LJWorld.com / County OKs fairgrounds work

Archive for Tuesday, May 20, 2008

May 20, 2008

Work will soon begin on a combined kitchen and concession stand in Building 21 at the Douglas County 4-H Fairgrounds.

On Monday, the Douglas County Commission approved spending up to $135,000 from the capital improvement fund for the project.

The kitchen-concession stand is expected to be finished in time for the Douglas County Fair, which starts July 25, Assistant County Administrator Pam Madl said.

The cost estimate is lower than the $200,000 that was initially estimated, Madl said.

Another construction project at the fairgrounds has taken longer than expected because of the wet winter and spring, Madl said. The Drehr 4-H building will not be ready to open by fair time, she said.

Concerning another matter, Kenneth Phipps, a volunteer with the Dream Factory, complained to commissioners about what he called a lack of response from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office concerning an inquiry. The Dream Factory has been trying for several weeks to find out whether the sheriff’s office would participate or assist with an event. The Dream Factory, with chapters in Lawrence and Kansas City, tries to grant wishes to chronically or critically ill children.

Phipps said he has dropped off information at the office and made repeated phone calls and sent e-mails to Sheriff Ken McGovern.

“As of today I still have not had a response,” Phipps said.

Sheriff’s Lt. Kari Wempe told the Journal-World that the department was not ignoring Phipps. She said she had exchanged e-mails with him.

“It’s just that unfortunately we haven’t had a good opportunity to really sit down and pay close attention to his request,” she said.

Commissioners asked County Administrator Craig Weinaug to check with McGovern about the matter.

In other business, commissioners approved a resolution granting a special cereal malt beverage license for Pipeline Productions, which puts on the annual Wakarusa Music and Camping Festival at Clinton State Park.