The Sherman County Board of Commissioners approved a lease to permit use of the county fairgrounds pavilion on May 16, 2026. The motion was moved and seconded and passed by voice vote; the lessee must carry liability insurance for use of the building.

Commissioner Brett briefed the board on two variance applications tied to the fairgrounds: "the bathhouse variance got approved. The sewage variance did not," he said. The board discussed three options: ask for a narrower variance for a single dump site near the horse barn, install full sewer plumbing at each campsite, or withdraw pursuit of on-site sewage and rely on regular pump-and-haul arrangements.

Board members noted the city code requires a bathhouse for any campsite accommodating more than nine campers and described what a bathhouse entails. "It has to be heated, has to have showers, toilets... Probably, if you build it now, you'd have to fall under the handicap code too," Brett said, and commissioners observed that a compliant bathhouse would be expensive to build.

Given cost and uncertain need during winter months, commissioners chose to table further action on the sewage-dump variance and revisit the matter later, possibly when Commissioner Harvey is present. Staff explained enforcement: a first improper-sewage-disposal instance triggers a citation to the camper; repeated occurrences can trigger citation of the landowner.

Ending: The county approved the fairgrounds lease and required insurance; the sewage-dump variance was not approved by the planning commission and the board tabled further pursuit of on-site sewage at this time.