fairgrounds

["bill london" <bill_london@hotmail.com>]

Here's some background from the Daily News archives. BL
> >>
> >>
> >>LEVY COST ESTIMATES FOR FAIRGR ... 07/14/99
> >>Publication: Daily News
> >>Section: News
> >>Published: 07/14/99
> >>Page: 1A
> >>Levy cost estimates for fairgrounds upgrade under study; Acquiring
> >>additional land could increase dollar amount
> >>Byline: By Nina Staszkow, Daily News staff writer
> >>The May primary could pose a costly question to Latah County voters.
> >>   As plans for a $1.8 million fairground levy move closer to becoming a
> >>reality, the question is whether the fair board's preliminary cost
> >>estimates for replacing two buildings and remodeling another is enough.
> >>   "No matter what happens, we need the bond," said fair board member 
>Duane
> >>Minden. "We need to fix the buildings."
> >>   Yet discussion Tuesday between fair board members and Latah County
> >>commissioners shifted beyond the initial anticipated levy amount as the
> >>group discussed other opportunities for improving the fairgrounds. The 
>fair
> >>board already has met with representatives of the North Latah Highway
> >>District to discuss acquiring its 2.92 acres on White Avenue adjacent to
> >>the fairgrounds. That transaction would be above and beyond the fair
> >>board's initial request that didn't include expansion.
> >>   Though no dollar figure has been connected to the land, fair board
> >>members said the highway district would be willing to relocate if they 
>had
> >>a similar building in another location. However, that move would add to 
>the
> >>fair board's current levy estimate with taxpayers most likely asked to 
>foot
> >>at least some of the bill for the highway district's move and additional
> >>fairground land.
> >>   That cooperative effort is something Commissioner Loreca Stauber said
> >>she
> >>would like to see researched more thoroughly before the amount of the 
>levy
> >>is set. She said the fair board should look closely at all its options,
> >>especially those that would be long-term, before any final decisions are
> >>made.
> >>   Commissioner Sam Duncan also suggested work with the highway district
> >>could include combining the county's vehicle maintenance shop with the
> >>highway district's building at another location.
> >>   Ttaking over the highway district's land didn't seem as essential to
> >>most
> >>fair board members or Latah County Planning Director Gerard Billington 
>who
> >>has met with the fair board during its discussions. He said moving the
> >>highway district could double the levy amount and doesn't seem to be as
> >>essential to the fairgrounds' improvements as the initial upgrades are.
> >>   Fair board member Annette Olson agreed. She said the $1.8 million 
>plan
> >>was designed to address the most essential needs while maintaining the
> >>fairgrounds well into the future. Things like the animal barns could be
> >>done at another time with some facility funds available through the 
>county
> >>budget.
> >>   "We thought, if we started here, it would address the majority of the
> >>community needs," Olson said.
> >>   Fair Manager Fran Maki said there could be other ways to work with 
>the
> >>highway district that wouldn't be as expensive as expanding the fair 
>onto
> >>its land. In previous years, Maki said highway district buildings have 
>been
> >>used for things such as luncheons, with expanding similar uses there a
> >>possibility. For the one week a year extra space is really needed, Maki
> >>said it might be more realistic for the two to share facilities during 
>the
> >>fair.
> >>   Maki said, so far, the feedback she's received about the initial
> >>proposal
> >>has been positive. She said it's time for the fair board to proceed on 
>that
> >>plan, tighten up its estimates and take their proposal to the voters.
> >>   In the mean time, the fair board will look into the cost of the 
>highway
> >>district money and provide a final fairgrounds' upgrade proposal to
> >>commissioners in the next few weeks.
> >>   The fair board's current proposal would remodel the exhibit building,
> >>its
> >>existing kitchen and restrooms while adding shower facilities. An 
>80-by-80
> >>feet structure also would be added to the east side of the building. It
> >>would include two meeting rooms and storage space.
> >>   Other site improvements include replacing the existing grange 
>building
> >>while adding space for food preparation, indoor seating and covered 
>outdoor
> >>seating that connects the grange and commercial building. The commercial
> >>building would be replaced with a multipurpose two-story building with
> >>meeting rooms, restrooms, office and storage space.
> >>   "I don't think it's how bad we want (the improvements)," Minden said.
> >>"It's how bad we need it."
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>FAIR SITE LEVY LIKELY; LATAH F ... 06/29/99
> >>Publication: Daily News
> >>Section: news
> >>Published: 06/29/99
> >>Page: 1A
> >>Fair site levy likely; Latah fairgrounds needs improvements
> >>Byline: By Nina Staszkow, Daily News staff writer
> >>  Latah County's free fair soon could cost residents $1.8 million.
