Members of the Olympic Peninsula Rodeo Association asked Clallam County commissioners on Aug. 4 to support a potential capital-improvement grant of up to $250,000 from the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) to modernize the county rodeo arena and related facilities.

Joe Marcello, vice president of the Olympic Peninsula Rodeo Association, and Rochelle Harmon, the association treasurer, told commissioners the association seeks funds for new LED lighting and poles, a new arena groomer, upgraded grandstand lighting and replacement of fifty-year-old equipment in the arena. "It's a safety issue for the animals and the people," Marcello said. Rochelle Harmon added that past lack of equipment reduced contestant turnout and that modern gear is vital to maintain contestant safety and crowd attendance.

County role and timing: Staff said the county must be the applicant for the WSDA capital program; county staff will complete a pre-grant questionnaire and return to the board with that paperwork. The presenters and staff said WSDA enforces strict scope and description requirements for awards: any items not explicitly listed in the award scope may not be reimbursed, so the application will aim to list the full intended scope. The presenters and a county staff member discussed the grant timetable; the transcript records an uncertainty about the precise application deadline (presenters stated "the 28th or September 29"), so staff and association representatives agreed to coordinate and confirm the deadline. The transcript does not record a final application submission at the Aug. 4 session.

Match and administration: Presenters said the WSDA grant allows documented in-kind local match, including volunteer hours, and that applications can include reimbursable direct labor for county project management. A county staff member said no administrative portion appears to be required in the reviewed materials but that staff time and project management can be reimbursed as direct costs.

Why it matters: Association leaders said improved equipment and lighting would reduce safety risks for volunteers, contestants and animals and help attract contestants by increasing purse viability and operational reliability. County staff said the county will act as grantee with the rodeo association as a project partner and that a successful award would benefit the broader fairground user community.

Next steps: County staff will prepare the pre-grant questionnaire and meet with association representatives to finish the application after the fair; Commissioners requested the revised questionnaire appear on a future BOCC agenda for review prior to submission. The transcript shows staff and commissioners expressing support and requesting completion of the application process; no formal board vote to submit the grant application was recorded during the Aug. 4 work session.