Fair board meeting policies questioned
From our weekly issue dated February 03, 2010
The board of directors for the Josephine County Fair is coming under increased scrutiny from county officials for its policies regarding public meetings.
In a letter dated Wednesday, Jan. 27, Legal Counsel Steve Rich brought the issue up to Fair Board member Rick Wilson.
Rich wrote that the letter was a follow-up to a discussion he had with Wilson the previous day.
“The conversation addressed specifically the Fair Workshop scheduled for Jan. 16, 2010, and more generally the Oregon Public Meetings Law applicability to meetings of the Josephine County Fair Board,“ Rich wrote.
Rich wrote that workshops involving a quorum of the fair board members are public meetings “and must comply with the applicable provisions of the Public Meetings Law.“
County Commissioner Sandi Cassanelli, who serves as liaison to the fairgrounds, has brought the matter up repeatedly in recent weeks. She has expressed dismay at having been excluded from the fair board“s meetings and not being notified of when they were scheduled to occur.
Herb Carter, who is serving his second term on the fair board, said that the group always posts notice of its meetings.
Carter stressed that under Oregon law, fair boards are allowed to operate autonomously. He said that the county lacks the personnel and the ability to adequately oversee the fairgrounds the way the board and 20-year Fairgrounds Manager Jackie McBee do.
The board is charged with managing the fairgrounds facilities and its finances, Carter said. It also must consider the needs of tenants who rent space at the fairgrounds, he added.
“The county fair has run quite well for many years,“ Carter said.
Last month, the Washington County Board of Commissioners drafted a proposal to limit its fair board“s duties to planning the fair. Carter said that Josephine County could conceivably take a similar step, but hopes it doesn“t happen.
“There“s always that possibility,“ he said. “I don“t think it“s in the county“s best interest.“
Despite the recent exchanges, Carter said that he appreciates Cassanelli“s involvement as the fair board liaison.
“We don“t have any conflicts with the board of county commissioners, but we have to operate without our hands being tied,“ Carter said.
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