Staff writer
County fairgoers won’t be tipping brews at this year’s demolition derby, as Hillsboro city council voted Tuesday to deny the fair board’s request for a one-night only beer garden.
Fair board members looked at the beer garden’s fundraising potential, but police chief Dan Kinning’s concerns about safety held more sway with the council.
“Particularly what they are trying to do is keep the use of alcohol down,” city administrator Larry Paine said. “This could be attributed to more police work.”
Brandi Barney, Brent Unruh, and Nathan Fish were at the meeting to represent Marion County Fair Board, and explained to council members that that they had a different understanding of Kinning’s position.
“The assumption we got was that he didn’t approve of it,” Barney said, “but that he was not going to tell us no.”
“There’s already plenty of law enforcement there,” Unruh added. “They wouldn’t have to add any other law enforcement on top of what they already do and we’d already be doing our own security on top of that inside of the beer garden. Obviously if it’s something we can’t handle, they’re gonna be there regardless”
Though they said the beer garden could help raise money for the fair, councilman Bob Watson was still not in favor.
“I know it sounds like you tried to do your due diligence and somewhere there was a cross up,” Watson said, “but honestly if the police department is not in favor I can’t vote for it.”
Watson said that he agrees the county needs the fair and he appreciated what they were trying to do.
While the council did not feel the beer garden was the way to go, a comment was thrown around about how the fair needs to be “spiced up.”
“This is the Marion
County Fair,” Fish said. “Not the Hillsboro fair.”
Though the council voted unanimously to deny a beer garden at the demolition derby, no council members offered any suggestions when Barney asked for ideas to help raise money for the fair.
“We’re just trying to keep this going and not see it die out,” Barney said.
In other news:
- City council waived rental payments of Salem Home for four months. They had previously approved a six-month waive of rental fees for Salam Home.