Jefferson County Fair Looks To Settle Debt, In Hopes Of Lease

Last week the Jefferson County School Board was faced with the issue of a lease agreement with the Jefferson County Fair. The grounds that have housed the Jefferson County Fair belong to the Department of Education and, as of the meeting Thursday evening, January 25, 2018, the terms of the past lease had not been met leaving the Jefferson County Fair with a debt to the Department of Education of $9,000.

Fair representative Thompson appeared before the School Board to request a lease for the Jefferson County Fair, noting that the debt had not been met but that acquiring donations was difficult without the benefit of a lease, making the situation a challenge because without donations the Fair could not answer their past debt to the Department of Education. School Board Member Bradley stated that he could not consider signing a lease until the past debt was cleared and some stipulations were set for any future lease agreement, namely that the lease holder ( Department of Education) would be the first paid from any revenues through donations, vendors or gate sales. He stated that he would like to see the situation worked out to allow a lease for the Fair because it has been historically an important event in Jefferson County. The Board majority concurred that they were open to signing a lease with the Jefferson County Fair once the debt is resolved and guidelines have been established.

During the course of the meeting, a member of the audience brought $3,000 in cash and a $6,000 check made out the the Jefferson County Fair to the front and presented it to Director of Schools Finchum. At the suggestion of Finance Director Potts, the cash and check were handed over to the Jefferson County Fair with the understanding that the Fair will pay off the back debt to the Department of Education with those funds.

Though no lease agreement has been decided or approved by the Jefferson County School Board, the Jefferson County Fair looks to be one debtor down and the possibility of a lease agreement in the near future appears to be $9,000 closer than it was a few weeks ago. Currently, the Jefferson County Fair is carrying $42,000 in debt, which has been attributed to poor gate sales and inclement weather , as well as competition for donations. According to Fair representatives, donations should be more available when, or if, the Department of Education and the Jefferson County Fair can meet on common ground.