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Fair event center occupancy and wash‑rack debate focuses on TCOs, safety plans and permitting
Summary
Fair manager and county staff outlined steps for temporary certificates of occupancy and a safety plan; commissioners approved moving forward with event‑specific TCOs and asked for a safety‑plan template. Discussion of a proposed wash‑rack contract focused on permitting: building official said potable connections require a licensed plumber unless the water is explicitly agricultural/irrigation and documented as such.
Harney County commissioners spent a substantial portion of their July 15 meeting on plans to make the fair event center usable for events while the building remains unfinished. Staff and fair leadership described the practical steps needed for event‑by‑event temporary certificates of occupancy (TCOs): event‑specific floor plans, lighting and generator placement, fire‑marshal walkthroughs and clear signage.
Fair manager (speaking at the meeting) said staff will prepare floor plans and work with the fire marshal to schedule an inspection well ahead of events. Commissioners asked for a simple checklist and a safety‑plan template to standardize submissions.
The court also debated a proposed wash‑rack contract (roughly $11,000). Legal and staff advised that the work likely fits within small‑procurement limits and that the fair board can approve the contract to proceed. A central question was whether volunteer or pump‑installer work could be used for the water connection or whether a licensed plumber is required when the connection is to a potable system. Building official Rick said the distinction matters: "So it's a potable water line off [a] potable water system. So the water has to be done by a licensed plumber," he said. He added that if the county can document the source as an agricultural/irrigation well with an appropriate backflow preventer, the work downstream could be treated differently and recorded with the permit.
Why it matters: The decisions affect what events can be held safely and legally before full building completion, what documentation renters must provide, and whether volunteer labor can be used to reduce costs for small fairground projects.
Next steps: Fair staff will draft a safety plan, produce event floor plans, coordinate a fire‑marshal walkthrough (targeting roughly four weeks before major events), and confirm well/irrigation documentation so the plumbing permit record will reflect the correct classification. The fair board and county legal counsel will finalize the small‑procurement contract language for the wash rack and proceed if consistent with procurement rules.
