December 11, 2008 Fair Board Meeting

December 11th, 2008 by Glen Harness | Posted in General Information |

Tonight’s meeting was a marathon, lasting well over 2 and a half hours, and was attended by at least 50 people.

In Old Business, the Board declined to take any action on a counter proposal from LJ & J. As of January 1, 2009, there will be no lease in place for anyone to operate the track. The board’s feeling is that they can run it next year, and they gave Executive Director Buck Dozier the task of coming up with a plan to “lease the track just like Wilson Hall.” Mr. Dozier indicated that he’d need to get with his staff to come up with a plan for this.

The one item under New Business presented by Commissioner Varney basically boils down to this: continue with business as usual next year, but at the end of 2009, turn the property back over to the city and let them deal with it. In the meantime, a “blue ribbon” committee would decide what to do with the fair and other revenue producing events on the property, and presumably the fair and those events would be moved to a new site in 2010.

Commissioner Sueing moved that Commissioner Varney’s proposal be enacted with the condition that the “blue ribbon” committee would have a report by December 31, 2009. The board approved it (with Chairman Weaver abstaining).

Commissioner Varney also suggested that Metro Codes be asked to come out to the track and make sure all the facilities were up to codes. The board didn’t officially act on that proposal.

During the public comment period, some of the many racers in attendance expressed concern that they need to know sooner rather than later what the plans are for the track in 2009. Mr. Dozier assured them that there would be something posted on the web site as soon as possible.

The next board meeting will be in January.