Commissioners authorize $50,000 transfer to process refunds for canceled fair concert

Walla Walla County commissioners voted May 12 to authorize transferring $50,000 from the Fairgrounds Fund cash to the fairgrounds credit-card account and the fairgrounds revolving fund so staff can process refunds after a concert was canceled.

Commissioner Todd L. Kimball moved the revised memo and motion, which the board approved unanimously. The transfer will let the fair office issue refunds to patrons who paid by credit card and to provide cash refunds from the revolving fund for patrons who paid in cash. County staff said the money will be repaid to the Fairgrounds Fund after refunds are completed and the office completes its accounting.

County staff explained the fund transfer replaced an earlier plan that considered a short-term loan to cover refunds. "They're just able to cover it with their own cash, instead of us having to do a short term loan," a county staff member said as the motion was presented.

Background: The topic arose after the Fair and Frontier Days organizers announced that a previously scheduled act was canceled and a new headline act was being announced. Commissioners said they did not want patrons to be disadvantaged by the unexpected change and wanted the county to provide an administrative path for timely refunds.

The board directed staff to finalize the memo and accounting procedure; no additional budget appropriation was made beyond the internal transfer approved by the motion.