Author photo

By Jana Mathia
Gazette Editor 

Palouse Empire Fair: Board offers chance

 


COLFAX – There is still a chance for some version of a Palouse Empire Fair 2020.

Whitman County Commissioners met Tuesday, May 19, to determine whether there would be a fair this year based on the recommendation of the Palouse Empire Fair Board. The fair board met the evening of May 18, 115 days before the fair, to decide what that recommendation would be.

On a seven to four vote, the board recommend the county keep the fair scheduled with the elimination of entertainment except for rodeo. The carnival is included in entertainment to be nixed.

County commissioners Tuesday replied yes, but we need a more detailed plan.

Commission Chair Michael Largent, who also attended the fair board meeting, presented a motion to suspend fair-related expenditures until such time as the Fair Board has made provisions to conduct Fair operations under the Governor’s Phase III state reopening plan. Commissioners want the plan to include sufficient time to implement, assurance of sufficient staffing and volunteers to conduct planned events under Phase III restrictions and a realistic plan to cover additional costs over what is currently budgeted for the Fair. The motion passed unanimously.

The plan is to be presented to the county June 15.

“Fair board, there’s a lot on your plate right now. Get busy,” said Largent.

The motion was met mainly with public support.

“There are a lot of people extremely passionate about this fair,” said Nathan Moore, fair board member and Colton FFA advisor. “Thank you commissioners for giving us this opportunity.”

The move is by no means a guarantee there will be a fair this year. Commissioner Largent noted that Washington State Secretary of Health John Wiesman at a Washington State Association of Counties meeting May 18 expressed the opinion he does not see the state entering Phase IV by the end of the year. In Phase III gatherings are limited to 50 people.

Public health officials have spoken against planning for a fair. Whitman County Public Health Officer Dr. Brad Bowman stated the fair “introduces an unnecessary risk” for a second peak of infection at the same time the county faces an influx of students to WSU. Chris Skidmore from Public Health attended the fair board meeting and reiterated the department’s position. He stated it would be a “perfect storm” for an outbreak and there are too many unknowns.

Expense is another factor against continuation of the fair. Commissioner Largent said he expects to have the county in a significant budget crunch next year due to revenue drops. Money spent on the fair could not be recouped if it was planned for and canceled.

At the beginning of the fair board meeting, Fair Director Bill Tensfeld said that after going over multiple options, he kept coming back to the same three issues: the health department recommends canceling, not sure if the county could be in Phase IV of reopening at that time and financial impact. He presented a spread sheet of revenue, expense and county cost of different scenarios. No fair would generate a revenue of $49,561 (including money from the Dept. of Agricultural), and expense of $236,760. The fair employs one full-time and three part-time staff. Livestock only was one option presented, which Tensfeld estimated would cost $316,500, including labor, judges, toilets, hand-washing stations, garbage, shavings, power and building upkeep.

Despite the misgivings, the fair and county boards chose to proceed in the hope of hosting a fair.

“I’m not ready to throw in the towel or drink the Kool-Aid,” said fair board member MaryBeth Bothman.

The fair board now has less than a month to get a plan for a fair together, including the volunteers to make it happen. From the June 15 decision date, there will be 85 days to put the fair together.

“We’re going to take a lot of volunteers to make this happen,” Bothman said.

Anyone willing to volunteer needs to email their contact information to the fair office at [email protected].

Author Bio

Jana Mathia, Reporter

Author photo

Jana Mathia is a reporter at the Whitman County Gazette.

 

Reader Comments(0)

 
 

Our Family of Publications Includes:

Cheney Free Press
Ritzville Adams County Journal
Whitman County Gazette
Odessa Record
Franklin Connection
Davenport Times
Spokane Valley News Herald
Colfax Daily Bulletin

Powered by ROAR Online Publication Software from Lions Light Corporation
© Copyright 2024