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Commissioners question $800 fairboard invoice for election venue, agree to address charges at budget time
Summary
A late $800 invoice from the Weston County Fair Board for event‑center use during elections prompted commissioners to ask for clearer contracts and to consider budgeting an annual allocation for county use; a related petition to split fair governance was discussed and tabled for further review.
Commissioners reviewed a late invoice from the Weston County Fair Board totaling $800 for use of the event center during the primary and general elections. County staff said no contract had been signed and commissioners said billing after the fact is problematic. One commissioner said the county already pays utilities and that an unexpected bill for election use feels like a surprise; another said the fair board is entitled to charge for use.
Discussion centered on whether elections should be treated as county functions that the county budgets for, or as external events that require separate agreements. Several commissioners proposed sending the bill back with an explanation and adding an agreed‑upon annual budget line for building use so future election expenses are anticipated rather than billed retroactively.
Separately, commissioners considered a petition asking to split authority for the fairgrounds away from the fair board. Commissioners said there are pros and cons to restructuring and urged giving newly appointed board members time to demonstrate progress; they agreed to consult the fair board and revisit the petition at a future meeting.
