The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

Wahkiakum County commissioners expressed differing ideas Tuesday on how to move forward with the suggestion that Port District 2 assume management of the Wahkiakum County Fairgrounds and Fairgrounds Park.

Commissioner Dan Cothren recently visited the Port District 2 board of commissioners to discuss the idea, and news of the talks caused concern among personnel and volunteers involved with the Wahkiakum County Fair. Those concerns came to the surface last week.

Both county and port commissioners have emphasized they don't want to interfere with fair activities.

Port 2 commissioners later decided they would prepare a management proposal for further discussion.

On Tuesday, Commissioner Mike Backman said he wanted to meet with fair personnel to work on the issue.

"I don't want to wait and see what the port's proposal will be," he said. "I don't like that."

Commissioner Dan Cothren disagreed.

"I would like to see what Port 2 has to offer and then see what the fair wants," he said. "

"All I'm saying is that it has to benefit every body," Backman said.

Cothren commented that funding for the fair is getting tighter all the time. The state is ending paramutuel funding, and the county's reserves have dried up.

"We don't have the money," he said.

Backman pointed out that most of the people involved in the fair are volunteers. If there are changes that impact them, they could leave, and the fair would suffer.

"I guarantee you that the port won't put on the fair," he said. "We need to protect our fair."

Commissioner Blair Brady cautioned that the port and county are only exploring possibilities, not major policy decisions.

"I want to hear all the options," he said. "We're having discussions to see what works."

Auditor Diane Tischer agreed. "You want to hear from the port first so you know what they want to do," she said.

"Speculation will get you in trouble," Cothren said.

So, the county board will wait to hear a proposal from Port 2.