The Camp Verde Town Council approved the formation of the Camp Verde Equestrian Center Commission at its special session on Wednesday, Aug. 26.
In July, the council agreed to establish an advisory body to oversee the development of the equestrian center. This includes the entire 35-acres of town-owned property from the entrance sign to the existing restrooms, excluding the sports fields and the wastewater treatment facilities.
While “equestrian center” is in the commission’s name, the space is not limited to equestrian activities.
“The term ‘equestrian’ kind of leads one to believe that it’s all about rodeos and horses,” Interim Town Manager Charlie Cassens said. “It’s a great venue and the possibilities are endless out there with respect to events, but it does need to be master planned initially and have a commission to head up that master planning effort and guide the future of that center.”
The commission’s responsibilities include identifying facility improvements and capital investment priorities, preparing a facilities master plan, evaluating programming opportunities, identifying partnership opportunities, developing a mission statement, reviewing policies related to the facility, and identifying ways to improve financial stability of the facility.
The application to join the commission opened the following day, August 27, and will be open for 30 days. Interviews and candidate selection will take place at a special council session.
The commissioners will be limited to seven and will serve staggered two or three year terms to be assigned by the council. At the commission’s first meeting, the group will select a chair and vice chair and establish its regular meeting day and meeting frequency. Once the commission sets those items, the council will pass another resolution with that information to formally establish the commission.
The formal creation of the Camp Verde Equestrian Center Commission was approved unanimously.
