City Council OKs rodeo arena agreement

 Benefit playday set Oct. 29

 

  • The Yoakum City Council approved an agreement that shifted some facility operations for the Yoakum Rodeo Arena to a newly established committee. Photo by Hans Lammeman
    The Yoakum City Council approved an agreement that shifted some facility operations for the Yoakum Rodeo Arena to a newly established committee. Photo by Hans Lammeman
  • Brittani Richter rides through the Yoakum Rodeo Arena on horseback in July. Photo by Hans Lammeman
    Brittani Richter rides through the Yoakum Rodeo Arena on horseback in July. Photo by Hans Lammeman

     

    The Yoakum City Council approved an agreement that relinquished some facility operations of the Yoakum Rodeo Arena to a freshly established committee looking to raise funds for improvements and maintenance to the venue.

     

    During their Aug. 8 meeting at City Hall, City Manager Kevin Coleman presented the council with a draft agreement featuring modifications that addressed previously noted concerns and additional requests from arena users. 

     

    The adjustments included at least six months of postponed membership fees;  the presented agreement did not list any projected membership fee amounts.

     

    Meeting attendees who previously spoke out against the initiative expressed their approval before the council voted in favor of the amended draft agreement. While the draft agreement did not list an effective date, Coleman gave direction to provide the group of five operators that will contribute to the arena’s board of directors with the agreement to sign off. 

     

    In the days following the meeting, arena users publicized a Rodeo Arena Benefit Playday scheduled for Oct. 29. The playday will include several rodeo events, a Halloween-themed costume contest, a foot race, etc. 

     

    “We're really just trying to find a way to give back to the arena (while) also finding a way to give to the kids as well,” said Brittani Richter, one of the event organizers. “So, we thought it would be a good mixture of both. All the money that we make will just go back to fixing (the arena), like getting the roping shoot done, repainting the arena, fixing the grounds (and improving) the announcer's box. We've got a huge list of things; we've just got to take it one thing at a time.”

     

    Richter said she hoped the event would prove to be a promising fundraiser that could help prevent or limit membership fees while bringing attention to work being done to the facility. She reported hearing a lot of interest from community members about the event and encouraged readers interested in volunteering or otherwise assisting with the event to call (361) 401-1126 for more information.