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Fairgrounds staff outline budget squeeze, grant work and infrastructure progress
Summary
Fairgrounds managers told commissioners they are pursuing grants, sponsorship revenue and cost reductions to reduce a large operating shortfall and described infrastructure work to complete pump-house hookups and consolidate meters.
Fairgrounds managers told Okanogan County commissioners they are pursuing a mix of grant funding, sponsor revenue and operational adjustments to reduce a substantial operating deficit. "We're just trying to make it not as, without a better word for it, as big a black hole," one fairgrounds speaker said when asked about cutting a roughly $122,000 shortfall.
Staff described ongoing infrastructure work: the pump house has been installed and connected to domestic lines except for the annex; county crews will complete final hookups and meter consolidations that should remove one meter when the transfer is finished. "Everything should be complete, and we'll do all the transfer," a facilities speaker said, adding the work includes moving irrigation drives and eliminating duplicate meters.
Fairgrounds staff also described grant administration and reimbursement processes. They said some costs were paid on personal credit cards and would be submitted for reimbursement and that grant reimbursements must be returned to the proper line-item or used as part of the grant match as required by grant terms.
Revenue steps under way include selling additional sponsor placements on fairgrounds signage and reorganizing ad placement to increase visibility. Staff suggested updating the fairgrounds budget once advertising sales are complete so the county can reflect higher projected revenue for 2026.
Staff reiterated that capital grant work (including a $250,000 capital-improvement grant mentioned later in the meeting) and surplus-auction logistics are proceeding; they asked that invoice and reimbursement handling be coordinated with the treasurer and central services where required. Commissioners asked staff to provide updated revenue estimates and to work with finance to track grant reimbursements and matches.
No formal action was taken specifically on fairgrounds budgets at the Nov. 8 meeting; commissioners asked staff to return with updated budget figures for inclusion in the overall 2026 budget process.
