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Woods County economic board delays decision on payment for barn used as turkey-hunt headquarters
Summary
The Woods County Industrial Development Authority discussed a request to compensate the family that provided the Cheryl Barn as headquarters for the lieutenant governor's turkey hunt, considered up to $5,000 in back pay, and voted to take no action until the full board can participate.
The Woods County Industrial Development Authority on Aug. 31 discussed whether to provide payment to the family that hosted the lieutenant governor’s annual turkey-hunt headquarters at the Cheryl Barn and voted to take no action until the full authority can consider the matter.
Board members described four years of the event being staged at the barn and said the economic development committee had proposed “up to $5,000” as a possible one-time payment to cover past use and maintenance. Board members also said the family has not approached the authority seeking reimbursement and that a prior host, Greg Baker, generally provided facilities without charging the authority.
Board members and staff noted the discussion covered two separate questions: whether to pay a back amount for past years and how to handle rental or maintenance payments going forward if the authority or another entity rents the site for future events. One board member said the authority should put any future rental arrangements in writing and consider a rental agreement when the county’s new arena arrangement is finalized.
Several members said they were reluctant to approve retroactive payments without full board input. One member said paying four years in arrears would be problematic; another described the amounts discussed as modest and suggested the family would likely have raised the issue if it wanted payment. No formal dollar figure was approved at the meeting.
Motion and vote: The authority moved to take no action on any payment at this meeting and to bring the item back when the full board could be present. The motion was seconded and carried.
Why it matters: The discussion affects how the Industrial Development Authority compensates private hosts of county-supported events and whether the entity will formalize future rental arrangements for event headquarters. Board members flagged liability and maintenance concerns if facilities are used without written agreements.
Next steps: The item will be placed on a future agenda for action when a fuller board is available. Staff said that, moving forward, any decision to rent the barn as an event headquarters would be accompanied by a rental agreement.
