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Tri‑County Fair seeks $8,000 for 2027; commissioners tentatively pencil in $7,500 amid budget cuts
Summary
The Tri‑County Fair asked Dickinson County for $8,000 to cover ribbon/premium costs, judges' supplies and arena lighting repairs; commissioners discussed previous contributions, neighboring‑county support and county budget constraints, and agreed to tentatively place $7,500 in next week's agenda for formal action.
Representatives of the Tri‑County Fair told Dickinson County commissioners on July 2 that rising maintenance and event costs have driven a request for $8,000 in the 2027 county budget.
Nick Aerson, who presented the request, described specific capital needs — including roughly $2,800 in recent exhaust‑hood repairs to keep a commercial kitchen in compliance, and a bid of about $6,200 to replace 400 ft of six‑foot chain‑link fence — and asked the commission for help covering ribbons and premiums for 4‑H entries and upgrades to arena lighting. He also said the fair runs several fundraising activities (a fireworks stand and ATV poker run) and had support from the local Lions Club for youth shirts in past years.
Budget context and commissioning discussion: Commissioners noted the county is planning to meet the revenue‑neutral rate and is facing a county‑wide plan to trim costs. Several commissioners said county insurance and staffing costs are rising and that the county has little flexibility to add recurring programs without offsetting cuts. One commissioner proposed keeping $5,500 (the amount provided in prior years) as the baseline; another argued for $8,000 given the hood repair and other one‑time needs. The board ultimately agreed to pencil $7,500 into the budget this week and to revisit the exact figure next week when staff finalizes numbers.
Related public comment and enforcement issues: During the public comment period, a resident recounted repeated aggressive dog incidents that she said left family members afraid to go outside; she pressed the commission for more enforcement. Commissioners and staff explained the limits of county enforcement — noting that criminal charges and leash laws typically involve the sheriff and county attorney, and that establishing county animal‑control services would require funding for officers, vehicles and shelter infrastructure. One commissioner said counties traditionally do not provide city‑style animal control and that enforcing a leash law county‑wide would carry ongoing costs the county does not currently budget for.
What this means: The commission's tentative $7,500 number will be confirmed (or changed) after county staff completes budget updates and the board votes in a future meeting. Separately, the county said it would continue to coordinate with neighboring counties about multi‑county support for tri‑county events.
