Fair Commission meets at fairgrounds

PLAINS – The Sanders County Fair Commission came together for their April meeting last week at the Sanders County Fairgrounds Pavilion in Plains.

The commission covered a number of topics at last week’s meeting including the concessions group lease agreement and the fair manager’s job description.

With current Fair Manager Mike Hashisaki departing from the position in the fall, the commission was fine-tuning the particulars of the open position’s job description.

One suggestion made by the commission was to reduce the position from full to three quarter time.

The major drive behind this was the $8,000 health insurance the new manager would be required to take under the Affordable Care Act if the candidate for the job is currently uninsured.

“To stay within our budget parameters would be the same money at three quarter time,” Fair Commission Chairman Chris McGuigan said.

County commissioners Carol Brooker and Tony Cox were also in attendance for the month’s meeting.

Brooker agreed with the suggestion to reduce the position to three quarter time noting budget reductions are paramount as the county prepares to draft next year’s budget.

“From my point of view it is a must. We have got to reduce somewhere, we absolutely need to reduce,” Brooker said.

Cox was in agreement adding it would not hurt the commission to see if there was interest in the position at three quarter time.

“At least throw it out there and see what you get. If it doesn’t work out you can go back to the drawing board,” Cox said.

Earlier in the meeting the fair commission discussed the concessions group lease agreement with Katy French who was on hand representing the concessions groups.

French stated the current lease agreement differed from previous contracts and added at this juncture the concessions group could not sign the lease agreement in its current form.

“This lease agreement is different from the contract. The contract has always been a rental fee for the facilities and a percentage on our gross sales,” French said.

French added she was worried about the damage the proposed lease agreement would have on local non-profits.

“We are concerned that you would throw an agreement out like this without recognizing the damage that it does to us as individual groups and what it does to us at the county level,” French said.

The fair commission agreed to reach out to the non-profits and attempt to work out a deal that could be agreed upon by both parties.  

Cox stated he hoped the commission and the concessions group would be able to reach an agreement noting the non-profits who run the booths during the fair are an important part of the community.

“We would hope that both parties can come together and negotiate something without balancing the budget on the backs of the non-profits,” Cox said.

Last week’s meeting was the last meeting for the commission’s Vice Chairman Bruce Icenoggle.

Icenoggle had served on the commission for around ten years and stated his term on the commission was up and he felt it was time to retire.

He reflected on his time with the fair and was proud of the progress the county fair has made over the years.

“The fair is one very positive bright spot in Sanders County economically. The fair gives the county an identity,” Icenoggle said.

Icenoggle added it is a popular event for both local residents, in addition to visitors from surrounding states and even Canadian provinces.

He also noted how the fairground’s facilities have undergone substantial changes over the past couple of decades.

“We are very proud of the fair and what the current fair manager has done over the years. Comparing the fairgrounds now to 20 years ago you wouldn’t recognize the facility,” Icenoggle said.