Jeffco considering options for fairgrounds

For many, the Jefferson County Fairgrounds is home.

Take Caiden Flynn, who has spent four years of his young life perfecting the sport of rodeo at the county fairgrounds. Flynn, president of the Jefferson County High School Rodeo team, is just one of dozens who packed a Fairgrounds Advisory Committee meeting on Jan. 21, encouraging the county to retain the historic property that’s home to some 1,200 events annually.

“Rodeo is alive and well in Jefferson County, and I don’t want a single one of you to believe otherwise,” Flynn said. “(Closing the fairgrounds) is going to displace 250 kids who come to compete in hopes of making nationals and going even further than that.”

Nothing is set in stone for the fairgrounds, but County Manager Don Davis on Jan. 21 presented three options to the Fairgrounds Advisory Committee. He plans to brief the commissioners on the same choices during a Feb. 4 staff briefing with a public hearing likely to follow on Feb. 11. Final budget decisions will be made in the fall.

Read more here: www.canyoncourier.com/content/jeffco-con...-options-fairgrounds
By Deborah Swearingen
Thursday, January 23, 2020

Jeffco to Host Brainstorming Session on Possible Reductions at Fairgrounds

Jefferson County has invited members of equine and agriculture organizations to participate in a brainstorming session at the Jeffco Fairgrounds on Tuesday, Jan. 28, from 6 – 7:30 p.m., to identify and consider potential options to preserve those types of activities at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds. The meeting is open to the public for interested parties to attend and listen.

Jefferson County is evaluating whether to reduce or eliminate operations at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds as it explores ways to further reduce its operating budget in 2021. The county has already reduced its 2020 budget by $16.1 million following last year’s decision by voters not to approve Ballot Initiative 1A, and the Jefferson County Fairgrounds costs the county $1.8 million annually to operate.

More information can be found here: www.jeffco.us/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1075

Source

From the Jefferson County Horse Council:
Video of the full 3+ hours of Q&A with County Manager Don Davis at the Jeffco Fairgrounds Advisory Board meeting on January 21, 2020:

Action Alerts:

Save our Jefferson County Fairgrounds!

***UPDATE: Public Meeting Scheduled for Tuesday, Jan 28th @ 6PM***
PLEASE SHARE! County Manager, Don Davis, will be holding a meeting that is open to the public on Tuesday, January 28, 2020 starting at 6:00 pm in the Green Mountain Conference room (please check back in case it gets moved to a larger room) in the Lower Level of the Exhibit Hall at the Jeffco Fairgrounds. Mr Davis will be presenting a new proposal to discuss options regarding the Fairgrounds to a group of stakeholders. There will NOT be any public comment, but all interested parties are encouraged to attend. Let's politely show our support by wearing our cowboy/Westernaires/4-H/FFA/etc. attire.

www.jeffcohorse.com/alerts

There's a new group that's formed if you wish to get more involved: Save the Jeffco Fairgrounds