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Fairgrounds upgrades, vendor power and logistics top Franklin County's fair-week preparations
Summary
Commissioners and fair organizers reviewed new construction, vendor layouts and remaining electrical issues at the fairgrounds ahead of fair week; staff said most power work should be finished after inspection and moved food trucks indoors where necessary.
Franklin County commissioners and fair organizers spent a substantial portion of the meeting reviewing final preparations for fair week, noting newly completed construction but some lingering infrastructure work that must be finished before events begin.
"It's like a new it's like a new place up there, but it looks good," said Zach, the fair organizer, summarizing recent upgrades that include new grass areas, demolition of older buildings and new sheep and goat barns. Commissioners and staff discussed vendors' locations and outstanding electrical tasks; staff reported breaker issues and said remaining power work should be resolved once the site passes inspection.
Organizers moved three food trucks to the indoor arena after concluding the lawn power would not support the planned number of trucks. "We don't have enough power for the food trucks we have right now on the lawn," one organizer said, prompting commissioners to prioritize finishing the electrical hookups and securing vendor boxes with padlocks.
The board also discussed lighting adjustments to better illuminate the flag and a horse statue without producing light spill into neighboring yards, noting that additional fixtures or front-edge power could be a next-year capital item. Commissioners praised volunteers for cleanup work and reiterated public invitations to attend fair events including a dairy-show giveaway and a commissioners' "ice cream" appearance.
Next steps: staff will complete outstanding electrical work, finalize vendor placements and monitor flow through the event center; long-term items such as barn fans and additional power lines were described as part of a 3-to-5-year wishlist.
