The Lincoln County Multi-Use Facility Commission has agreed toreview several policies at the agricultural center following ameeting with representatives of the Lincoln County Riding Club.

Valerie Oglesby, spokeswoman for the club, said they hadconcerns about the “grim” condition of the facility, its pricingstructure for county residents and organizations, and scheduling ofthe arena. The club’s concerned were voiced during the commission’smeeting at the Lincoln County-Brookhaven Government ComplexThursday.

“We inherited these problems,” said committee member Dr. WilliamKimble. “This committee has only been formed since June, and we’vespent many hours chasing this rabbit. A lot still needs to bedone.”

Pat McCullough, committee chairman, said the goal was to providethe best services possible to the citizens of the county, and thatincluded addressing the loss of revenue the facility was drainingfrom county coffers.

“We will help you guys in any way we can, but we’re also here totry to shed some of the burden of this facility to the county. So,it’s a balancing act,” he said.

Oglesby’s main complaint about the condition of the facilitycentered around the composition of the arena grounds. She said theground was hard and posed a health danger to the horses as theyexercised and practiced for rodeo and show events.

McCullough said they were aware of the poor condition of thearena floor and were working to repair it, but it would taketime.

“It was constructed by people who put their best effort forward,but didn’t know a thing about horses,” he said. “We’ve alwaysrecognized there was a grounds problem. It will be addressed. It’sonly one of many things there that need attention.”

McCullough said the committee only received its first budgetlast month and has not had the funding previously to address manyof the structural issues.

A major issue concerning the grounds is soil composition, hesaid. It has too much of a clay base that makes it pack easily,which hardens the ground.

“Grounds are the hardest thing in the world to build and get itright,” said McCullough, a horse breeder.

Oglesby said she needed a timetable for when the grounds wouldbe ready to schedule horse shows and events for the club, but thecommittee was unable to provide it.

She added that the proposed price structure for the facilitywould place an extreme burden on the small nonprofitorganization.

“They just cannot afford it,” Oglesby said. “An affordable meansfor their children to compete is very important to these families.There’s no point being pretty firm on the price if no one shows upto pay it.”

Although not promising to make any changes, committee memberssaid they would take those concerns under consideration as theycontinue to address a means to balance the facility’s services withthe need to make it self-sustaining.

The club also questioned a proposed schedule for the arena,saying the times for different riding disciplines, such as show andcattle events, were unfair.

McCullough said the scheduling proposal has been redraftedseveral times and was not set.

“It’s immaterial to us,” he said. “We’ve tried to build aschedule that was acceptable to all. Since you have representativesfrom all the different disciplines with you tonight, perhaps youcould all make one and submit it to us.”

Oglesby made no comment on the club devising a schedule.