Polk County defers decision on 15¢ per $1,000 fairgrounds operating levy; hearing continued to evening

Polk County commissioners on Jan. 8 opened a public hearing on a proposed local option operating levy for the Polk County Fairgrounds and Events Center and then continued the hearing to 6:30 p.m. the same day to allow additional public participation.

County Administrator Mr. Hansen told the board the fair board had requested a 15-cent-per-$1,000 levy for five years to fund operations and improvements at the fairgrounds. Hansen said the staff packet included a draft ballot measure, estimates of revenue impact and an outline of proposed uses, and he described the list of potential improvements the levy would fund.

“This would be a levy that would occur in May,” Hansen said. He told the board funds, if the measure is approved by voters, would support operations and “much needed improvements” including building and electrical upgrades, resurfacing and expanding paved areas, relocating the maintenance shed, constructing a new office outside the main building, and a possible amphitheater in the northwest corner of the property.

Hansen said some levy proceeds would go to normal operations of the fairgrounds and others to specific capital and site improvements. He told the board a draft of the ballot measure and the staff analysis of money raised and proposed uses were included in the meeting packet.

Under the board’s public-hearing rules, the chair invited public testimony from supporters first; no members of the public spoke in the morning session. The chair said the hearing would be held over to the evening meeting at 6:30 p.m. in the same room to allow more opportunity for the public to participate. The board made no decision on placing the measure on the ballot at the morning session.