John Carr, acting chair of the Elko County Commission, heard public concerns on facility and livestock-show operations at the county fair and postponed action on a related fair-board appointment until the commission’s next meeting.

The issue surfaced in the commission’s public-comment period when John Dahl, a Star Valley resident and ranch owner, said livestock exhibitors face recurring facility problems. “We are always blowing circuit breakers there, and it's very frustrating while you're preparing,” Dahl said. “We have 3 children in the livestock show. We can bring 5 animals each... and when circuit breakers are blown and you are trying to get 15 animals prepared, it's very frustrating.”

Dahl told the commission he has raised these concerns with the fair board and felt they had “fallen on deaf ears.” Carr responded that the commission does not have direct oversight authority over the fair or the Livestock Committee but said the county appoints fair-board members and that commissioners would relay the concerns. “This Commission doesn't necessarily have authority over the fair and certainly doesn't have over the Livestock Committee,” Carr said.

Later in the meeting, Tony Bazzetti, who identified himself as a member and recent chairman of the Elko County Fair Board, addressed the commission about a separate but related problem: a failed 2024 meat-processing contract that affected buyers and youth exhibitors. “There's no dismissing that we had a problem with the meat processor... I myself have lost a lot of sleep over it,” Bazzetti said, describing volunteer efforts to fix the resulting problems and to pursue recourse against the processor.

Bazzetti told commissioners the livestock program is one piece of the larger fair operation and said volunteers have been reallocating responsibilities across committees. He said the livestock committee has tried to remedy the 2024 processing failure and replace affected product where possible.

Because members of the public and several commissioners asked for fuller participation and more time for applicants and concerned residents to appear, the commission postponed item F5 — an action item related to fair-board appointments — to the commission’s Wednesday meeting. Carr said public comment related to the item will also be accepted on Wednesday.

The commission invited additional written input and encouraged applicants or interested residents to attend the follow-up meeting so the board could consider a broader record before taking final action.