wanted to come and express interest to continue the working relationship that they have had through the years,” Cummings added. His comments followed discussion at the last county meeting, held August 30.

“Are we going to address anything else on the key issue,” District Five Supervisor Frank “Bubba” Tillman said after Cummings’ initial comments.

“The 4-H kind of misunderstood about the key. We agreed for the 4-H to have the concession stand, I am sure they are supposed to have a key,” Tillman added.

The key issue also surfaced in the August 30, meeting when the number of keyholders to the building was discussed.

“I feel like the 4-H needs their key,” Tillman continued.

The topic then shifted to a past policy governing the use of the Multi-Purpose Building by members of the saddle club, another topic at the prior meeting.

“We may need to address the regulations on the arena with the horse association,” Tillman said.

“I  believe we had it set up… after working hours they could rent that building. The deal was, if you live inside the county it was all right from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.,”  Tillman said, referring to members of the saddle club using the facility without having to rent it. “But if it was after that, they had to rent it,” Tillman added.

“Is that kind of the way it was?” Tillman asked.

“My understanding was that if they used the lights, it wasn’t just 8 to 5, then they pay the $15 dollar fee,” Janet Caulder answered.

“It was a good while ago when we set that up,” Tillman recalled.

“That (prior agreement) was open for anybody that shows up during that time, if you want to rent it just for yourself and nobody else can come and join you, then it is a $25 rental fee.” Caulder said.

“Didn’t we say one time that if you were inside the county it was all right, but if you were outside the county you would have to rent it?” Tillman asked.

“It was inside the county or members of the Coffeeville Saddle Club,” Cummings answered.

Next Caulder listed the keyholders for the facility, which includes three keys maintained by the Extension Service to be issued to renters who utilize the facility after hours; one for Caulder, who serves as the county’s purchasing clerk, for the Board of Supervisors; and a final key, which was one source of contention after the August 30 meeting, for the 4-H club.

“To get it all in line we need to agree that the 4-H has their key for the concession stand,” Tillman continued.

More Discussion

“I don’t know if we ever have charged everybody a penny for riding at night,” District One Supervisor Tommy Vaughn stated as the conversation shifted. “That is something that we really need to look at. As Steve (Cummings) can tell you or Pamela (Interim Extension Director Pamela Redwine) can tell you,  the utilities run more on that building than the county jail, which runs 24-7,” Vaughn said.

“We got to do something to keep that in check and offset these expenses,” Vaughn added, before addressing concerns voiced in the last week.

“Let me say a couple of things. First of all, I wish that everybody in this county was as adamant about county government as y’all are,” Vaughn explained, referring to the members of the Coffeeville Saddle Club who attended the meeting with Cummings.

“Everybody needs to be more like y’all,” Vaughn continued. “But I want to say one thing for Pamela, because I know she won’t say anything. At our last board meeting we had she mentioned the fact that the lights were left on and she didn’t know who had the key. That was a perfectly legitimate thing to do. Just as Steve has done for many years, if he saw something done, he would report it to the board,” Vaughn continued.

“That kind-of got blown out of shape. I think she took a lot of heat that was unnecesary. In my opinion, I think she does an excellent job. She is actually doing three jobs right now and it is hard on her. Let’s work with her anyway we can,” Vaughn stressed.

“Again, I appreciate your interest in your club and we will support you anyway we can. But help us on these utility bills,” Vaughn added.

“Tommy, I left out maybe the most important thing I was supposed to bring from the club, and it goes with what you said,” Cummings added.

“The Coffeeville Saddle Club would like to invite the Board of Supervisors and the Extension Service to a cookout,” Cummings said.  The cookout will be scheduled after the saddle club competes in the state competition in Jackson.

“We can discuss what we can all do to work  together and get on the some page to make it bigger and better,” Cummings added.

“I think everybody in this room wants it to be the biggest and best we can possibly be,” Vaughn responded. “We appreciate what y’all do to help us. Any time you see something down there that needs to be done on the county’s expense, as far as purchasing anything, you don’t have to purchase  that,” Vaughn continued.  “We got a purchasing department here and if something is broke in that building, we need to be responsible for it. I appreciate all the money y’all put into it, but that is something you did because you love riding horses and you wanted to,” Vaughn added.

Vaughn’s comments referenced past experiences when the club would fix problems at the facility, especially during weekend shows when it is difficult to adhere to the county’s purchasing laws.

“One thing I want to say and then I am through. I don’t think the board realizes how much good publicity they get out of the facility,” Cummings added. He ex-plained that horse riders from neighboring states often participate in the horse shows, adding other counties do not have facilities like this, Cummings explained.

“It is y’all and we do appreciate it,” Cummings said, complimenting county officials.

“I think everybody has touched on the point. We wanted to get to the bottom line, everybody working together,” Board President Amos Sims said as the conversation ended.

“As Tommy said, I think Pamela has taken some things that were probably unfair. What we are saying is we hope everybody works together. This is what Yalobusha County strives for,“ Sims  reiterated.