Fair board approves up-to-$9,000 budget amendment for CIP bundle to replace chairs, buy racks and a floor cleaner

The Broadwater County Fair Board voted to approve a budget amendment authorizing up to $9,000 for a proposed capital-improvement bundle that would buy tables, chair racks, replacement chairs, a floor-cleaning machine and one set of bleachers.

At the board’s meeting the presiding member (Chair) opened discussion of a capital-improvement (CIP) bundle the staff recommended to address ongoing storage and equipment needs. The staff member said the bundle would include two chair racks, several replacement chairs, five 6-foot tables, a commercial floor scrubber and one set of bleachers to replace damaged or hard-to-store items, and presented vendor estimates from Home Depot and Uline to show likely ranges.

Lauren (board member) moved "to do a budget amendment of $9,000 for the proposed CIP bundle," stating the amendment would allow the board to cover bundled costs and avoid piecemeal purchases. The board discussed options to purchase in the current fiscal year (which would trigger a budget amendment and a public hearing) versus waiting until July to incorporate the items into next year’s budget to avoid extra procedures. County staff explained that amending the current budget requires public notice and 15-day publication before the hearing.

After brief discussion about item selection, freight and whether to estimate up to 30 replacement chairs, the board approved the budget amendment by voice vote; the chair declared the motion carried. The staff member said she will prepare a detailed breakdown for the county budget meeting and for the commission packet showing where the funds would be spent and the proposed vendors.

Why it matters: the purchases are intended to improve fair operations and safety (cleaner restrooms and floors, safer seating and better storage) and to reduce repeated small purchases by bundling capital needs into a single amendment. The board’s decision now requires the staff to prepare a clear purchase list, vendor quotes and any necessary advertisements for the county’s budget amendment public hearing.

What happens next: staff will assemble a line-by-line proposal and pricing to present at the county budget meeting (the board and staff indicated a budget meeting in mid-April or a commission meeting timeline) and will work with the county’s procurement and legal staff to meet public-notice requirements.