By Jeff Tucker, Shelbyville News staff writer
The Shelbyville Common Council Wednesday night committed giving Purdue University $1.15 million to help the university build a horse clinic near Shelbyville, despite some concerns raised by area veterinarians that the equine center would create an unlevel playing field between the university and area vets.
The council voted unanimously, 6-0, to place $1.15 million of economic development income tax revenues into an escrow account for the equine center to be operated by Purdue to "promote good health and treatment of horses, including, but not limited to, race horses," according to the resolution adopted by the council.
Councilman Brian Asher was absent Wednesday's meeting.
The Shelby County Council is scheduled to vote on allocating its $1.15 million share at the body's next meeting Tuesday.
Purdue's School of Veterinary Medicine wants to build a state-of-the-art $10 million Purdue Equine Center near Shelbyville. The project would involve a unique partnership between the city, county, Purdue local veterinarians and the local and state horse-racing industry.
The Purdue Research Foundation will use the funds from the escrow account to buy land, and design and construct the equine center. The PRF is to raise the additional funds needed to complete the project that's expected to be completed in 2012.
Councilmen Jeff Sponsel, Dick Fero and Rob Nolley expressed their support of the equine center when the first of the two equine center-related resolutions was discussed by the city council Wednesday.
"I've received a lot of very supportive comments on this today alone," Sponsel said.
"I think it's going to be a great addition to the community," Nolley added.
But Dr. Duane McDavitt, a veterinarian from Westfield in Hamilton County, said the equine center would place him in competition with a subsidized horse clinic and would create an uneven playing field.
"They don't intend to do any procedures that we don't do at a hospital on the north side of Indianapolis," McDavitt said. "I have not talked with any practitioners that are in favor of it."
Dr. Willie Reed, Purdue's dean of veterinary medicine, said the proposed equine center would be a teaching and research facility with state-of-the-art equipment that trains students for careers in veterinary medicine.
"We don't see this as a competitor to practitioners," Reed said.
Dr. Carol A. Habig of Indianapolis asked what type of equipment Purdue would have at the facility.
"It would be the type of facilities you have at a practice," Reed replied. "It would be the type of facilities that we have at Purdue."
Reed said, in response to a question from Habig, that the center would not be open 24 hours a day.
"We have to start slow and see what's needed and build from there," Reed said.
McDavitt said he has made significant investments in diagnostic equipment and said he feared being overshadowed by Purdue.
"Again, it would be a competition thing as far as we're concerned," McDavitt said.
Local attorney Dennis Harrold of McNeely Stephenson Thopy & Harrold, who is representing Purdue in the local venture, said the equine center would be no more a threat to veterinarians than Indiana University's medical center is to physicians.
"We're hoping for expansion and other agribusiness that comes into this community," Harrold said. "I think if we look at that type of competition, it's a good competition that makes everyone better."
Harrold said Purdue has a site in mind "very close to (Shelbyville) city limits," but said he was not at liberty to divulge the precise location.
Dr. Joseph Leeth of Shelbyville questioned the viability of the equine center.
"We have to ask ourselves, what happens if this doesn't work?" Leeth said. "Equine medicine is a risky business. There is risk in this market. I would suggest you make sure it's a good investment before you do this."
Leeth said it would be preferable for a private company to help Purdue with the venture, and he said the equine center should focus on education, not providing services.
"Is this going to create a lot of jobs?" he asked. "Probably not."
Leeth said he did not want to see animosity between Purdue and area veterinarians and suggested Reed, Shelbyville and Shelby County leaders and area practitioners come together on a plan.
"Is there a way to accomplish this goal through private investment?" Leeth asked. "I just assume this is not going to be an easy sale to everybody."
Former state Sen. Robert Jackman, R-Milroy, who has promoted the creation of a world-class regional equine diagnostic and surgical center for two years, spoke as a Purdue graduate and veterinarian.
"As a veterinarian, I support this," Jackman said. "But I think this is going to be a positive thing for veterinary and Shelbyville."
Jackman said the equine center could evolve into a large veterinary center that treats different types of animals.
"As far as the public money, the $2.3 million, the rest of the ($10 million) is all going to be donated money," Jackman said.
The council then voted unanimously to allocate the city's $1.15 million, which is nearly half of the city's total economic development income tax funds.