WASHINGTON CO. COMMISSIONERS TABLE ACTION ON FAIR ASSOCIATION LEASE
Washington County Commissioners held off on proceeding with a new lease agreement between the Washington County Fair Association and the Washington County Expo at their meeting today (Tuesday).
The court opted to table action to allow more time to negotiate the insurance portion of the agreement between the county and the Fair Association, which sets out the rental rate schedule and other guidelines for the use of Expo facilities during the county fair.
The county is seeking to list the Fair Association as co-insured or add an indemnity clause, while the Fair Association wants to maintain its own liability separate from the county to avoid taking on the county’s liability and exposure.
Fair Manager Dean Fuchs encouraged all parties to remember that the youth of the county should be at the forefront of all conversation.
The agreement, if approved, would begin retroactively on January 1st and would end on December 1, 2046, with five five-year annual lease payment adjustments. The annual rate for the 2022-26 term would be $40,000, going up to $54,000 by the 2042-46 term.
The original document had lease fee payments scheduled monthly, but Fuchs asked that the Fair Association instead be allowed to make payments quarterly, so that they can be paid out ahead of the fair.
Also at today’s meeting, commissioners:
- Approved filling the vacancy in Justice of the Peace Precinct 3, due to the resignation of Ken Tofel, pursuant to Texas Local Government Code section 87.041.
- Met in executive session to discuss economic development negotiations and the possible offer of financial or other incentives to Project Restart, a business looking to locate, stay or expand in the county.
- Proclaimed April as Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month in Washington County. The Department of Family Protective Services, Washington County Child Welfare Board and CASA for Kids of South Central Texas will host a night of prayer for abused and neglected children in Washington County on Sunday, April 24th at 6 p.m. on the Washington County Courthouse lawn. The featured guest speaker will be State Senator Lois Kolkhorst.
- Approved price increases from Cleveland Asphalt Products and Waller County Asphalt for the contracts of oils and asphalts awarded December 28th. County Engineer Wesley Stolz explained that the increases amount to 15.5 percent and approximately 10 percent for Cleveland Asphalt, and roughly 12 percent for Waller County Asphalt. He believes these are not unreasonable increases, adding that the cost of rejecting them and going back out for bid would be “unfavorable,” given that other low bids received in December were higher than these new price increases.
- Authorized the county engineer to advertise for sealed bids for the service of seal coating. Bids will be opened on Monday, April 25th at 9 a.m. at the Washington County Courthouse, and a bid will be accepted on Tuesday, May 3rd during commissioners court.
- Received a presentation from the Washington County Extension Service on the quarterly impact report.
- Approved the closing of Cedar Street from FM 1155 to Church Street, Sycamore Street from FM 1155 to FM 2447, and Poplar Street from FM 1155 to Church Street, along with the designation of Providence Street as the access route to allow for traffic flow in a one-way direction, during the Bluebonnet Festival on Saturday and Sunday. The court also approved applications for a mass gathering permit and right of way permit for the festival.
- Approved a right of way permit application for the MS 150.
- Approved formal notice for a utility installation of a well monitoring program for MicroSeismic, Inc. for Sandstone Road, Wildflower Road, Oevermann Road, Nixon Lake Road and Harmon School Road in Precinct 4.
- Approved formal notice from Industry Telephone Company for buried utility installations on Raymond Lehmann Lane, Wildwood Road and Dead End Lane in Precinct 4.
- Approved an annual renewal bond for Floyd J. Mathis with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.
The fair association should never sold it’s part of the fair grounds to the county a few yrs. back in the first place, since WC taking control the facilities it has become more run down than ever, surrounding counties have really improved facilities where WC has a arena that is unsafe for competing animals & participants on the compacted soil, ADA is non existent on the grounds except in the main hall that stays locked. overall appearance is rundown & wide open for anyone all hrs day or night to park or do whatever at time
just recently the fairgrounds name was changed seems to me there would be no expo center if it were not for the fair association nothing but politics making things complacated
And the sign in the front still say Washington county fair grounds!! Where the new one
The fair association needs to go buy there own land I bet that would get interesting
The fair association should never sold it’s land to the county a few yrs. back in the first place. since the county has taken control it’s more rundown than ever, arena is unsafe for animals to compete, only ADA facilities on the grounds is the main event center & it stays locked