Following heated discussion Monday evening between members of the public and the Lyon County Fair Board, the board still stands by its decision to take the Quonset Huts down.
The Lyon County Fair Board office was packed to the brim Monday evening during the board’s monthly meeting with community members seeking information on the location of the proposed multi-purpose building and the future of the Quonset Huts.
Heated discussion took place for nearly an hour during the meeting — all over whether to keep the Quonset Huts, move them or demolish them and where to place a proposed building that Emporia native Clint Bowyer unveiled the plans for in August. He proposed a new 6,000-square foot building during an annual charity event held in late August. The 79 Fund, through the Emporia Community Foundation, will donate $1 million to build the multipurpose building at the fairgrounds.
The building will be multi-functional to hold 300 people. The use of the building will accommodate events such as weddings, concerts and catered events, along with a large variety of community events. Inside the building will be a catering kitchen, coat room, storage, bar and rest rooms. The building’s design will allow for outdoor events as well with overhead doors that will be able to open to the outside. Natural materials will be used to build the building, including materials that are local to this area. An outdoor amphitheater will be another feature of the building with a burm and grassy area for seating.
Chris Phillips of the fair board said the original desire of Bowyer was to have the multi-purpose building built between the Quonset Huts and the rocks on the corner. This does include taking down the huts. The board has already given the Lyon County Commission approval to tear down the Quonset Huts and they reiterated that decision during Monday’s meeting. Bids to remove the Quonsets are going through the Lyon County Commission now.
Phillips also told the board there are several options regarding the Quonsets. To paint the huts, it would be $8,559 per building. Glass would be another $100 per pane. Add to that cost additional repairs and patching of buildings, it would take between $8,000 and $12,000 per hut to get one building up and going, Phillips said.
“Take a look at the foundations,” Phillips said. “The foundations are splitting apart and breaking down. At some point you are going to have to fix the foundation or they are going to fall over.”
E.T. Anderson, grandson of the E.T. Anderson who donated land for the fairgrounds and erected the Quonset huts, was among the speakers during the meeting. In previous meetings, Anderson had said he would pay to paint the Quonsets and replace the glass.
“I think that can be reasonably be taken out of the equation,” Anderson told the fair board.
Phillips also talked about the cost to move a Quonset to another location on the fairgrounds. To move one Quonset it would cost $12,000. Another $6,000 would be needed to put concrete footings down. There would also be required engineering drawings on each building, foundation work and permits. In total, it would cost around $25,000 to move one Quonset, Phillips said.
An audience member asked why the Quonsets had to be moved or destroyed.
“We were trying to abide by his (Bowyer’s) wishes,” Phillips told the room. “The board felt that this was the best location.”
Phillips said the impression the board got is that the preference was to have the Quonset Huts removed.
Lyon County Commission Chairman Scott Briggs jumped into the conversation, telling the group that there is a possibility the funds the 79 Fund is providing could be matched, bringing the total donation to $2 million. He added that it all could be affected by the outcome of the Quonsets and the negative attitude through blogs and other mediums isn’t helping.
“There’s a lot of organizations that want this money,” Briggs said, adding that people who are in charge of plans for the Bowyer building are reading blogs and comments regarding the project.
At this point, all the fair board has is conceptual drawings, Phillips said. They do not have an actual footprint or measurements.
“They don’t know if the buildings (Quonsets) are coming down or staying,” Phillips said, adding that they likely won’t get an exact footprint until that decision is made.
Anderson brought up long-term plans for the fair board. Board members said there has been a long-term plan in place for several years.
Another comment that has been tossed around during this debate is the appearance of the Quonset Huts and references to the Quonsets being “eyesores” or “ugly.” Anderson took exception to the comment.
“No one other than a fair board member or someone who talked to a fair board member has specifically said those are eyesores,” he said.
One board member offered to have Anderson listen to the messages he has gotten regarding the appearance of the Quonsets.
