County fair unaffected by budget

Staff Writer

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Tya Rippee, 8, left, and Chek Rippee, right, set up for the 2014 fair. County officials say the 2015 fair is “running like clockwork.”

There will be a fair this year despite Roosevelt County’s money problems, say officials planning the annual event.

“Even after all the people involved said it wouldn’t close until September 1, people still haven’t always gotten the whole story,” said Connie Moyers, a member of the extension staff with the fair.

At a March 5 meeting, the County Commission voted to close the fairgrounds as of Aug. 31. This move will save the county $100,000 said County Manager Amber Hamilton.

“It is a part of the budget reconstruction,” Hamilton said.

The fairgrounds will be closed year-round with the exception of August, when the Roosevelt County Fair may continue without trouble.

“The fair is going like clockwork. It will all be the same. We are even trying to put the banners out early so people know,” said Chek Rippee, president of the Roosevelt County Fair Board.

Rippee said it could even be a positive development for the fair because it will bring the workers closer together. He said to set up will take a group effort and this will make the helpers, especially the 4H and FFA kids, more involved.

“We’ll have to have everyone pitch in and help,” Rippee said.

Rippee said he appreciates the positive aspects but knows it will prevent some events from happening. The Jake Lopez building on the grounds is often rented out, but will now be closed, Hamilton said. She said roping and rodeo events previously held there will also be canceled.

“Its what the county had to do. They gotta do what they gotta do,” Rippee said.

The county contracted with the Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce to keep some of the potentially canceled events alive.

Karl Terry, the chamber executive director, said they requested an exemption on the closure that was granted to them. This exemption will allow the annual Peanut Festival and Agriculture Expo to still take place at the fairgrounds.

“Essentially, they are charging the chamber for the facilities for the months we use it,” Terry said.

The Peanut Festival is in October and the Ag Expo occurs in February. For those months, the county will pay the minimums on utilities while the chamber will pay for whatever they use during these events.

Both the county and the Fair Board are certain that the Roosevelt County Fair will remain unaffected by the budgeting.

“The county is extremely supportive of the fair and we worked with the fair board to guarantee neither this fair or the fair in 2016 will be impacted,” Hamilton said.