A.G. Gancarski
On Tuesday, the Jacksonville City Council’s Recreation, Community Development, Public Health and Safety Committee (RCDPHS) hosted heated discussion on a surprising matter: the amended and restated Equestrian Center contract, which was approved in Finance on Monday without any particular drama.
Schellenberg questioned Alberta Hipps, former City Council president and advocate for all things Westside, who was representing the Equestrian Center, about a revenue shortfall relative to projections.
Hipps replied that was a “frustration,” and the Equestrian Center had difficulty getting numbers from SMG, which manages the center.
“What we got was what we based our budget off of,” Hipps said.
Schellenberg countered that it was easy for him to get the numbers. This was seconded by someone from the council auditor’s office, who said the numbers were readily available in the accounting software.
Hipps observed that there’s a “disconnect” regarding the information she was given.
Schellenberg continued to press, saying that the numbers were “so out of wack” in categories like professional services, insurance, utilities, marketing and sales, adding that he was concerned about “fiscal responsibility going forward.”
Hipps, regarding the lack of marketing dollars, claimed that budget estimates were “problematic,” but that taxpayer dollars were “being used in the most efficient way possible” to get “more activities out there,” before passing the buck to SMG once again.
Committee Chairman Doyle Carter, in whose district the Equestrian Center exists, voiced his frustration with getting numbers, while saying that “the first year is always going to be a challenging year.”
Carter proposed a noticed meeting to discuss the numbers further, with more specificity.
Councilman Al Ferraro voiced concerns about “dumping money into this,” and then wanted a firm timeline on getting these figures, while saying the inability to track the money “worries” him.
“As the council up here, we want to see things work… but we’re not getting a whole lot of assurances,” adding that he knows less about the Equestrian Center than he did before Hipps’ testimony began.
“We are being very diligent with the taxpayer’s dollars,” said Hipps, adding that “I don’t think it’s fair to have any perception that we are misusing taxpayer dollars.”
Shows are being pursued constantly, she said, “to make it something you’ll be very proud of” at least by this time next year.
She cited such events as “dog agility shows.”
Hipps added that she was “taken by surprise” by the questions from council.
Schellenberg then inquired specifically into the professional services budget, and Hipps’ fee, which is $4,000 a month, wondering what the other $61,000 in the budget was spent on.
Hipps replied, “I’m not the person that works the numbers on a daily basis.”
Carter took the reins, saying again that he could call a notice meeting, or go upstairs to get the budget book.
“This … could easily have been taken care of,” Carter said, if Schellenberg had let him know these questions would have arisen.
“It’s headed in the right direction,” Carter said, with bookings already set up for years down the road, referring to that most reassuring of phrases, a “five-year plan.”
“It’s a unique situation, just like the Ferry is,” or the arena, or the Ritz. “It brings uniqueness to economic development,” Carter continued, describing the “economic impact” of the Equestrian Center as something that could induce CEOs to bring their companies here, “bringing 150 jobs.”
Schellenberg was not mollified.
“What amazes me is that you have to show it to us,” Schellenberg said, pointing out further anomalies in budgeting for security on a month to month basis.
“It’s their responsibility [to provide numbers] because they’re running it,” the Mandarin Republican continued.
“Don’t be passing the buck,” Schellenberg said, wanting specific numbers from Hipps.
Hipps said the information would be provided, and that she’d be calling Council members’ offices to discuss.
This didn’t mollify Schellenberg either.
Carter then discussed the “unusual circumstances” and lamented this being sprung on the committee.
After all that, the deal was approved unanimously.
After the meeting wrapped, Florida Politics spoke to Schellenberg and Carter regarding their divergence of opinion on this matter.
Schellenberg noted that the “financials [were] very unclear” and that “clearly some of these numbers don’t match up,” citing specifically that “revenue is way off” and “they’ve had a year to figure out” inconsistencies in the security and professional services budget.
Meanwhile, Carter countered that the problem was in the SMG numbers, and that he trusted the numbers going forward. He contended that the accounting was “sharper than before,” and that he didn’t expect these issues to recur.
The Equestrian Center contract has been a matter of pique for local civic leaders, and typically the farther they are from the Westside location, the more pique peaks.
In June, during the transition committee budget hearing, current Chief Administrative Officer Sam Mousa groused that the Equestrian Center was running at a loss, and that the problem rested with management.
Fun fact: in May, Alberta Hipps crossed party lines and endorsed Alvin Brown for mayor.
At that time, when asked if her endorsement came with strings, Hipps said, “I have absolutely supported people who want to come to Cecil and create new jobs.”
Meanwhile, Lenny Curry campaign spokesman Brian Hughes all but said Hipps’ endorsement went to the highest bidder.
“Alvin Brown proposes budgets with tens of millions of taxpayer dollars for his campaign donors. Then he puts them in his TV spots as if it’s news. So, surprise, today he’s announcing the endorsement of a Jacksonville lobbyist who represents corporations that get millions of taxpayer dollars. With each new endorsement of Brown, taxpayers in Jacksonville should be asking, ‘How much of my money did that cost?’”
