Potential sale of Centreville carousel to Indiana town on life support

After a heated discussion among residents and councillors about the purchase of the antique Centreville carousel, a city in Indiana voted to remove funding for the carousel from a redevelopment investment loan.

In a 2-0 vote, with one member not present, the city of Carmel’s finance committee recommended that city council remove the funding for the Centreville carousel from a combined $100-million redevelopment investment proposal.

The finance committee’s vote took place “without comment and without fanfare,” said Tim Hannon, a physician in Carmel, Ind., and author of a petition opposing the city borrowing money to buy the Centreville carousel, which has over 1,600 supporters.

The issue will be decided at a council meeting set to take place on Sept. 18, where seven councillors will have the final vote whether or not the century-old carousel will be bought with taxpayer funds.

“I think (the carousel) is something we should have spent the last six months privately raising money for,” said Kevin Rider, chair of Carmel’s finance committee.

In an email to the Star, Christine Pauley, the city of Carmel’s clerktreasurer, said that Carmel’s redevelopment plans are “expected to pass without the carousel.

“The deal looks void now,” Pauley wrote. Rider, too, expects the vote on Monday to be against the city funding the carousel.

According to the purchase agreement between Carmel’s Mayor James Brainard and Bill Beasley, owner of Centreville, the city has until Oct. 31 to provide proof of payment — what is now looking like an impossible deadline to meet, said Pauley.

The mayor’s office declined to comment for this story.

Beasley is continuing with “business as usual” and hasn’t had any contact with anyone from the city of Carmel.

“At the moment there is no Plan B,” he said.

“I mean, Plan B is to keep it and continue operating the carousel at Centreville, I guess.”

In his last conversation with Mayor Brainard, Beasley was told that everything is still moving forward with the hope that the city will purchase the carousel.

The mayor still has the option of alternate funding sources, which may include “leftover” funds from other projects or private funding, Hannon and Pauley said.

“If (the mayor) wished to raise money privately, I would help him,” Rider said.