Fairground future uncertain

KINGMAN – The Mohave County Fair Association’s 34-year run administering the Fairgrounds facilities in Kingman could be near its end. The Board of Supervisors voted Monday to terminate its lease with the association and place the Fairgrounds under the administration of the County Parks Department and Director Kristin Zimmerman.

Supervisors heard only unfavorable reviews of the Association and its Fairgrounds operation during Monday’s Board meeting. Some of the criticism came from Gerald Olson, a Kingman man whose been involved in fairgrounds function for more than 3 decades.

“The last five years has been rough for the Fairgrounds. Poor management and poor decision making have led to the current situation,” Olson said. “I believe the time is right for the county to step up and take over the operations of the Mohave County Fairgrounds.”

District 1 Supervisor Travis Lingenfelter said he is disturbed by discrepancies and inadequate accounting, a $40,000 line of credit the Association used to meet expenses and instability resulting from the termination of one manager and the resignation of another since the spring.

“They’ve gone through so many managers. They’ve got a line of credit to pay payroll and utilities and they’ve got buildings falling apart and, just the negligence,” Lingenfelter said. “I think we should take this over immediately.”

Lingenfelter said the county has plenty of evidence of breach to terminate the lease. Deputy county attorney Tyler Palmer, however, noted that the agreement provides opportunity for the Association to correct a breach to maintain the lease.

Whether the Association will attempt to do so remains in question. Member Becky Fawson said there were too many unanswered questions and that the Fair Association Board made no decision at its Monday meeting, hours after county supervisors concluded their session.

Zimmerman told supervisors her department, with help from the state Fair Board, will be able to conduct the annual county fair rapidly approaching with a Sept. 16 start. She said it would be smaller in scale, however, though there would still be a carnival and youth activity.

County Manager Sam Elters said there’s clearly need to audit Fairgrounds finances.

“I think the board needs to have a clear and accurate accounting of assets and liabilities and so on,” Elters said. He said he is recommending that a forensics audit be conducted by an outside and independent party.

 A county parks department vehicle and employee were present at the Fairgrounds early Tuesday. County officials were unable to answer initial questions regarding physical possession of the property, management transition timetable and when two Fairgrounds maintenance personnel and a part time office manager might become county employees.

Dave Hawkins