HomeMy WebLinkAbout022323 Intervene in the Fairgrounds Board!________________________________
ALERT: BE CAUTIOUS This email originated outside the organization. Do not open attachments or click on links if you are not expecting them.
________________________________
February 22, 2023
Dear Jefferson County Commissioners,
I’m a homeowner living adjacent to the Fairgrounds. I’m writing to express my dismay about the apparent collapse of the Fairgrounds Association Board’s ability to manage the Fairgrounds
property.
I believe it’s long past time for the County Commission to intervene and facilitate the process of developing a long-range master plan to outline how the fairgrounds property will be
used in the years to come, and just as important, how it will not be used.
Like many who live nearby, I watched as the Board bungled the management of the homeless encampment. We were hopeful when the new manager seemed to make progress expanding the use of
the property to benefit the community. Now that he’s gone, there seems to be no one available to or capable of addressing our concerns. The February Board meeting was wildly out of
control. The Board’s lack of responsiveness to public inquiries about its operations and processes raises serious questions about whether the Board is currently capable of making even
the simplest decisions to protect fairgrounds property, let alone advance a positive vision for the future. The sense of distrust among the community here is palpable.
In particular, I join with several neighbors who are appalled that the Board has sanctioned the apparently illegal and certainly inappropriate mud truck events, which have wreaked environmental
destruction upon county land along with obnoxious noise, dust, and exhaust upon the surrounding community. At minimum, this use must be permanently halted.
We believe this valuable parcel has potential to instead become a hub of county efforts to prepare for and mitigate the impacts of climate change and natural disasters as well as serve
other community needs. This is not going to happen under the purview of an ineffective and chaotic fairgrounds board. It will require development of a comprehensive master plan that
considers the best purpose and use of the property in light of its location within a residential area. I call upon the County Commission to intervene in the operations of the Board
as well as set steps in motion to enable a master plan process.
Thank you for your consideration.
Respectfully, Tom Buell