Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By P.J. GLISSON
Ironwood — The Pat O’Donnell Civic Center may be the site of this year’s Gogebic County Fair in Ironwood.
County Fair Board members voted on Monday evening to have board member Linda Nelson prepare a related proposal to submit to the Gogebic County Board of Commissioners in time for that board’s March 13 meeting.
Board member Thomas Hampston opposed the vote, but all others voted aye.
Before the vote, Nelson said she already had spoken with Jay Kivisto, Civic Center manager, and said that he and his associates like the idea.
“They’re 100% on board with us moving the fair there,” said Nelson, who said that exhibits held in the fairgrounds multipurpose building last year could be held inside of the Civic Center, along with entertainment.
She added that the carnival and livestock tents could be set up outside of the center, which is located right next to Gogebic Community College.
“It would probably cost us roughly $900 a day to rent it,” said Nelson, who added that the cost would include insurance and a liquor license.
Renting a couple of large tents might cost about $1,500 for the fair’s traditional 4-day period, although she said it is not yet clear whether this year’s fair will run that long.
Nelson added that the center also would charge one-time fees of $200 for cleaning and $400 for supplies.
“They could have the market auction there,” she said of 4-H members.
Nelson and board member Shelley Suckow said that horse events likely would be arranged at the Iron County Fairgrounds in Saxon, Wisconsin, since it would be difficult to find a suitable arena in Gogebic County.
If the fair is held at the Civic Center, it is not yet clear how paid admission would work since those grounds are not fenced in as the fairgrounds are.
However, Nelson’s proposal will include a request to use county-owned fairground equipment, which could include some degree of fencing.
Board member Holly Ramme said that, if collecting a formal admission fee is not feasible, then a bucket collection should be considered.
When asked why he voted no on Nelson’s pending proposal, Hampston said he thinks the county fairgrounds should be used. He added that issues with incidents relating to safety — a major issue with county board members — can occur in any location.
Board member James Lorenson, who also chairs the county board, reported a variety of progress in relation to pending fairgrounds construction after the loss of five buildings last year due to demolition or fire.
Lorenson said the state Land Bank Authority has confirmed the county will receive a $350,000 grant that can be used to repair the two race horse barns and, hopefully, the start of repairs on the livestock building.
He said the county is currently working with U.P. Engineering and Architects in Houghton and the Michigan Municipal Risk Management Authority, which is the county’s insurer.
In addition, he said that the county board will vote at its next meeting to apply for a separate state grant of more than $100,000 to cover the cost of refurbishing roadways within the fairgrounds.
Finally, he said that MMRMA is in the process of approving coverage for a new 4-H barn and hay barn to replace the barns lost in the Sept. 26, 2023 fire.
He expects action from them in the “very near future,” followed “hopefully” by construction this summer.
During the meeting’s public comment session, Mary Kusz of Ironwood expressed disappointment in the county board’s vote on Feb. 28 to disallow the fair to occur on the fairgrounds this year.
She suggested that Lorenson, a fair board member who voted against using the fairgrounds this year, should be asked to resign.
Lorenson responded that he voted his conscience and reminded that the county’s insurance company recommended not holding the fair at the fairgrounds due to possible safety issues that could arise from the pending construction.
“I went with the insurance company,” said Lorenson. “I’m not an expert on risk assessment or liability. I’m going to respect those who are.”
“I understand Jim’s viewpoint and I respect that,” said Chairman James Byrns, who focused on moving forward with fairground improvements that will allow the fair to return to its traditional site.
In other news, Kyle Ramme of Ironwood said the summer flea market he manages within the fairground multipurpose building will kick off on May 25. He expects to continue it, with multiple vendors, every other weekend, excluding July 4 and the weekends of Festival Ironwood and Labor Day.
The Fair Board’s next meeting will be on March 18 at 6 p.m. in the office of the fairgrounds multipurpose building.