> >>   The cost isn't an admission fee, but the amount the Latah County Fair
> >>Board estimates is needed for building improvements that voters could be
> >>asked to raised through a levy.
> >>   "We know the (Latah County) Commissioners want to do something and 
>there
> >>is a need," said fairgrounds manager, Fran Maki.
> >>   Maki said the 1956 commercial building and grange building are in 
>need
> >>of
> >>major remodeling after only minor upgrades the last 43 years. The 
>exhibit
> >>building, constructed in 1975, also needs repairs with the fairgrounds
> >>lacking in adequate restrooms and shower facilities, Maki said.
> >>   "(The buildings) need some desperate repair," she said.
> >>   Yet Maki said the fairgrounds' needs do not justify moving the site 
>as
> >>was discussed by a fairgrounds' site committee. She said the convenience 
>of
> >>the Moscow site on Harold Street and the cost of moving the grounds made
> >>upgrading a more viable solution.
> >>   "The cost of a new fairgrounds would be out of this world," she said.
> >>   Though neither Maki nor the recently disbanded site committee 
>researched
> >>costs for building a new fairgrounds, Maki said the multi-million dollar
> >>price tag would far exceed improvement costs.
> >>   The site committee had spent more than a year researching options for
> >>the
> >>grounds but, after little progress and the loss of former Commissioner 
>Tom
> >>Spangler's leadership, the group met with the fair board and 
>commissioners
> >>in April in search of guidance. The result was a day-long fair board
> >>meeting and a facilities proposal for the 17-acre grounds.
> >>   The site committee had been looking at a 150 acre fairgrounds' site 
>on
> >>Mill Road just east of Moscow off Idaho Highway 8. Expansions on that 
>site
> >>could have included a recreational vehicle park, rodeo arena and 
>pavilion
> >>building. However, Annette Olson, who was on the site committee and now 
>is
> >>a fair board member, said not enough data was gathered. A decision on 
>the
> >>fairgrounds' fate needed to be made quickly, she said.
> >>   "In my mind, we never could justify moving (the fairgrounds)," Olson
> >>said. "We never even got cost estimates for the Mill Road site."
> >>   That lack of information, coupled with the deteriorating fairgrounds,
> >>pushed the fair board forward in its efforts to find other, 
>less-expensive
> >>solutions for the grounds.
> >>   "I think it's a more doable solution that perhaps we could do in the
> >>near
> >>future instead," Olson said.
> >>   The fair board's proposal would remodel the exhibit building, its
> >>existing kitchen and restrooms while adding shower facilities. The 
>heating
> >>system would be upgraded and a cooling system added. The building also
> >>would be made handicap accessible.
> >>   Maki said another problem with the current fairgrounds is the lack of
> >>meeting space, especially with the number of groups who rent the 
>facility.
> >>She estimates about 600 different events per year are held on the site 
>in
> >>addition to the September fair.
> >>   "We just have this daily need for people and their local events," 
>Maki
> >>said.
> >>   To meet that need, the fair board has proposed the construction of an
> >>80-by-80-foot addition to the east side of the exhibit building. It 
>would
> >>include two meeting rooms and storage space.
> >>   Other site improvements include replacing the existing grange 
>building
> >>while adding space for food preparation, indoor seating and covered 
>outdoor
> >>seating that connects the grange and commercial building.
> >>   The facilities proposal also recommends the commercial building be
> >>replaced with a multipurpose two-story building with meeting rooms,
> >>restrooms, office and storage space.
> >>   A preliminary schedule has the construction phase of the exhibit
> >>building
> >>beginning in October with upgrades by July of 2001. Work would be done 
>in
> >>phases.
> >>   "They've served their purpose, and they've served their time," Maki 
>said
> >>of the buildings.
> >>   To address growth issues -- attendance has increased from 15,000 in 
>1975
> >>to 63,000 in 1995 -- Commissioner Sam Duncan said the county could look 
>at
> >>cooperating with the North Latah Highway District. The highway district
> >>sits on 2.92 acres on White Avenue adjacent the fairgrounds. Duncan 
>said,
> >>if the two entities worked together, the highway district might be able 
>to
> >>relocate and allow the fairgrounds to expand.
> >>   "Since there doesn't seem to be much interest in moving, we can 
>upgrade
> >>a
> >>whole lot cheaper," he said.
> >>   Duncan said cheaper doesn't mean free, with a levy the most logical 
>way
> >>to pay for the upgrades. Maki has not planned for upgrades in her 
>proposed
> >>budget and Duncan said, with other county needs, it's unlikely the 
>county's
> >>budget would include funds for improvements.
> >>   Duncan stressed that, regardless of how the upgrades are paid for, 
>they
> >>are a necessity to address health and safety concerns in the aging
> >>facility.
