The Allen County Fair Board should be commended for dogged determination.
In the past year or so its members have taken stock of buildings in Riverside Park that support the annual fair and found them wanting in many ways, to the point of about $150,000 worth of upgrades.
A few things have been done, painting and such, mainly on the nickel of parents of 4-H club members. However, such things as roofs and structural repairs require much more.
The fair board receives $11,000 a year from the county and $2,000 from Iola’s transient guest tax, which comes from a surcharge on those who stay at local motels.
Of the $13,000, practically all is spent on premiums, to encourage 4-H’ers and others to get involved in the fair through any number of exhibits of what they raise and make, as well as such things as liability insurance and utilities. About $2,000 is expended on utilities, county commissioners were told this week. That seems a bit high, but air-conditioning buildings in the dead of summer isn’t cheap, and without it not many people, so accustomed to comfort, are going to visit.
Commissioners have been asked to consider helping with a five-year improvement plan, figured at $30,000 or so year; thus, the $150,000 project cost. Something similar to the county’s assistance for the Bowlus Fine Arts Center — in Iola, but a benefit for all of the county — would seem appropriate. This year and next the county has budgeted $175,000 for the Bowlus.
By the way, county has considerable reserves from its assessed valuation increasing nearly 50 percent two years ago when Enbridge’s pipeline and pumping station hit the tax roles.
Iola also should look favorably on helping to ensure the fair’s continuance and efforts to make it as much of a go-to event as it has been for decades.
Waiving utility costs wouldn’t affected city coffers much, and adding to the transient guest tax distribution with other city money easily could be justified. Hundreds of people come to Iola each summer for the fair. They buy food, fuel and often spend part of their day shopping in Iola stores, generating sales tax revenue for the city — the county as well.
Let’s face facts.
The fair, like any other ventures for the public good, should be supported by taxpayers through their governing units. That’s what it’s all about, doing collectively what we can’t do individually.
Board members work their hearts out each year trying to make the fair a little bit better than the year before. A pat on the back is fine, but they also need revenue to keep moving forward.
— Bob Johnson
