08/25/2026
‼️Long, but important read!
📣⚠️In the interest of transparency, we want to clarify that the proposal being presented to the Three Rivers College Board of Trustees tomorrow may not reflect the intentions, priorities, or proposal this group originally developed and presented. At this time, we have not been provided with the final proposal that will be presented to the Board, so we cannot speak to its exact contents.
—Here is what we can speak to:
•This group worked diligently to develop two proposals addressing the reinstatement and long-term sustainability of the Three Rivers College rodeo program.
•The first proposal was publicly posted and was immediately rejected by Dr. Payne.
•Following that rejection, we were instructed, through an individual who had been communicating with Dr. Payne on behalf of the group, to develop a second proposal. We did exactly that. At the initial meeting with Dr. Payne, the individual aligned with our group was accompanied by another individual at Dr. Payne’s invitation.
—The second proposal (posted below) was subsequently submitted to Dr. Payne. We were informed that he “immediately rejected” that proposal as well. At that point, Dr. Payne chose to continue working with only two individuals (to our knowledge), and discussions began around alternative plans that were based, in part, on concepts from the proposal our group had developed, while making changes to provisions Dr. Payne did not agree with.
We were also informed that recommendations were being made regarding changes that would need to occur before a proposal would be submitted to the Board.
‼️ To be clear, we do not know what proposal will ultimately be placed before the Board tomorrow, as this original group was excluded from the reconsiderations. We believe the public deserves to know that distinction. We do believe that there could be some sort of expectation for the “booster” and/or gathered funding, to supply a substantial portion of payroll to the incoming Rodeo coach, in which this group is not in support of, seeing how the Coach would be an employee of the College.
Our purpose has never been to demand that Three Rivers College carry the entire financial burden of a rodeo program. Nor is our goal for taxpayers, community members, or a booster organization to substantially or permanently fund a college athletic program.
Our goal is to see the rodeo program reinstated in a way that is responsible, sustainable, and appropriately supported by the college, with assistance from the public and booster organization where appropriate.
💯 Community and booster support should be a partnership and supplement—not the primary source of funding for the program.
Three Rivers College is already supported substantially by the hardworking taxpayers of this region. We believe it is reasonable to expect the college to have a meaningful financial commitment to a program that it chooses to reinstate, rather than shifting the majority of that responsibility onto the very taxpayers and community members who already support the institution.
There have been discussions and negotiations that we have not been included in, and until the proposal is presented to the Board tomorrow, we cannot say exactly what has been changed, what has been retained, or who ultimately developed the final version.
So tomorrow, we will be listening carefully. And we hope you, the community and supporters are as well.
—We will be looking at what is actually being proposed, who is expected to fund it, what level of commitment Three Rivers College is willing to make, and whether the proposal truly provides for a sustainable rodeo program—or simply places the responsibility for funding that program on the public.
This is not about personalities. It is not about retaliation. It is about transparency, accountability, and the future of the Three Rivers College rodeo program.
We believe the community deserves to know exactly what is being proposed in its name and exactly what financial responsibility is being placed on the college, the booster organization, and the taxpayers.
Tomorrow, we will know more. We hope you are able to join us there. And we will share the facts.
‼️‼️‼️THE PROPOSAL BELOW WAS NOT ACCEPTED, but we do want to show what was submitted, effectively on August 3!‼️‼️‼️
