Park board adopts Fair Association lease amended to mirror statutory liability caps, adds authorized‑user agreement

The Stark County Park Board voted to adopt an amended lease with the Fair Association for the county fairgrounds, revising insurance language to reflect statutory liability limits and directing staff to prepare an authorized-user agreement for county equipment.

A county staff member told the board the amendment mirrors the statutory political-subdivision liability caps — noting the commonly cited limits of $500,000 per person and $2 million for claims arising from a single occurrence — while additional property-damage coverage remains to be set during negotiations. Board members raised practical concerns about equipment use, who may operate county-owned tractors and groomers, and whether renters should be required to produce training certifications or special-event endorsements.

County insurance advisor Clint Sickler, of Choice Insurance, advised that operation of county equipment by non-authorized users would not be covered by county liability: "If I just walk in and you throw me the keys, I'm not an authorized user," he said, explaining that coverage requires the operator to be an authorized, certified user or be specifically endorsed on a special-event policy.

Board members agreed to exclude the not-yet-completed livestock shelter and enclosed building from the current lease so those facilities can be addressed later once their capacities and operational standards are finalized. The board also directed staff to circulate the amended lease to the Fair Association, add standard indemnification and proof-of-insurance requirements, and return changes for final signature.

The motion to adopt the lease as amended — including the authorized-user addendum and the livestock-building exclusion — passed on a roll-call vote.