Clallam County fair board advances small rodeo lighting upgrade, forms budget subcommittee and prioritizes facility repairs

Clallam County Fair Advisory Board members on an April meeting (date not specified in the record) approved routine minutes and then turned to facility planning, forming a budget subcommittee to draft a 2026 fee schedule, advancing a small rodeo-arena lighting project and reviewing a slate of repairs and volunteer projects across the fairgrounds.

The board emphasized safety and phased planning as the lighting work moves toward construction. The director said the upgrade under discussion is “very minor. It's within my realm of authority,” and noted the contractor had provided required documents, including a certificate of insurance and W-9; a preconstruction meeting was scheduled for 9 a.m. on the 28th, the director said. Board members urged the director to brief the Board of County Commissioners on a larger fairgrounds master plan so commissioners can see the longer-term vision and phasing for future renovations.

Why it matters: the lighting change is intended as a safety improvement and as a first phase of broader facility upgrades the board wants to present to county decision-makers. Separately, the fee schedule and budget planning will feed into the county’s 2026 budget process and could affect user charges for events and year-round facility rentals.

Key budget and process steps The board convened a budget subcommittee to coordinate with staff on draft 1 of the fairgrounds fee schedule for 2026. The timeline described at the meeting calls for the subcommittee to report draft 1 at the May advisory-board meeting, allow public comment in June on draft 2, and send a final recommendation to the director. The director said the recommendation will be bundled with other budget materials and presented to the Board of County Commissioners for…