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The Washington County Commissioners unanimously approve a response letter to the Dewey City Council, which claimed the Commissioners were neglecting the County Fairgrounds in Dewey.

The Commissioners say in the letter that they would like to address the City of Dewey’s concerns, stating that they pride themselves on accessibility and responsiveness. The City of Dewey was invited to reach out to any one of the three Commissioners if they felt as if they were less than heard at any point. District 1 Commissioner Mitch Antle has recognized that Dewey City proper is within his representation and has stated to the Council that he will present himself before them at any time they so desire.

The Dewey City Council's opening question in its letter asks "Why has the County abandoned the historical Washington County Fairgrounds?" The Commissioners responded by saying the District 2 Commissioner Mike Bouvier has been attempting to develop through the Washington County Public Facilities Authority (WCPFA) a plan of action to move forward with the funding and construction of a new exposition center for the County. The letter states that the endeavor has created some confusion within the community and needs to be clarified.

However, the Commissioners believe the City’s statement that they have neglected the fairgrounds site for decades is “grossly inaccurate.” Washington County has expended some $50,000 on capital projects that included new LED lighting within the facility and arenas, the HVAC systems, plumbing and electrical projects, paint and more over the last three fiscal years. According to the letter, tax dollars have contributed to roughly $200,000 in maintenance, operations and capital improvements at the Washington County Fairgrounds, a number that excludes personnel expenses. The Commissioners feel that this expenditure of tax dollars does not show a pattern of neglect.

Dewey City Council officials called for a discussion focused on the Washington County Fairgrounds during a meeting on Monday, March 21. Mayor Tom Hays read from a prepared letter to express his concerns. That prompted a response by the Washington County Commissioners.

The letter by the Dewey City Council was mostly in opposition to the proposed Green Country Expo Center that may go before voters this summer. Recognizing this opposition, the Commissioners mention in their letter that the City's statements will be taken under advisement as they believe they will be taken into serious consideration should the concept of this project proceed. The Commissioners stated again that they appreciate any public input and encourage the City of Dewey to engage in this process to ensure that their voice is not only heard, but given the weight of cooperation by way of the inter-local partnerships they strive to maintain with tall of the communities of Washington County.

Several questions were asked in the final paragraph of the Dewey City Council's letter. The Commissioners note that all County citizens should be aware of these questions. The Commissioners responded to each of the following questions:

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Q: "If there are no monies available to maintain the current Fairgrounds, how will the Expo be maintained?"

A: "The question of maintaining a new exposition center is a valid question. The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) has not been directly informed by the WCPFA, so we cannot answer."

Q: "What is the business plan?"

A: "The BOCC has not been directly informed from the WCPFA and cannot answer."

Q: "Is there any guarantee that [the Expo Center] will be able to support itself?"

A: "The BOCC has serious concerns with the facilities ability to support itself and have not been directly informed by the WCPFA. As to a guarantee, that portion of the question can be answered simply as no; there is no way for the WCPFA or the BOCC to guarantee a self-supporting facility. Our efforts with our existing fairgrounds are to bring them to a position of neutrality. As a government entity, we do not believe that the County should be in 'business.' That is for the private sector. We do not want to compete with any business; we endeavor to develop business to the benefit of the residents of the County to ensure they have a vibrant, flourishing and successful community to call home."

Q: "What will smaller venues do? Where can they hold their events?"

A: "The assumption is that the reference of smaller venues would mean smaller events. We believe, as we have had the opportunity to see similar facilities throughout the state with travels to meetings for multiple organizations, boards and committees that are an obligation of the BOCC, any new facility would have the capacity to partition larger areas and create size appropriate portions of the facility to address the community's needs. Having said that, we again must state, the WCPFA has not communicated with the BOCC any clear path in that regard and cannot answer directly."

Q: "How much will it cost to use the facility?"

A: "We believe that could be answered through the 'business plan' question referred to in your earlier question, and again, cannot answer as we have not been informed of the action taken by the WCPFA."

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In closing, the Washington County Commissioners say the lack of communication between the WCPFA and the BOCC has created substantial issues in the development of the Green Country Expo Center. The Commissioners state that the lack of communication between the two parties has also created a sense of confusion and distrust within the community, adding hurdles to an already complex project that must be rectified should this process move forward.

To read the letter by the Commissioners to the Dewey City Council, click here.

To read more on the City of Dewey's letter read by Mayor Hays, click here.