Jefferson County OKs hiring full-time director for fair park

By Steve Sharp of the Daily Times staff
Wednesday, September 12, 2007 12:33 PM CDT

JEFFERSON - County officials are continuing their push to see the Jefferson County Fair Park operate independent of taxpayer support. Their latest move in hope of that happening was taken Tuesday evening when supervisors approved hiring a full-time Fair Park Director.

The person serving in the position will be responsible for the overall management of the Jefferson County Fair Park, including staffing, administration, operations, promotion and marketing. The resolution approved by Jefferson County supervisors during their regular session for September stated the position would allow the fair park supervisor to concentrate on building and grounds maintenance of the expanded park. After long consideration, the county's human resources committee recommended the position be created by the board of supervisors. It was also recommended by the fair park committee.

A fiscal note attached to the resolution stated the anticipated maximum additional cost of the position in 2007 is $7,046. The successful applicant would likely start work in December. The anticipated annual cost of wages and benefits for the new Fair Park Director is $105,238.

Six supervisors - Ron Buchanan, Marvin Munyon, Pam Rogers, Gregory Torres, August Lehmann and Carl Zentner - voted against the position, however. The vote was 23-6, with Supervisor Rodney Laudenslager absent. As a budget amendment, 20 affirmative votes were required for passage.

Buchanan said he was hesitant to pass such a resolution before an audit is conducted of the operational efficiency of the fair park. Rogers said the county is in a “very troubling budget debate” this year and that operations will likely have to be cut, therefore such a hire is inappropriate.

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“We have some possible county layoffs,” she said. “I'm concerned we're spending too much here.”

Supervisor Jim Mode offered a successful amendment to the resolution stating that the person should be hired for three years, then be evaluated to determine whether they should be retained.

“We're between a rock and a hard place,” Mode said.

Many others spoke in support of the position. Harold Bockmann said the county fair park has been huge investment for the county and should be given as much chance to succeed as possible. He said the cost of paying a person to market the park will pay off.

Gail Towers MacAskill of the board spoke repeatedly in favor of the hiring.

“The money coming in will be greater than the money going out, because you will have someone in there who knows marketing,” she said.

Jefferson County Administra-tor Gary Petre said Fair Park Supervisor Roger Kylmanen does not have time to market the fair park facility.

“This hiring would be made in an attempt to reduce tax levy support of the park and to make the park self-sustaining,” Petre said.

Howard Wiedenhoeft of the board also backed the hiring. “We are short-staffed at the fair park and if we get a director in there it will give us the help we need and we will be able to grow,” he said.

Steve Nass spoke several time in favor of the new post.

“We've put a big investment into that facility and they need some professional help out there,” Nass said.

“This is not a simple operation anymore,” Wiedenhoeft added.

The board also approved the county's participation in a National Association of Counties (NACo) Prescription Drug Discount Card Program for county residents.

Petre proposed the county join a growing number of counties nationwide in participating in the program.

The NACo Prescription Discount Card Program offers average savings of 20 percent off the retail price of commonly prescribed drugs. The discount cards would be available to all county residents, regardless of age, income or existing health coverage. There will be no cost to the county for participating in this membership benefit.

"The NACo prescription drug discount card can offer savings on prescription drug purchases by all county residents," Petre told the Daily Times. "Even those residents who have prescription drug insurance or are participating in Medicare Part D plan may use the discount card for prescription drugs that are not covered under their insurance or Medicare."

He noted that using the NACo prescription discount card is easy.

"A cardholder can simply present the card at a participating pharmacy," he said. "There is no enrollment form, no membership fee and no restrictions or limits on frequency of use. Cardholders and their family members may use the card any time their prescriptions are not covered by insurance."

This discount program will primarily benefit prescription drug users who are uninsured or underinsured. Individuals and family members who are unemployed, part-time workers, self-employed, small business owners or employees, retirees and senior citizens will be the primary beneficiaries of this discount program.

He said that, by the end of this year it is anticipated that there will be more than 1,000 counties nationwide participating in this program. Since its inception in 2004, NACo estimates that the program has saved county residents $40 million in prescription drug costs, Petre said.

The board then voted 24-5, with Vic Imrie, Greg David, John Kannard, Mike Burow and Carl Zentner dissenting, to allow Petre to petition for the annexation by the city of Jefferson of approximately 360 acres of county land. The property is currently part of Countryside Farm and comprises a portion of 500 acres owned by the county on the southwest side of Jefferson. The property lies east of County Highway W, which includes the land needed for the proposed state Highway 26 bypass of Jefferson.

There is no direct fiscal impact to the county of this annexation. The land will remain owned by Jefferson County until it can be sold, or it may remain used agriculturally. County officials said the value of the land may be greater if it is annexed, because the state will need to acquire right-of-way through the area for the bypass.

“This is just another step in urbanization of the county farm land that should remain used for agricultural purposes,” Zentner said, adding it appears the county is only trying to “extract” more money from the state, which will need a portion of the property. He said the state will then pass the land cost right back to Wisconsinites through higher taxes.

Burow was also critical of the resolution, saying the county talks frequently of the value of land preservation, “then we want to annex this to make a few bucks.”

Tighter smoking regulations were approved for county facilities and grounds by a vote of 20-9 before the board voted to place a shelter at Korth Park. The shelter will also include bathrooms and a storage facility.

Carol Ward Knox was approved by the board to replace the outgoing Bockmann in District No. 17 at the close of the session.