The City of Albany allowed a businessman to operate the $500,000 taxpayer-owned skateboard park for $1 a year without a lease or liability insurance, public records show.

Assistant City Manager James Taylor told the Albany-Dougherty Inner City Authority last week that the city padlocked the skateboard park on the Flint River’s east bank last week upon learning that there was neither a lease nor the requisite insurance coverage the park.

Taylor and his boss, City Manager Alfred Lott, refused to answer questions about the snafu, which exposed taxpayers to liability from injuries that occur at the park, which is named Riverskate.

A $1-a-year lease was drafted but never executed, public records show.

Riverskate operator Thomas Hale, who formerly operated the concessions for the South Georgia Wildcats arena football team, did not return the Journal’s telephone call and electronic message Monday or Tuesday. Hale moved last summer to Russellville, Ark., where he operates a another skateboard park.

The city closed the park last week; a sign at the park says it will reopen Jan. 15. Meanwhile, public records show that efforts are under way to get a lease with Hale executed.

Lott did not acknowledge an e-mail asking the following questions:

• Why was the park operational without an executed lease and liability insurance?
• How much liability insurance is the leaseholder required to have?
• How did you find out that there was no executed lease or liability insurance?
• When do you expect the park to reopen?

Through Lott’s non-response to public records requests, the city manager claims that there have been no letters or e-mails sent between the city and Hale, or any reports generated on the topic by his staff. If such records have been generated, the city is violation of state open records regulations that require the public’s business to be conducted in the sunshine.

The recreation facility at College Drive and East Oglethorpe Boulevard was funded with by 1-cent sales tax funds in Dougherty County and touted by Albany Tomorrow, Inc. as an ingredient of downtown redevelopment. Before the facility was built, then-city commissioner Bo Dorough argued that too much money and not enough planning went into Riverskate – and that it wasn’t part of the downtown revitalization master plan.

Former Albany Tomorrow CEO Tommy Chatmon defended the park as filling a small niche, but he also said that the park was the product of elected officials’ political desires rather than good business sense.

Riverskate was originally operated by Kevin Jones, who transferred his business interests to Hale.

Upon opening, the skateboard park was billed as being a regional facility that would draw customers from as far away as North Florida and Southeast Alabama. “Riverskate will complement other downtown events and venues in order to draw revenue, but more importantly to increase the quality of life for the people of Southwest Georgia,” according to Jones’ business plan. “The park will be a great addition in making downtown Albany the prime entertainment destination in the area.”

In return for Jones’ $1 annual rental payment and startup capital of about $10,000, the City was to receive a recreational outlet for its citizens, utility revenue and free maintenance of the grounds and park fixtures, according to public records.

In 1948, Albany saw the showroom doors of Albany Ford, Lincoln, Mercury open for the first time. Two of the community’s big names in business; Haley and Pritchett, were behind the post-World War II venture, and the new dealership was a sign of good days ahead. In 1951, Pritchett bought out and took over the Ford line, leaving the Haley family with Lincoln and Mercury.

Today, Albany Lincoln Mercury on Broad Avenue, is still owned by the Haley family, and is one of the oldest dealerships in the nation with the same, original owner. The business employs 25 people, covers almost three acres, and is doing well, according to General Manager Bill Chaffin.

Not that the current economic crisis has not had its effect on business. It has. Chaffin says that last year was very difficult, with sales dropping in line with the downturn, but things are beginning to climb back up. “We’re still soft, it could be better, but things are moving in the right direction,” said Chaffin.

Ford and Lincoln Mercury did not participate in the federal bailout like GM and Chrysler, and Chaffin is certain that helped their business, saying, “We had people coming in who had never owned our makes before, deciding to buy from us simply because we took no government money to stay in business.”

One factor in the solid bottom line of Albany Lincoln Mercury is the ownership. The Haley business model is actually very simple. If they do not have the money to buy something, they don’t. The dealership has no debt load to carry, making day-to-day operations much more manageable and profitable. The success of the Haley corporation throughout southwest Georgia gives it the capital to make that possible.

Chaffin is from Columbus, arriving in Albany just after the 1994 flood. He recalled some very sage advice that Joel Haley gave him at the time. “Mr. Haley looked at me and said, ‘Bill, I am going to give you just one thing, and it’s up to you what you do with it; an opportunity.’” In just a few years, Chaffin had moved into a management position with the dealership, and in 2001 was named general manager, taking Haley’s words to heart. Last year, even with the drop in business that everyone was going through, the dealership did $14 million in sales, Chaffin said.

But nothing stays constant in business. With the passing of Joel Haley a few years ago, the financial officers in charge of the estate began crunching the numbers and planning the future. Chaffin says the first priority is a decision on the location. Currently at 632 W. Broad Ave., a lot that has served them well over the years, there is a serious concern that changes around it are having a direct impact on business. “A lot of our customers are older people,” said Chaffin, “and frankly, many of them are not coming in like they use to.” Exactly when, and where to go, are decisions that are a ways off yet, but he says at some point a move will happen. There is no shortage of location options. The Haley estate is a significant property holder in Albany and surrounding communities.

Like so many other family-owned, long-standing businesses here, Albany Lincoln Mercury has always seen itself as community minded, taking into account what was best for the city, as well as the business. “Ten years ago, that would have been a factor,” said Chaffin, “but today, with the way Albany is being operated, that loyalty is just not there as much. Our decisions going forward will be primarily about what is best for the dealership.” Chaffin said that the commitment to the people of the area, and in particular their customers, is solid, and he expects Albany Lincoln Mercury to hold on to what it has built and grow. It just may be growing on a new parcel.

Written by Lon McNeil.

UPDATE:

The Winners are:

Not for Profit of the Year:   Lilly Pad

Small Business of the Year:  Modern Gas.

Congratulations to both!

The finalists were announced today by the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce. They are:

Small Business of the Year:

• Eagle Cleaners
• Modern Gas Company, Inc.
• Ole Times Country Buffet

Not for Profit of the Year:

• Girls, Inc.
• Lily Pad
• Thronateeska Heritage Center

The Rise N Shine begins with coffee and networking at 7:30 a.m. and continues with breakfast and the program at 8 a.m.