BY MARK J. CRAWFORD
Telegraph Editor
STARKE — Work can begin in earnest on new fairgrounds buildings now that the cost of construction permits has been decided.
Fair Manager Dale Woodruff and Fair Board President Bob Milner asked the county commission Dec. 6 to waive the building and other permitting fees for the project. The board waived a portion of the fees based on the original calculation — $2,655 — but not the final calculation, which had ballooned to $7,440.
Commissioners questioned why permitting had not been considered as a cost when seeking $3 million from the state to continue the rebuild. Economically, the board is also not in a position where it can waive fees.
Fees on permits do not fund general government, but they do fund the costs of the Building and Zoning Office.
Woodruff and Milner said the fees had been waived historically, including the first phase of the project that constructed a new arena that can double as a Category 5 hurricane shelter for more than 800 individuals. That is a public purpose unique to Bradford County in this area. The new barns will serve as storm shelters for animals as well.
Woodruff also countered Commissioner Carolyn Spooner’s claim that the fair was a profit-making enterprise. While they would very much like it to be and work toward that goal, Woodruff said the fair loses money. The fair lost $70,000 last year, he said. Wet weather forced closure of the fair because of a “river” running through the midway.
Preventing a repeat of that disaster is why the fair board is bringing in hundreds of truckloads of fill dirt to elevate the fairgrounds by six inches or more. Stormwater will drain to ditches along the highway and railroad.
“This will hopefully allow for the expansion of the midway, which is key to doing this whole thing,” Woodruff said.
Phase 2 will see the construction of three new barns — one each for cattle and swine, and a third for poultry, rabbits and goats. The first two will be 9,500 square feet and the third will be 5,000 square feet. They will be state of the art facilities, Woodruff said.
Milner talked about a third phase that could also serve a public purpose. That phase will see the demolition and replacement of buildings one and two with a new building featuring a full commercial kitchen and meeting space. In addition to rental for events, it could also serve as an emergency operations center and staging ground for emergency response.
There was confusion or miscommunication about why the fairgrounds was not utilized when a storm shelter was opened at Starke Elementary earlier this year. Schools must be closed for the duration that a shelter is opened there. Inability to predict how long a shelter will be open can lead to additional days of canceled classes.
According to the fairgrounds, they were not approached. While the school district makes the call on school closures, it is the emergency management office that decides the opening of storm shelters, Milner said, and they are happy to work with emergency management when called upon.
The board voted to reduce the permit fees by $2,655.
Woodruff said they are ready to break ground on Phase 2 as soon as the permits are issued.
Most work will not be complete by the 2023 fair in March, aside from work to elevate and improve drainage of the midway.
