The future of the Sherburne County Fair may be a bit clearer now. After a 90-minute meeting last Wednesday, the Sherburne County Fairgrounds Task Force voted to recommend a new 10-year agreement between the county and the Sherburne County Agricultural (Ag) Society to lease the current fairgrounds site in Elk River.

 

The current 30-year lease, which both parties entered into in 1986, expires May 31, 2015.

 

Earlier this year, fair board members approached the county about adding a building at the site. They also wanted to discuss extending the lease.

 

In response to those requests, the county initiated a task force to discuss whether the fair should remain in Elk River or relocate to the Oak Savanna property in Becker, which was donated by Bill and Margaret Cox for a fairgrounds.

 

When the task force met for the first time in May, the main discussion points were current finances, the cost of moving, the cost of staying in Elk River and whether the county or the fair board should invest money to improve the current site if no one knew how long they were staying there.

 

Last Wednesday. Sherburne County Administrator Steve Taylor came to the meeting prepared with some preliminary costs to relocate the fair from four different architectural firms.

 

“Relocating the fairgrounds to Becker would come with a price tag of $4 million to $8 million,” he said. “That represents moving the equivalent structures that we have today in Elk River out to Becker. It would all be new construction.”

 

Taylor said the final cost could be lower, depending on whether there were volunteers doing some of the work and whether some of the materials were donated.

 

The final cost also depends on the amount of infrastructure improvements that needed to be done, like roads and utilities.

 

Taylor said there were also significant improvement costs to keep the fair in Elk River. As part of the lease discussion, he recommended a professional facility assessment of the current site to determine the condition of the buildings and what improvements needed to be made.

 

He also recommended forming a fairgrounds building and grounds committee with representation from the county and fair board. He said one of the issues in the past was repairs and improvements made by the fair board without county knowledge or approval.

 

“We can have three members of the county and fair board talking to each other about some of the priority projects that need to be done,” he said. “Just to refresh everyone’s memory, I don’t know if all the fair board members realize this, the county owns the property - the land as well as the buildings. That’s what the lease says today. I think it would behoove everyone if we worked in partnership more - the county and the fair board.”

 

Discussion followed again about whether the county should commit to moving the fair at a specific date, or wait until a developer showed interest in the current site.

 

Taylor said the site in Becker is dedicated for a fairgrounds and nothing else. He felt the highest and best use of the current site is not for a fairgrounds, but to be developed. 

 

“That’s my opinion, based on where it is in the city and based on its size and what’s around it,” he said. “So at what point do we start planning for a property that will never be on the tax rolls that’s been dedicated for a fairgrounds?”

 

Russel Kostreba of the Ag Society said uncertainty has been one of the biggest problems with the fair board. And a signing an agreement for just a few years wouldn’t help.

 

“A short term lease still gives that unstable situation where nobody wants to make improvements,” he said. “Nobody wants to do new things because maybe we’re not going to be here in three years or five years.

 

Becker City Administrator Greg Pruszinske asked Taylor if that meant the sale of the property in Elk River was the trigger for the move.

 

“Yeah,” Taylor said. “Or a purchase agreement, or some kind of conversation.”

 

“Wouldn’t it make more sense to have a date in mind?” asked Pruszinske.

 

John Winkelman of the Ag Society agreed.

 

“We need a date to move forward. The Ag Society already told the fair board back in 2002 they had five years to put some plan together and start thinking about moving. But they haven’t done that,” he said.

 

“The commissioners have also thrown something on the table about a year for the move. But that’s come and gone. Nothing has ever been mapped out.”

 

Debbi Rydberg from the Elk River Chamber of Commerce said the county commissioners should set a timetable so everyone is on the same page.

 

“Here’s when we’re moving. Here’s how you’re going to get there. That’s being proactive,” she said. “But if you just wait until the property sells, then you’re being reactionary.”

 

Commissioner John Riebel said even if the current site had a buyer, it would take a long time to get the new site in Becker ready for the fair.

 

“You can’t move this fair in six months,” he said.

 

Rydberg said that’s why being proactive is important.

 

“Whoever wants to buy it might lease it to the fair for the next fair, but they’re going to want to use it,” she said. “Or else why are they buying it? It’s up to the commissioners to say here’s the timetable.”

 

Elk River Mayor John Dietz said there isn’t much chance anyone would be interested in buying the current site anytime soon.

 

“You’re under a false impression that the land is going to sell tomorrow. It’s been there for years,” he said.

 

Dietz said he spoke with the building owner across the street who said the only way he gets tenants is by renting below market rates.

 

“It’s going to be a long time before it happens,” he said. “Even if you sell it, where are you going to come up with $4-8 million? Who’s going to be left paying the bill?”

 

Commissioner Bruce Anderson said he’s spoken to lots of people and there is still a lot of support to keep the fair in Elk River. He made a motion to sign a new 10-year lease with the terms proposed by Taylor, including the formation of a building and grounds committee, a professional facility assessment and an outside financial audit every 2-3 years. 

 

Included in the motion is the formation of a separate document outlining the county’s plan and timetable for moving the fair.

 

A few members were reluctant to extend the lease for 10 years. Some suggested 3-5 years or 4-8 years. But the motion for a 10-year lease passed by a vote of 8-6.

 

“We don’t have complete consensus here,” said Taylor, “but I think we’re perhaps getting closer.”

 

The lease proposal will be presented to the county commissioners for their approval at a future meeting.

 

Fairgrounds Taskforce members are: Commissioner Bruce Anderson; Commissioner John Riebel; Steve Taylor, Administrator; Sarah Chur, 4H/Extension; Irene Kostreba, Ag Society; Russell Kostreba, Ag Society; Marion Salzmann, Ag Society; John Winkelman, Ag Society; Lefty Kleis, Mayor, City of Becker; Greg Pruszinske, Administrator, City of Becker; Cal Portner, City of Elk River; Alan Peterson, District #4 Rep.; Debbi Rydberg, Elk River Chamber of Commerce; Barbara Burandt, Elk River City Council; John Dietz, Mayor, City of Elk River; Carole Iten, Fair Board; Roger Kostreba, Fair Board.