News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
A Cumberland County Commission Subcommittee concerned about who bears responsibility for preparing the community complex for the fair.
Fair Subcommittee Member Terry Lowe said the fair board recently shared complaints about landscaping and fence repairs that need to be done around the property. Lowe said the fair has a contract with the county to use the complex, but he does not believe the county is required to do any additional maintenance to prepare for the fair.
“I want the complex to look good too, but a lot of the stuff that they want done is more or less just for them,” Lowe said. “You know, if they want certain things done that’s just for the fair, that’s more or less, in my opinion that’s their responsibility.”
Lowe said it is important that the county maintains the complex to a certain standard, but it would be a poor use of taxpayer dollars to do unnecessary work. Lowe said he is going to review their contract with the fair to ensure the county is meeting all of its obligations.
“Even during the fair, it’s mowed and kept clean,” Lowe said. “The fair don’t do any cleaning of, that I know of. I don’t know that they’ve, it’d be great if they did, the fair board could bring their weed eaters and come down there. If they don’t like the appearance of it, they could come down there and get it ready.”
Lowe said Subcommittee Chairperson Wendell Wilson made a list of the items the fair board wanted to be fixed and met with County Mayor Allen Foster to see what could be done.
“Wendell (Wilson) did tell me there’s a door they’ve got problems with and they’ve got it in the budget this year to replace that door,” Lowe said. “But it cannot be done until after our budget, county budget, is passed in August which will be too late to get it fixed for the fair this year.”
Lowe said maintenance of the community complex is handled by the county year-round through Manager Donald Moody.
“I feel like as a whole he does a good job,” Lowe said. “He’s a little understaffed but, and he does a good job on the overall appearance. The mowing, I’ve never seen it to where it looked like it needed mowing too bad.”
Lowe said it is a recurring issue for the fair board to complain about the state of the community complex each year when it gets close to the time of the fair. He said last year, the board expressed concerns about parking.
