Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Fairgrounds Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commissioners weigh fairgrounds master plan, unfinished arena work and use policies for rodeo grounds
Summary
County commissioners heard updates on a fairgrounds master plan and received multiple reports about incomplete arena work, outstanding final billing and possible use rules for the rodeo arena and overnight camping; discussion also covered funding sources for finishing projects and whether fairboard funds can pay for capital improvements.
Valley County commissioners received an update on the fairgrounds master plan and debated unresolved construction work and future use of the arena during their July 16 meeting.
Commissioner remarks and planning status Commissioners said the fairgrounds master‑plan team is conducting stakeholder interviews and that an online survey is open for public input. One commissioner said the county and the City of Cascade are coordinating because a pressurized sewer and a water line run through the middle of the fairgrounds property, which may limit where buildings can be located. "The City of Cascade is participating as well as part of the project team, which is very important because the main sewer line, pressurized sewer, as well as the water line run directly down the middle of the Fairgrounds property," a commissioner said.
Construction, final billing and balcony proposal Buildings-and-grounds staff reported multiple outstanding items at the new arena and concession areas that they said prevented final acceptance: gouged walls, a missing men's‑room fan cover, incorrect grab-bar placements, filthy floors and leftover construction materials. Staff said they had taken photos and told the contractor the building is "not complete for final payment." Staff also reported they received a proposal to add an outdoor announcer balcony and estimated the cost at about $747,800; they said the county could fund the balcony and outstanding final billing from the fairboard's capital funds (reported during the meeting as about $100,000 on hand plus another $70,000 coming this year).
Arena everyday use and liability Staff related requests from residents to use the arena for routine horse training. Commissioners and staff discussed a waiver and hold‑harmless language as a condition for ongoing use when the facility is not being used for events. "I think we need, at the very least, to hold harmless signage," one commissioner said during discussion of waivers and ongoing access policies.
Funding and next steps - Staff said fairboard capital funds may be available to pay for the final billing and the proposed balcony and that, by county practice, the county maintains facilities while the fairboard funds improvements used to stage the fair and rodeo. - The board directed staff to bring a legal recommendation and a written waiver template back as an action item before allowing open, recurring use of the arena by private users.
Why it matters: unfinished work, safety and long‑term planning Incomplete construction ties up county maintenance resources and may expose the county to liability if the facility is used before final acceptance. The master plan and stakeholder interviews will feed a public process, but physical constraints (water and sewer lines under the site) and existing operational needs (stalls, parking, and event staging) will shape options.
Ending: Staff will return with suggested liability waivers, a recommendation on using fairboard funds to cover outstanding costs, and updates on schedule and contractor remedies for the arena defects.
