Park County commissioners hear Fairgrounds and Parks work session on staffing, ADA upgrades and potential RV campground

Park County commissioners met April 7 in Commissioners Chambers for a Fairgrounds and Parks work session in which the department administrator summarized operations, capital projects, staffing gaps and options to formalize an RV campground to increase revenue.

The presentation, given by Morgan, Fairgrounds and Parks administrator, reviewed the department's history and facilities, noting the Fairgrounds and Parks Department was created in 2018 when the county merged a standalone fairgrounds department and a parks department. Morgan said a master plan developed by a commission-appointed committee was formally adopted in 2020 and remains the framework for facility and infrastructure priorities.

Morgan told the commission the fairgrounds sit on about 14.5 acres, operate year-round and include three all-season buildings, 36 RV spots with electricity (rented only during events because the site is not a licensed campground), 39 horse stalls and multiple arena and livestock facilities. The department also oversees three county parks (Arch Park, Confluence Park and Silver Gate Park) and is involved with trail projects such as the Highway 89 trail and the Yellowstone Heritage Trail partnership led by Kristen Galbraith with Trust for Public Land.

Why it matters: the fairgrounds are used for community events, emergency staging and public services such as mass immunizations and sandbag distribution. Morgan said deferred maintenance on many buildings (some nearly 100 years old) and limited staffing constrain the department's ability to maintain and expand services.

Key figures and operational trends Morgan provided include about 212 events per year (roughly 289 rental-use days), an estimated 44,000 annual visitors, roughly 65 volunteers contributing about 518 donated hours in recent years, and notable increases in revenue categories compared with a FY17–FY20 baseline: a roughly 232% increase in facility and equipment rentals, a 273% increase in seasonal storage revenue and a 65% increase in horse stalling and event camping. Morgan also said the county lost roughly $8,000–$12,000 annually in horse-stalling revenue after a nearby hard-case facility was sold.

Staffing and operations: Morgan said the department currently has one part-time maintenance position (a 0.6 FTE role) and seasonal maintenance help. The department has struggled to recruit qualified maintenance staff at the wages offered; Morgan said pay is now about $20–$22 per hour but that remains insufficient to attract many applicants. Morgan described regular reliance on contractors for complex repairs and widespread volunteer support for events, and said she plans to propose updated job descriptions and recruit additional office and year-round staff to reduce single-person dependencies.

ADA and capital needs: Morgan reported a history of capital improvements—HVAC replacements, new entry systems and roofing—focused on critical infrastructure rather than aesthetics. She said a bathroom renovation grant covered $380,000 but construction bids approached $1 million, in part because a design–bid–build process required full upfront design and consequent higher costs. Morgan said she added smaller ADA measures to the 2026 capital requests (for example, door actuators/buttons and some ramp adjustments) while seeking grant strategies that allow design–build flexibility to save cost. Other capital projects she listed as in progress or funded: the HVAC unit installation, front concession electrical work pending Northwestern Energy sign-off, exhibit-building insulation and window replacements (materials due in six to eight weeks), security camera replacements to meet federal compliance, and replacement of frost-free hydrants and broken underground services.

Campground/RV park option: The potential to formalize RV spaces into a licensed campground was discussed as a revenue opportunity. Morgan said converting existing RV spaces into a campground requires subdivision review and a third-party consultant to avoid a county reviewing its own project; she estimated a consultant or RFP process might cost about $30,000 with $30,000–$60,000 in additional renovation costs, and said some regulatory requirements (for example a nearby rule requiring shower facilities within a set distance) have changed since the county last examined the issue. Commissioners asked about competition with private campgrounds; Morgan said prior outreach (circa 2020–2021) found little concern from private hosts, though results varied by operator.

Emergency and community functions: Morgan said the fairgrounds have served as an incident command base during wildfires and as a mass-immunization and sheltering site during COVID-19. She also described routine uses such as sandbag distribution during floods and space for public tables, local events and youth programming.

Open-class fair planning and responsibilities: Morgan described uncertainty about which organizations will handle the public-facing components of the county fair this year. She said MSU Extension and 4‑H have discussed handling as much as they can, but other nonprofit partners that previously assisted may not continue. Morgan said the fair board is currently advisory (per the 2018 resolution that altered the board's administrative authority) and that the county would need to decide whether to change that resolution for the board to assume administrative duties. She said camping reservations and concessions require a reservation system and that she is holding camping sign-ups pending clarity about the fair's public programming.

Funding sources: Morgan listed grants and county funds used for projects, including a health-department immunization grant that supported insulation and HVAC work, some ARPA and LATCF funds, and fairgrounds operating funds. She said a separate parkland-dedication fund (from subdivision parkland or fee-in-lieu of land dedication) holds about $88,000 and is not part of the fairgrounds' operating budget.

Public comment and materials: One member of the public, Sabina Strauss of Gardner, asked for the handout Morgan referenced; Morgan agreed to send the document to the county staff member handling agendas and to the requester.

Formal action: the meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn. A motion to adjourn was made and seconded; commissioners present approved the motion by voice vote.

The session highlighted operational strain from aging infrastructure and limited staff, while laying out possible revenue and capital strategies—especially modest ADA upgrades, insulation work and the prospect of formalizing RV camping—that could affect the fairgrounds' financial sustainability and capacity to host events and emergency operations.