Anderson also brought up the appearance of the fairgrounds in general and stated that mowing and trimming wasn’t being done. This comment was met with resistance from the fair board and even an offer for Anderson himself to do some of the work.
Phillips then talked about repairs that have been made on the fairgrounds through the years. He said the fair board has spent hundreds of hours and spent a hundreds of thoughts of dollars on the fairgrounds.
“Not $1 of that cost went to you, the county or the City of Emporia,” Phillips told the room full of people. “In 25 years the (board) has spent close to $600,000 at no cost or you or the taxpayers of Lyon County.”
Those improvements include $70,000 for the diner, $35,000 apiece for new bathrooms, and $20,000 for blacktop.
The conversation then turned back to the Quonset Huts.
“The buildings themselves are good buildings,” he said. “But they are storage buildings. Unless you put thousands and thousands of dollars to make it into more than a storage building, that’s all it will be — a storage building.”
In other business the board:
- approved a motion to sell engraved memorial bricks for $70 apiece.
- listened to Ed Rathke, facilities manager for the city of Emporia, talk about city and county phone service. He said the city and county are on the same phone system that costs $10.50 for a group of 100 lines. It would cost the fair board between $5,000 and $5,500 to be hooked in. Once set up it would cost the fair board nothing for phone and internet. At $200 a month the board currently pays for phone service, it would take about 2 1/2 years for the system to pay for itself. The board took no action on the concept during Monday’s meeting.
- Phillips talked about sprucing up the Anderson Building. He offered and idea of putting an 8-foot lean-to on the Anderson Building and removing the front exhaust fan and the pole by the front door. It would cost between $18,000 and $19,000 for the lean-to and repairs.
- “The sign on the front of the building needs to be fixed and (there are) holes in the building that need to be fixed,” Phillips said.
No action was taken on the issue.
bobhornet (anonymous) says...
Seems to me that Mr. Anderson likes to talk about philanthropy, but doesn't follow through.
This town had better be careful, lest people like Bowyer and other philanthropic organizations withdraw their generosity. We're being watched--and what observers are seeing isn't pretty. Right now, we look like a small, petty, closed-minded community.
November 9, 2010 at 3:40 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
hawks422 (anonymous) says...
Geez just when something nice gets proposed to make an area of town look more modern & free to the entire county you have a bunch bickering jerks fighting over Quonset Huts no wonder why there is no progress in that one horse town!!! I'm sure future prospects/projects will think twice about wanting to come to Emporia/Lyon Co. when they see this kinda of nonsense going on! Bowyer needs to put the money in another project & teach these people a lesson!
November 9, 2010 at 4:04 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
biscuitboy (anonymous) says...
I agree bobhornet. The decision is made. Let's now get on with it and quit all the griping and complaining.
November 9, 2010 at 4:08 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
biscuitboy (anonymous) says...
I would have never believed that four rundown metal buildings would have become an emotional issue of this scale and magnitude. Only in Euphoria!
November 9, 2010 at 4:13 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
hawks422 (anonymous) says...
The ? is where.... were all these people over the years...they didn't give a darnn about the buildings b4 or else they would of attended to them years ago...but the second someone wants to improve the area...people with agenda's start poping out of the woodworks...tear them eyesores down and make a little progress Emporia/LYCO!!!
November 9, 2010 at 4:34 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mythoughts (anonymous) says...
I've been in Quonset huts that were kept up - had insulation, and some kind of mylar covering on the inside. They had working fans to push the air through, excellent lighting and even a bathroom/ office installed. They were shiny like an airplane from the 1930's. No cracks in the floor, no rust, no pests. If the Anderson family had seen to it that ours were cared for in this way, as they wish to do now, this would not be an issue.
As it is, the huts are tired, broken down, ratty looking - only available to a limited number of people for use - and it's time to let them go. I can't wait for the new multi-use building with an amphitheater to come in!
