Pavilion sidewalk, fans, cages addressed
Total money raised for the Phillips County Pavilion and Education Center is right around the $2 million mark, and the board of commissioners continues to seek funds, make changes and prioritize spending for the project, which was reported at the June 29 meeting.
As of June 13, the day Hot Dog Wednesday was hosted at the pavilion, $1,948,578 had been raised, not counting about $86,000 in naming rights. The board also recently held a public meeting to review the County’s U.S. Department of Agriculture grant application. If received, the grant will help fund the large fans slated to go in the pavilion.
The board approved a change order for Skarco, who is doing the concrete work for the project. Eighty feet of 6-foot sidewalk was added to the east wall of the pavilion, connecting all of the walk doors at a cost of $3,120.
A request for new rabbit and poultry cages, on the other hand, was put off. Carrie Anderson showed commissioners a new type of cage that the fair board would like to see purchased, noting that the existing cages aren’t in very good condition.
With the cost of new cages at $5,000, commissioners suggested the old cages be used for this year’s fair and that fundraising be done to purchase new ones in the future.
With completion of the pavilion nearing, commissioners are reviewing fees charged by similar indoor arenas in an effort to set fees for use of the pavilion.
Board addresses Omimex complaint
After receiving a complaint from Matt Newman and Naomi Newman about odor and noise issues coming from Omimex’s Smoky Hill Compressor agreed to provide recommendations to Omimex in a letter. Commissioners reported that action is being taken to address the odor but that additional information, such as a decibel reading by the Newmans, will be needed before the noise issues can be addressed.
Other business
In other business throughout the month of June, the board:
— Approved Kathy Secrist, coordinator of the mobile food pantry program, to change deliveries from Food Bank of the Rockies from the first Wednesday of the month to the first Monday of the month, assuming she coordinates the new dates with the Event Center.
— Approved an annual intergovernmental agreement with the City of Sterling for logging calls for the communications center at $1,800 per year to maintain the AIS logger and recorder.
— Met with Darlene Carpio, representative of Sen. Cory Gardner’s office, to receive an update on legislation that Gardner is supporting.
— Approved a subdivision exemption for Schlachter Farms for the sale of approximately six acres in the NE1/4 of Section 20, T7N, R44W, half a mile south of Holyoke.
— Approved a beer garden for the Phillips County Fair, July 25-28, from 2 p.m.-midnight, assuming the fair board obtains the proper special events permit from the City of Holyoke.
— Approved a $42,500 proposal from Simon Construction to crush the current stockpile of concrete at the landfill, to be used on roads.
— Hired Lonnie Vernon as the fairgrounds complex supervisor, replacing Forest Coronado who recently resigned.