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Commissioners approve lease of fairgrounds Gerke Building to local producer Katie Atkins (dba Kager)
Summary
After a public hearing, the board approved a lease under RCW 36.34.180 for a portion of the Gerke Building at the county fairgrounds to Katie Atkins (doing business as Kager) for product manufacturing (not sales), effective Sept. 1, 2025, contingent on a business license certificate.
Pacific County commissioners on Aug. 26 approved a lease for a portion of the Gerke Building at the county fairgrounds to local food producer Katie Atkins, who plans to use the kitchen for product manufacturing rather than retail sales.
County staff introduced the intent-to-lease application and said the applicant will work with the Washington State Department of Agriculture on commercial kitchen requirements. At the public hearing, Atkins said she is reviving a local business and will initially operate under mentorship from the previous owner through at least March 2026. "We're really just trying to find a space for us until we can build our own," Atkins said.
A commissioner moved to approve the lease under RCW 36.34.180 for county parcel 13081133118 (County Fairgrounds, Gerke Building), with the lease effective Sept. 1, 2025, and a condition that a copy of the business license certificate be received before any product manufacturing begins. The motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.
County staff noted the building continues to serve fair functions and the lease spells out scheduling and use limitations. The board encouraged the applicant and the community and wished the business well.
What happens next: Atkins must provide a business license certificate to county staff and work with the Department of Agriculture to meet commercial kitchen standards before beginning manufacturing at the fairgrounds.
