by Kristina Gabalski
The potential move of the Monroe County Fair to Northampton Park in Ogden, may result in a lawsuit.
According to media reports following a well-attended public forum at the park held Wednesday, June 5, a group of residents retained a lawyer and threatened a lawsuit against the county if it goes ahead with the plan.
Monroe County Legislator Cynthia Walker Kaleh, who attended the June 5 public forum, said Monroe County and the Monroe County Fair and Recreation Association have done a poor job of informing residents about the move.
“There is no reason why the residents shouldn’t be concerned, annoyed and mistrusting of anything put forth at this time,” Kaleh told the Suburban News and Hamlin Clarkson Herald. “The lack of information by the county is astounding, but not unusual by any stretch of the imagination.”
Kaleh said concerns voiced by residents included traffic, noise, air and ground pollution and lack of trust that the fair would not expand to a carnival atmosphere.
She noted some people spoke in favor, but mostly regarding the type of fair the Association is proposing. “They did not state the location was the best, but left that open. There is a feeling that this type of event is needed, to continue to inform, excite and promote agricultural expansion and growth,” Kaleh said.
“The overriding theme was that no one knew about it before it was announced and coming before the legislature for approval. The county should have made this an open process with feedback from the residents as soon as possible to waylay or address them,” Kaleh said.
The Monroe County Legislature meets Tuesday, June 11, and Kaleh says the Democratic Caucus will attempt to table the referral, but she says Republicans, at this point, appear to approve. She said the administration could pull it off the table before the legislature can, and urges residents to sign up for the public forum for next week’s Legislature session.
Officials from the Monroe County Fair and Recreation Association and Monroe County Parks have said the new location was chosen because it is in the middle of farm country and offers many opportunities to improve Northampton Park.
The Suburban News and Hamlin-Clarkson Herald will have more complete and continuing coverage in the next issue, June 16, 2013.
