The wheels of city government grind along much like an old-time carousel – slowly.

Eighteen months after Richard Knight’s historic carousel was ousted from the Inner Harbor due to nonpayment of rent – and six months after Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake announced its replacement with fanfare – the Board of Estimates is expected tomorrow to approve a lease agreement to get the tourist attraction spinning again.

The board is set to execute a five-year lease with Charm City Carousel Entertainment to operate a “classic” carousel, 34 feet in diameter and festooned with 30 animal figures and two chariots, on city-owned land between the Maryland Science Center and Rash Field.

Once up and running, the carousel will operate seven days through August, with a limited schedule during the rest of the year. The annual rent is set at $50,000 after a reduced rent of $38,000 this year.

Stevenson-based Charm City Carousel operates merry-go-rounds and other amusement rides throughout the world, according to the Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC), which selected the company over a rival bidder, TC Amusements.