Updated fairgrounds improvement plan

A long-range plan to improve the Douglas County 4-H Fairgrounds was well received Wednesday by the Douglas County Commission.

“It’s a community asset. We have an obligation to make it better,” Commissioner Bob Johnson said.

The hard part, however, will be coming up with the funds to make the plan happen, commissioners said.

“The budget is not good,” Commissioner Charles Jones said.

The plan was developed by a special committee that has met since summer. It proposes building an indoor event center; an open pavilion east of the community building, also known as the show arena; a meeting hall; outdoor amphitheater; and a campground with shower facilities and electrical hookups for travelers participating in fairgrounds events. It also proposes enlarging the outdoor arena.

In addition, the kitchen in Building 21 would be renovated and turned into an indoor and outdoor concession stand. Signage and lighting also would be improved. Buildings 1 and 2 would be torn down because they are old and need major repairs.

Some preliminary cost estimates have been prepared. Renovating Building 21’s kitchen was estimated at around $200,000. Several years ago fire destroyed the large outdoor concession stand and an insurance payout of $78,000 is available to help pay for a replacement, Assistant County Administrator Pam Madl said.

Estimates for an open pavilion were set at $500,000. Signage and lighting were estimated at up to $30,000.

“It would be great to have a sign that advertises what’s going on at the fairgrounds,” said Tara Flory, a member of the fair board who served on the committee.

The improvements would result in the loss of baseball diamonds at the fairgrounds.

The committee recommended making the improvements in phases, with lighting, signage and the concession stand improvements in 2008; the open pavilion, campground and meeting hall in 2009; and the amphitheater, outdoor arena and indoor event center projects following in 2010.

No decisions were made concerning the proposal. Commissioners, however, said they were interested in hiring an architectural firm to develop preliminary designs and come up with firmer cost estimates. More study also needs to be done to consider how revenues can be obtained from usage of the fairgrounds. Commissioners also said they would be willing to consider issuing a bond to pay for the improvements.

The committee was headed by Madl and Trudy Rice, director of K-State Research and Extension’s Douglas County office. Others on the committee represented the fair board and user groups. They were Cedric Devin, George Hunsinger, Frank Male, Stan Ring and Flory. Commissioner Jere McElhaney also worked with the committee.

“I think you’ve done a marvelous, super job,” Johnson said.

In another matter, Jones said he wants county staff to come up with suggestions for an ethics policy that would be followed by county employees and elected officials.

I want to make sure we have good policies if ethical issues come up,” Jones said. “Different cities have different polices in terms of dealing with ethical issues.”

Such a policy might cover gifts, relationships and contractual roles and even a procedure for submitting concerns anonymously about an ethical issue, Jones said.

Johnson and McElhaney agreed with Jones’ proposal.