Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By P.J. GLISSON
Ironwood — At its Wednesday, Dec. 20, meeting, the Gogebic County Board of Commissioners had expected to hear an address from the Gogebic County Fair Board regarding a pending 2024 fair.
However, in a Tuesday, Dec. 19, phone call, Fairground Coordinator Marlene Saari said that fair board members are not yet ready to submit a preliminary proposal.
Although commissioners had voted in a recent meeting to cancel the fair, the Fair Board since had countered with the possibility of compromising with a smaller-scale event.
As a result, county board members had requested a formal proposal from the fair board.
“We want to make sure we take in all the county’s concerns,” Saari told The Globe in explaining the delay and the results of “a long meeting” and “a lot of discussion” at a special fair board session on Dec. 14.
Hence, in a letter dated that same day, James Byrns — who chairs the fair board — indicated that fair board members desire more guidance first.
“The plan will address the county board’s concerns with safety and security of any areas that may be under construction or need immediate repairs/improvements, such as repairing the roads,” said Byrns. “The intent is to hold a community event with temporary facility solutions until long-term facility improvements can be determined.”
He concluded, “The fair board seeks the county board’s input as we develop the proposal so that we meet all the county’s concerns.”
Progress on the pending plan has been hindered by the county board’s refusal to make any serious commitments regarding next year’s fair while insurance settlements relating to the fairground’s Sept. 26 fire are still unresolved.
As County Board Chairman James Lorenson has said, it is impossible yet to know what construction may be occurring on the fairgrounds until the county knows what insurance funds will be available and when.
Moreover, the county also is awaiting a comprehensive review of replies to a recent invitation it extended to its cities and townships that may be interested in hosting the fair in their locales. Those parties have until the start of the new year to submit their responses.
That invitation occurred after a Sept. 26 fire, combined with prior demolition, had resulted in the loss of five fairground structures.
The county also is losing Saari, who said in a Dec. 15 letter to county commissioners that she is resigning her role with the fair to become the clerk in Ironwood Township, effective Jan. 1, 2024.