November 9, 2010 at 4:47 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
You know, it would seem to me that if you want to progress " Forward " and do something with the " Fair Grounds " that is going to save this, in the words of bobhornet, " petty, closed-minded community." That something should be, move the fair grounds to the outskirts of City and then see if Lowes is still interested in locating in a " pety, close-minded community " and let them or any other Business Venture that would be interested develep the land into a business that would at least bring jobs to this " pety, close-minded community " ! Instead of letting a perfectly good Business Location go to waste most of the year and this location will still be mostly wasted, even with a new $ 1,000, 000 " Bowyer " building that may not create any kind of long term substantial jobs.
Oh, don' t get me wrong the Boyer building can still be built, but then, why not develope the rest of the land into some useful job creating enterprise as well ?
And the same goes for the old " Big Lots/KMart property that has set empty and Idle for years and then there is the former Lenza building and the old Modine building ! Does anyone know exactly how much of the old Modine facility Hopkins actually uses ? I have not seen much activity at the old Modine building since Hopkins aquired it and did the aquisition create a substantial number of jobs ?
continued
November 9, 2010 at 4:53 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
continued
This whole arguement seems to me, to be, about use of resources available and the creation of jobs, in order to spur a dying Emporia, economy !
If you are going to destroy something, make sure what you replace it with will improve the economy and standard of living of the areas peoples and not just because you " WANT IT ! "
I asked myself one important question when I heard about Clints' generous gesture ! Will this serve to improve the lives of all of the areas peoples ? And I for the life of me could not see where this would create a substantial number of long term jobs or any discernable revenue to releave any of the tax burdens that have been and are beeing placed on the areas peoples ! I also agree that the Quonset huts do not and will not create a substantial number of jobs or revenue, but neither does the Fair Ground itself, for that matter !
I know I am and will be considered as one of those petty, close-minded people, even a crank-in-chief and destroying Emporia ! But, neither am I someone who jumps blindly into something without giving it great thought and looking at all of the possibilities or the possible draw backs to a plan or endeavor !
The Quonset huts, " BELONG :" to the County, so the County and the Fair Board are legally free to do with them what they will and that is all there is to " IT ", debate/arguement over and done !
I too thank Clint Bowyer for his magnanemous gift, so lets get on with the destruction and construction and move on and appreciate and enjoy the " Gift " when it is built and ready to be put to use !
I just hope that there will be some rules in place about the use of the facility, how it is to be used and strict enforcement of the rules of use and prevailing local laws !
November 9, 2010 at 4:53 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
biscuitboy (anonymous) says...
methusla
In a broad philosophical sense, I agree with you about the location of the fairgrounds. That location was fine when they were located there years ago. But things have changed and now they are in the wrong place.
But for you and I to even utter those words threatens to unleash a firestorm similar to the imbroglio unleashed the last time it was suggested the fairgrounds be moved.
That was the origin of the saying...Save the fairgrounds--Sell the courthouse. If the decision about what to do with the Quonset Huts has caused this much anger and argument....we don't even want to think about going down that road again. JMO
November 9, 2010 at 5:09 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
b3bill (anonymous) says...
I couldn't care less what they do at the Fairgrounds, just as long as it doesn't cost me one additional penny in taxes. The Fairgrounds needs to be self-supporting for all of their projects and expenses. Anyone who believes the Fairgrounds is in need of financial assistance can donate directly to them.
November 9, 2010 at 5:34 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Buffalo_Breath (anonymous) says...
*a small, petty, closed-minded community*
Emporia?
C'mon, man!
November 9, 2010 at 6:24 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bobhornet (anonymous) says...
Buffalo: LOL.
Methusla: Yes, I've called you a crank before, but you're squarely on the right side of this issue! The county should have sold when they had the chance several years ago and had a superb opportunity to relocate to a quality parcel of land. The supporters of that proposition damn near got ran out of town on a rail!
Emporia needs to rediscover the progressive, can-do spirit that has served it well in the past. The restored Granada, the zoo, and Soden's Grove are perfect examples of what this community can do when we stop the infighting and work for a prosperous future.
