The Williams County commissioners held their general session at the Williams County Fairgrounds Thursday morning, and the state of the facility was discussed.
The commissioners held the meeting at the fairgrounds as part of their Coffee with the Commissioners program in which they hold a meeting in a different part of the county to try to reach more residents.
Following the board’s regular session, a resident expressed concern over a weather vane on top of the covered bridge at the Williams County Fairgrounds due to it appearing to be broken and leaning. She also pointed out there are several loose boards on the road for the bridge.
Officials with the fairgrounds agreed those problems need fixed, and also said there are several other issues at the facility they are trying to solve.
“I would really love to invite the commissioners to take a walk after the meeting and show you some of these buildings,” said Toby Fenicle, who maintains the grounds for the fair board.
“Some of the buildings are getting in pretty bad shape,” he added.
The commissioners said they had another appointment after the meeting and so did not tour the grounds, but said they would set up an appointment with Fenicle to do so in the near future.
“We have done several projects out here through grants, and we have (hit) the community pretty hard for getting money to put pens in the building, roofs on all the buildings,” Fenicle said.
Williams County Fair Board President Pam Goll said the board did receive a $100,000 grant recently to put toward some capital improvements. She added it has already spent about $3,000 of that on the ticket building.
“We decided to refurbish two of our buildings that are really in bad shape, and they’re the two oldest buildings on the fairgrounds,” Goll said. “The little ticket building on the side street entrance gate, that’s already been completed.”
She added the rural building also needs a new foundation, roof and electrical improvements.
“Also, part of that grant will be used to put another overhead door in the grandstand on the shorter side so that we can use that for better access to that side of the grandstand,” Goll said.
She added the fair board has until 2026 to completely spend the money.
There was also discussion on why the amusement rides are located where there are on the fairgrounds, and Goll said the ride owner likes it there to better manager employees. Commissioner Lewis Hilkert also said he has heard from several senior residents they enjoy having the rides there because it allows them to maneuver the rest of the grounds easier.
Goll also said prior to COVID, there were more than 20 ride companies in the state to choose from to provide the service, but now there are only eight.
She added the company the fair board currently contracts with also provides revenue back to the fair board following the fair. Last year it was $25,000.
“That’s allowing us to keep the $5 gate admission and all that other stuff,” Goll said.
Goll also pointed out the fair board has a campaign to replace the pens in the hog barn and estimated that cost at $73,000, adding donations and pledges are up to about $40,000, allowing some to be done before this year’s fair.
There was also discussion on housing, with officials telling State Rep. James Hoops, R-Napoleon, who was in attendance, that they would like to see more money from the state go to rural areas from agencies.
In other business, the commissioners:
Approved a fund transfer of $4,790 within Williams County EMS for training equipment.
Learned EMS should be taking ownership of another remounted ambulance soon.
Agreed to accept sealed bids for the Alvordton wastewater sewer improvement project until Oct. 15 at 10 a.m.
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