County fair cutbacks: Lonely fairgrounds

Manager: ‘I’m fixing everything’

Fairgrounds Manager Randy Hatfield with a 1982 fair photo. Del Norte Triplicate/Bryant Anderson

After losing state funding, the fairgrounds cut $150,000 from its annual expenses — still leaving it $50,000 in the red last year.

In order to make up for the $200,000 lost in state funding (one-third of its total budget), the fairgrounds made widespread cuts, including two full-time positions and some part-time positions.

“We tried to cut everything besides staff, and then cutting staff was the last thing we could do,” said fairgrounds manager Randy Hatfield, who now personally handles more fair duties. When a reporter stopped by his office last week, Hatfield was soaked from his new outdoor maintenance chores. “The days go by really fast because I’m fixing everything.”

Early last year, the state cut all of the $32 million in funding that was doled out to the Network of California Fairs.

The Western Fairs Association (a trade organization representing 72 of California’s 80 fairs) will hold its annual convention next week in Anaheim, with a heavy focus on the future of California fairs funding. Hatfield is attending and hopes to learn ways to move forward.

“No one else but the fairs had to go from full funding to zero in one fiscal year,” said WFA executive director Stephen Chambers. “We expected reductions, but we were surprised by a 100 percent cut.”

The original grandstands in the 1920s. Del Norte Triplicate/Bryant Anderson

WFA has made the argument that the funding cut will end up costing the state more than it saves if fairs are forced to close. In 2009, the Network of California Fairs brought in $127 million in state and local taxes, and was funded with $32 million from the general fund.

“I think it’s a mistake because fairs provide a four to one ratio of return,” said state Sen. Doug LaMalfa, who represents Del Norte County and is chairman of the Joint Committee on Fairs.

LaMalfa introduced a bill last May that would eliminate the requirement that county fairs pay for annual state audits through the California Department of Food and Agriculture. Instead, fairs would conduct audits when the  Fair Board or the county Board of Supervisors asked for one, which would be much cheaper than state audits.

In a statement last May, LaMalfa said that current laws require fairs to get state permission for such basic actions as purchasing paper towels.

“If the state is not going to support them the way they have in the past, then the state is going to need to back away from putting constraints on how they operate,” LaMalfa said.

Hatfield estimates that state audits and other state requirements cost the Del Norte County Fair an $25,000 a year.

“Small- and medium-sized fairs are really going to struggle in 2012,” Chambers said, even though fairs performed strongly in 2011 with overall attendance throughout the WFA up 7 percent.

The Del Norte County Fairgrounds is in better shape than most after foreseeing the possibility of a state cutback.

Two years ago, California fairs funding started coming out of the state’s general fund. For decades, the primary funding source was the licensing fees from parimutuel horse racing (bets on horse racing).  When the horse racing industry started struggling in California, the general fund took over and has supported California fairs since fiscal year 2009/2010.

The midway will remain a major attraction at this year’s county fair. Del Norte Triplicate/Bryant Anderson

The fair has already cut staff down to part time, cut office and maintenance supplies, and cut $15,000 from last year’s entertainment budget. Another $10,000 is slated to be cut from this year’s entertainment budget, but Hatfield said fairgoers shouldn’t worry.

“I don't think the quality of the fair is going to change at all. It’s going to be just as strong as ever,” Hatfield said. The main act, the rodeo and the demolition derby will all take place again this year, as well as nightly karaoke contests, an inexpensive but fun form of entertainment, Hatfield said.

LaMalfa is optimistic about the future of California fairs.

“Most legislators do see the value of keeping fairs going even if the state does not fund them,” LaMalfa said. “They’re an important part of the fiber, especially in rural counties.”

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