Park board moves Stark County Fairgrounds from year-long lease to event rental agreements

The Stark County Park Board voted to shift the Stark County Fairgrounds away from a year-long lease and toward short-term, event-specific rental agreements for the coming fiscal year.

Board members said county departments — roads, parks and buildings & grounds — will perform many maintenance tasks this year and that the fair association may not be structured to fulfill all lease obligations. To simplify administration, the board agreed to amend the documents so the park board is the contracting party for most users while providing a tailored rental agreement for the fair association’s two events.

The change was framed as a near-term administrative fix: the board instructed staff to prepare amendments to the packet lease so it functions more like the county’s standard event-rental agreement, to forward the revisions to the state’s attorney for review, and to circulate the amended documents for signatures. A motion adopting the amended rental-agreement approach and sending the draft to legal review passed by voice vote.

Board members clarified operational details they expect under the amended arrangement: the park board will receive revenue from stall rentals; county staff (Corey, Bailey and other county crews) will continue to support grounds upkeep; the fair association will be authorized for the two scheduled dates without a separate fee schedule this fiscal year; and the park board will maintain a clear public contact for bookings.

Frank, who spoke from the floor representing a fair stakeholder, noted the association’s historical role and raised the point that the association would still be responsible for the short dates it occupies: “But we’re only going to be there for two days now. We’re going to be responsible for the other 363 days,” he said, describing the effect of switching to an event-focused arrangement. The board discussed that the county’s insurance umbrella will cover event days and that a short-form renter agreement reduces duplication while preserving required indemnities.

Next steps: staff will finalize the tailored rental agreement language (the packet included a longer lease and a shorter event rental template), send amendments to the state’s attorney for review, and distribute the revised documents to the fair association and other stakeholders for signature. The board indicated the goal is to finalize the amendment quickly so other users can complete contracts for 2026 events.