November 9, 2010 at 6:47 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
wirewatt (Ken Bazil) says...
All I read is how we need to sell the fairgrounds, in case you don't know, the Salvation Army would get the money not the County. Do your home work before you try to start problems.
November 9, 2010 at 8:46 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
wirewatt,
Please explain, why the Salvation Army would get the money from the sale of the Fair Grounds !!!!!
Who actually owns and holds title to the the Fair Grounds ?
And if the Salvation Army owns and holds title to the Fair Grounds, then why is the County and the Lyon County Fair Board in control of every aspect of the " Property " and not the Salvation Army and is the Salvatiion Army listed on the tax roles as the legal owners of the " Property " ?
November 9, 2010 at 9:24 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
uranidiot (anonymous) says...
Just wait until the Salvation Army uses the fair grounds as a staging area to begin the invasion.
November 9, 2010 at 9:29 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
wirewatt,
There are only 3 properties, recorded, that are owned by the Salvation Army !
They are the following properties.
Property Address Sec/Twp/Rng
1951502002006000 SALVATION ARMY 520 CONSTITUTION 15-19-11
1951502017001000 SALVATION ARMY 327 CONSTITUTION 15-19-11
1930501004009000 SALVATION ARMY 2107 E BAYSHORE COURT
None of these properties have anything to do with the Lyon County Fair Grounds.
November 9, 2010 at 9:45 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
GoodMorning (anonymous) says...
From a July 2010 article in the Gazette: The fair board rejected that idea and stated it definitely wanted to keep the fairgrounds at its present location. In addition to the board’s wishes, the sale would have been complicated by a stipulation in the E.T. Anderson family’s original donation of the property to be used as a fairgrounds. The paperwork required that if the property were sold, the Salvation Army would receive monies from the sale.
November 9, 2010 at 10:09 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
uranidiot (anonymous) says...
Monies to fund Operation Freedom Huts.
November 9, 2010 at 10:12 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jasper007 (anonymous) says...
I did the "on-line" poll and voted to have the huts taken down. After hearing so many pros and cons, I now wish the huts could stay. Yes, they are kind of an eye sore, but spruce them up or how about Mr Bowyers building be constructed at another location on the fairgrounds? I heard a suggestion the other day about the old trucking building that has been vacant forever, for sale forever,etc. Couldn't that location be purchsed for the purpose of the fairgrounds? Just wondering.
November 9, 2010 at 10:17 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
biscuitboy (anonymous) says...
This isn't over yet is it? When Bowyer takes his money and takes it someplace else, I hope everybody is happy with their wonderful little huts. Wow!
November 9, 2010 at 10:28 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
biscuitboy (anonymous) says...
As I read the article, Mr Bowyer doesn't want his million dollar donation stuck off in some far corner. Donations like this are not all just altruistic....they are doing it to show the flag. It does not serve that purpose to have the flag out behind the dumpsters someplace.
November 9, 2010 at 10:32 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
uranidiot (anonymous) says...
If I was Mr. Bowyer I would take my racing money on down the road. Shame on Emporia.
November 9, 2010 at 10:35 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
biscuitboy (anonymous) says...
uranidiot
urfunny! Stage their invasion...lol
November 9, 2010 at 10:43 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
alfalfa (anonymous) says...
Years ago SNL did a skit where the Salvation Army had begun drafting people. Remember that uranidiot?
November 10, 2010 at 6:47 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Those buildings have been deteriorating for years. Where has E.T. Anderson been all this time? Had he come forward years ago to take care of these buildings, they wouldn't be in their present condition. C'mon!
Also, this article states how much it will cost to fix and paint those huts. This is hardly sprucing up as some have suggested. It goes much deeper than a coat of paint I'm afraid.
So I take back my suggestion for painting them purple.
Methusla's idea to turn this property into a retail development seems most logical for the modern world, but the original contract sure gets in the way of that.