> >>   Maki said, at this point, her main concern is improving quality, not
> >>quantity, at the fair. Though she admits it would be nice to have a new
> >>facility, Maki said upgrades should assure rental costs remain low and 
>free
> >>admission can continue, while maintaining the current site.
> >>
> >>
> >>UMBRELLA IS BAD  ... 04/10/99
> >>Publication: Daily News
> >>Section: News
> >>Published: 04/10/99
> >>Page: 1A
> >>Umbrella is bad
> >>Byline: By Nina Staszkow Staff Writer
> >>   It used to be that an open umbrella inside a building was considered 
>bad
> >>luck.
> >>   But last year, fair-goers were in luck if they had their umbrellas
> >>inside
> >>Latah County Fairgrounds' animal sale barn as water leaked from the 
>damaged
> >>roof. The aging building is just one of the facility problems the 1955
> >>fairgrounds is facing.
> >>   "We have to decide a little more about our future," fairgrounds 
>manager
> >>Fran Maki told commissioners this week. "Our facilities are in dire need 
>of
> >>repairs."
> >>   Maki and members of the Fair Board met with commissioners in hopes of
> >>receiving direction on whether the 17-acre grounds should be improved or
> >>replaced. A fairgrounds' site committee has spent more than a year
> >>researching options for the grounds. However, after losing the 
>leadership
> >>of former Commissioner Tom Spangler, the committee is not sure what to 
>do.
> >>   "(Spangler) would organize it and set up the meetings," said fair 
>board
> >>and site committee member Annette Olson. "So when he resigned E it was 
>not
> >>coordinated anymore."
> >>   The site committee had done surveys with fair venders and users on
> >>whether the grounds should be relocated and whether a bond could be 
>passed
> >>to pay for improvements. Though a bond looked to be an option, Olson 
>said
> >>the committee still wanted more input from other government leaders and 
>the
> >>public.
> >>   "I'm really torn over what to do," said fair board and site committee
> >>member Terry Huhta.
> >>   The committee had been looking at a 150-acre potential fairgrounds' 
>site
> >>on Mill Road just east of Moscow off Idaho Highway 8. Expansions on that
> >>site could include a recreational vehicle park, rodeo arena and pavilion
> >>building.
> >>   But with no cost estimates on upgrades or relocating, Olson told
> >>commissioners the fair board needs the OK to proceed with its research,
> >>which could include more cost and budget information.
> >>   Commissioner Loreca Stauber was clear on her approval of such
> >>discussions
> >>which are now expected to include a day-long brainstorming session with
> >>members of the fair board hoping to have options for a new or improved
> >>site.
> >>   "You need to pronto get together because you have to make (the
> >>decision),
> >>not the board," Stauber said.
> >>   Currently, Maki said the fairgrounds serves 28 organizations 
>year-round
> >>with demands on the facility growing almost daily. Groups such as the
> >>Garden Club and Palouse Hills Dog Fanciers rent exhibit buildings on a
> >>regular basis.
> >>   With adequately serving these public groups one concern, Huhta said
> >>she's
> >>also worried the current fairgrounds would be inadequate in case of an
> >>emergency. There are no shower facilities, a storage of restrooms and
> >>parking.
> >>   "The fairgrounds is not capable of handling any kind of disaster," 
>she
> >>said.
> >>   But Maki said if at least the buildings were improved on Harold 
>Street,
> >>she thinks patrons would be willing to search for parking since it and
> >>admission to the fair are free. She said there have been fewer 
>complaints
> >>about parking and more concerns about space with a growing number of
> >>exhibits featured at the Eastside Marketplace each year.
> >>   For the September fair, the fairgrounds also featured a new 40-by-80
> >>foot
> >>metal pole building for its chickens and rabbits. The less than $17,000
> >>structure was cheaper than putting $2,000 into tent rental each year 
>with
> >>no other facilities available for animals. The hen house also could be
> >>moved if the fairgrounds were relocated.
> >>   But fairboard chair Dareld Hazeltine reminded the board that any
> >>decisions about improvements or a move would have to be left to the 
>public
> >>because of the amount of money likely needed.
> >>   "Even if we move to the new fairgrounds, this will have to go to the
> >>voters," he said.
> >>   Building a better fairgrounds -- but how?
> >>
> >>Craig Staszkow
> >>Design/Special Sections Editor
> >>Moscow-Pullman Daily News
> >>409 S. Jackson
> >>Moscow, ID 83843
> >>Ph - 208-882-5561 ext. 252
> >>Fax - 208-883-8205
> >>cstaszkow@dnews.com
> >>www.dnews.com
> >>
> >>
> >
> >______________________________________________________
> >Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
>
>

______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com