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Council told of split ownership at fairgrounds; staff recommends 99-year lease to clarify responsibilities
Summary
Research found portions of the 4‑H/fairgrounds property are owned by the county while other parts are town-owned; staff recommended negotiating a 99-year lease so the county can manage repairs and improvements with reversion protections for the town.
Council and staff discussed unclear property records for the 4‑H/fairgrounds footprint and whether the county or town owns individual buildings and parcels. Staff reported that a previously expired lease and inconsistent deed records created confusion over who controls the buildings and who must pay for repairs.
Staff recommended negotiating a 99‑year lease of the 4‑H footprint to the county so the county can insure, maintain and improve the buildings while the town retains long‑term ownership protection through reversion clauses if the county later abandons the property. Council directed staff to work with the county attorney (Ted Johnson) and the town attorney to draft a proposal.
Amy Webster, an Extension educator with Purdue Extension, urged individually numbering barns and buildings at the fairgrounds so emergency responders can find locations more quickly; she cited a recent local ambulance delay at a fairgrounds emergency.
What happens next: staff will coordinate with county counsel and the town attorney to draft lease language or alternate conveyance proposals and bring a recommendation back to council for consideration.
