With the Columbus-Lowndes Recreation Authority set to dissolve in less than a year, county leadership may seek a new, downsized inter-local agreement to continue contributing funds to city parks.
Harry Sanders, president of the Lowndes County Board of Supervisors, said a new agreement could involve the county pitching in funds to help Columbus parks’ operations, while leaving their maintenance to the city. He even suggested a similar plan for Caledonia, which operates its own parks system.
For example, he said the county could contribute $200,000 annually to Columbus and $50,000 to Caledonia. Since the county had been contributing $750,000 annually to CLRA, Sanders said this would leave the county with $500,000 to use on maintaining its own parks and recreation system.
“I don’t think we want to just leave the city high and dry without some financial aid or help,” Sanders said. “There are county people that use the city parks. I think we’d figure out some way to help them financially with their parks.”
Sanders also noted the county could help fund the Field of Dreams, a planned playing field for special needs people at Propst Park.
Background
Supervisors in September issued the city the required one-year notice of intent to leave CLRA. Since then, leaders from both the city and county have met jointly to discuss the future of the parks, but have not agreed on a way to keep the CLRA together.
Sanders said supervisors will probably resume formal discussions about parks and recreation in January.
If a split occurs, Columbus would maintain parks in the city limits, while the county would operate former CLRA outside the city. The only exception could be the county-owned soccer complex in downtown Columbus.
That would most likely mean the county would have a department head to oversee county community centers and playgrounds, Sanders said, and could look to partner with Mississippi Wildlife and Fisheries for county use of the Lake Lowndes recreation facilities. Meanwhile, Columbus, Caledonia and New Hope would manage their own league sports play.
However, continuing to chip in for city parks, he noted, would depend on what needs the county would have to tend to for its own.
“If everything stayed as it is now as far as growth and all that, we’d continue to give them money,” Sanders said. “But if all of a sudden you’ve got 15,000 people living west of the river and they’ve got kids, we might have to build a ball park out there.”
Ward 6 Columbus Councilman Bill Gavin indicated he’d be open to the city receiving county funds to help with park maintenance.
“You never turn down financial help, no matter who you are,” Gavin said. “That’s their call to do, and however they want to approach it will be up to them.”
But Gavin still believes it’s best to keep the CLRA intact.
“I’m sure the county is looking out for all the citizens of the county instead of just the city,” he said. “So, if they do move forward with the cancellation, I won’t hold it against them.”
Transition committee
District 5 Supervisor Leroy Brooks said he’d still like to see the city and county form a transition committee if the split occurs.
Brooks previously suggested forming a committee to help with a smooth transition from joint recreation to separate city and county recreation systems.
“You could have at least two from each body,” Brooks said. “It could be the mayor and a councilman, and two from the board and certainly some from parks — it could be the director because he could direct us on the details of the transition.
“But who’s going to keep the soccer complex?” Brooks added. “Who’s going to run it? There are just some questions I think need to be answered.”
So far, supervisors haven’t discussed forming the committee, though Brooks said he may raise the matter at an upcoming supervisors meeting.
Alex Holloway was formerly a reporter with The Dispatch.
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