November 10, 2010 at 7:18 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
rocknroll (anonymous) says...
Opportunities like Mr. Bowyer's do not come along that often for a city the size of Emporia. I hope the city is indeed appreciative of his generosity and follows through on his wishes.
November 10, 2010 at 7:49 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
I know I for one would not make any sort of imporvement to a piece of property that I did not solely own with out conditions put upon it !
November 10, 2010 at 8:03 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
gooseylucy (anonymous) says...
I had been on the fence about this issue. It didn't matter to me if the huts stayed or went. But, I knew I was missing key information. That being the cost to fix up and/or move the huts. Now that I know, I think the huts need to go. I wonder if any other minds have been changed after finding out the whole story? If not, at least they know how much $$ THEY need to donate to keep them around. LOL
November 10, 2010 at 8:53 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
biscuitboy (anonymous) says...
I didn't really care either gooseylucy.... knowing that at my age I would quite probably never go to the fair again and could even be dead before the improvements are finished.
But after learning the removal of the huts was part of the Bowyer plan.....and hearing how much it would cost to save them....I can see no reasonable argument for keeping them. Proceed as planned and let them go off to the great Quonset Hut heaven in the sky. May they rest in peace!.... :-)
November 10, 2010 at 9:08 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mslater (Matt Slater) says...
“No one other than a fair board member or someone who talked to a fair board member has specifically said those are eyesores,”
They are eyesores.
Matt
November 10, 2010 at 11:01 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
neighbor (anonymous) says...
Several on here need to read up on the history of the Fair Grounds, and what stipulations are in place should the decision be made to sell the land. It was all covered here in the Gazette the last time someone thought it would be a good idea to build more retail space there instead of using the already vacant retail spaces that Emporia and Lyon Co citizens didn't patronize or werent able to support well enough to stay in business. Yeah, just what we need, more vacant retail property and strip malls in a few years.
Sure it would cost $12k each to fix up each Quonset Hut, if you hired over priced professional contractors to do the work. Remember the Helicopter at Sodens?
November 10, 2010 at 11:18 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
nutsaboutools (anonymous) says...
Sounds to me like the huts need to go. Mr. Anderson, are you also willing to flip the bill for repairing the foundations? Are you also ready to be held accountable if the the foundation or foundations on these huts fail, with people inside? Is your head in the sand? Many find the huts to be eyesores. It’s time to move forward.
Dave R.
November 10, 2010 at 12:04 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
biscuitboy (anonymous) says...
neighbor
Unfortunately you now have to hire over-priced professional labor to do any painting nowadays....thanks to our new laws that only allow you to spread lead based paint around if you are the property owner. And the law applies even if there has never been any lead based paint on the structure.
I used to paint houses as a side business. It was beneficial to me and to people with limited incomes. Now those people have to hire a professional painter and pay him four thousand dollars to do a job I could have done as well for 15-hundred.
Now there is an example of unneeded and wasteful government regulation. But since it protects the professional painter it is considered progress.
November 10, 2010 at 12:29 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
yev_kassem (anonymous) says...
I am still of the belief that Emporia needs to keep them and basically it goes back to why not? Why get rid of something that offers some benefit to Emporia and replace it with nothing? Yes, Bowyer has said that he would like a certain area but that doesn't mean he is going to be unreasonable about changing the location on the fairground site. And, if he is so stubborn about it, then I vote that we give him a sincere thanks but no thanks response. Why would we let ourselves be controlled by what one person wants to do is beyond me? Let the city and county vote on it and go with the majority.
The huts can be dressed up and if someone was creative enough they could even be dressed up in a way that could compliment Bowyers building. Paint one of them bright yellow and put a 33 on the side of it.
My point is that there are other solutions out there and getting rid of something that is still useful, is wasteful.
November 10, 2010 at 12:41 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
There were no city codes to hamper/guide the painting of the helicopter.
Bless you, Justin! Happy Veterans' Day.
