Questions answered by Lamar Paris, County Commissioner
Q. I am very angry that tax dollars are being used for a horse arena. We do not need such foolishness. Why is this money being wasted?
A. It is sometimes frustrating that some members of the general public do not understand what county government is about and certainly everyone has a right to their opinion. It is fair to question this expenditure. First, the improvements to the horse arena are being funded by SPLOST sales tax dollars that are set aside for county capital projects. Much of this money is paid by outsiders who purchase goods and services in Union County. While the construction will not be paid out of property tax dollars, the operations will be funded out of our normal Recreation Department budget.
Union County is a rural community that was established years ago when farming was just about the only means of making a living. We still have a significant portion of our land mass that is either actively farmed or utilized for pasture and growing hay. One of the reasons that I want to encourage farming through our new farmers market as well as the new horse arena, is so we are able to maintain these farms for future generations. Otherwise, some day it will all end up being developed into subdivisions. Farming and farm land is an important part of our quality of life. The county horse arena has been active for several years, but because of the amount of rainfall, especially last year, it has been difficult to maintain a schedule of events. But that is only part of the reason for the new roof.
Q. What will the covered horse arena do for our county?
A. Many things. First, we will have the only covered arena in the area, so we will be an automatic draw for visitors who want to come to horse shows and spend their money in our county. Second, this facility will be available for the cattlemen for livestock sales, for rodeos, for our 4-H youth programs that promote not only horse ownership and training, but also for being able to have a regional location for cattle and hog shows, and other livestock events. The potential is for many other types of events including concerts, that could bring thousands of visitors to tour our community to not only spend their money, but after seeing what we have available, consider moving their livestock operations to the area or simply moving here to live because of the quality of life that our county offers.
However, with the support of the Union County Saddle Club, first and foremost, we want to provide a first class venue for our own local citizens to have not only an all weather show facility, but an all weather training facility, in the hopes we can promote not only horse and other equine activities, but encourage all types of local livestock operations to foster and enhance our farm life and thus quality of life in Union County.
Q. I do not own horses or any other livestock and don’t want to be around them so why should I have an interest in this facility?
A. Would you rather have your kids or grandkids out riding the roads after school and on weekends or have them interested in a way of life that will not only benefit them for a life time, but that will benefit our community? Those youth who are involved with 4-H, the Saddle Club, and livestock showing are our future leaders of not only Union County, but America. We should support that effort.
Some people play golf, others utilize walking trails or the senior center programs, some play softball, some basketball or tennis, others swim. Some do none of these, but all of it together gives Union County one of the most comprehensive recreation programs of any rural county in Georgia.
Q. Why is it important that Union County have such an exceptional recreation program?
A. Because that is what our citizens and taxpayers expect and deserve. That is what helps maintain our quality of life as one of the best in the mountains. Do you have family or friends who build homes, have construction grading equipment, are heat and air contractors, real estate agents, just to name a few? Well, our exceptional recreation program helps attract people to our county who want to build and live here, and that provides jobs for our citizens.
I believe in recreation whole heartedly as one of the best assets any community can have, along with education, health care and public safety. Besides being an outlet for many of our citizens, it helps keep our kids busy and off the streets and out of the jails. If neither you nor any of your family or friends have any use for any recreation programs, how about our ambulance service? Has it ever been of service to you, along with the fire dept.? Maybe you have needed to drive on a county road to get where you were going or occasionally need a deputy.
Every service a county offers can not be what everyone uses, but in total, there is very little that someone is not going to use or need at some time. I am proud of our employees and organizations in the county that not only appreciate what is available, but are constantly asking for more. Our goal is to offer as many services as possible at the lowest cost when serving you, the public. More importantly, we are able to offer these exceptional services at a cost to taxpayers much less than the average county by having one of the very lowest property tax rates in the State of Georgia.