November 10, 2010 at 12:42 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
biscuitboy (anonymous) says...
yev_kassem
I used to have an old beat up truck. It looked like crap, cost a lot of money to keep going, and took up space in my driveway. But it was still usable. I drove it on occasion...and the person I eventually sold it to is still using it today.
But by using your logic I should have kept that truck rather than take advantage of an opportunity to to acquire a new one. I fail to follow the logic.
November 10, 2010 at 1:24 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
Boy, I would like to comment on yev_kassems' post, however using my better judgement, I will not !
November 10, 2010 at 1:29 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
romano1784 (anonymous) says...
Im confused as to all the arguments here. On one hand we have a "celebrity" who wants to donate a building. Nice sentiment, on the other a demolition conversation. Yes it would cost to repair the huts, that goes without saying. But will this building Bowyer wants to put in be big enough to hold all the vendors that show up every year to promote their products/companies/beliefs ect? Or will this building be reasonably priced for use by the average citizen? or will it end up being cost effective for only the "country club" elite? It seems pointless to me to build a brand new building where so many buildings are vacant now. My own opinion is to get some "regulation" on WalMart so we can get some new retailers in here to bring new products/jobs/ect. We cant get anything made in america now due to walmart imported products. Sorry i rant. Again though why build something when you can save so much more by just renovating one of the dozen vacant businesses all over town? they arent all hidden behind the dumpsters in emporia after all..
November 10, 2010 at 1:34 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
biscuitboy (anonymous) says...
Why turn down a million dollar gift horse to save four old wrecks, that are at best used for anything other than cheap rental to one area business, but for one week each year. Plus when offered space in the old wrecks most vendors were unhappy with the conditions they found any way.
November 10, 2010 at 2:13 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
biscuitboy (anonymous) says...
Bowyer doesn't want a building that is vacant now'....he wants a flagship on the fairgrounds, and is willing to pay a million bucks to get one.
If we are concerned about the number of other vacant buildings in town let Bluestem rent some of them to store their stuff in. Oh, I forgot, they would have to pay full market price for them....never mind.
November 10, 2010 at 2:18 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
yev_kassem (anonymous) says...
Has Bowyer demanded that his building go in only that one spot? Has he demanded that we take down the huts or he will not build?
I strongly doubt that he has done that or would do that. Both things can coexist. It is being wasteful to demolish something that has a use.
methusla--
Please comment. For once, I agreed with your previous post.
Biscuit--
Sounds like someone is still getting use out of your truck. Maybe they even fixed it up and it is all shiny. Either way, you weren't wasteful and just had it destroyed.
November 10, 2010 at 2:55 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
biscuitboy (anonymous) says...
yev_kassem
Has I understand it, the original proposal called for the building to be placed between the huts and the rocks....but it included removal of the huts in the concept. Whether or not his people have been asked about moving the location or leaving the huts I don't know. I guess you would have to ask the fair board. But since they have never mentioned that as a possibility that makes me wonder if they don't already know the answer.
I would have no problem with them selling the huts to be moved if they could find a buyer. But had I not found a buyer for my old truck I would have either given it away or sold it for scrap. I would not have foregone the new truck and just held on to it.
November 10, 2010 at 3:06 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
I was just getting ready to announce my donation of five million dollars to the fair board. But after hearing all the bickering over a bunch of old metal sheds I have changed my mind.
Instead i will donate my money to the Quwapa Indian tribe in OK
November 10, 2010 at 3:18 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
biscuitboy (anonymous) says...
Steve....not having five million dollars to spare, I was going to volunteer to pick up old beer and soda cans in my alley. But I better just forget that or I will start being accused of wanting to destroy monuments to our past.....lol
November 10, 2010 at 3:33 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
Steve, The Shopallot Tribe lead by Chief Runningtab on the NE side of Emporia would love to spend your donation on a shiny new welcome center built by the Doubleprice Tribe lead by Chief Countingcash from Olathe.
November 10, 2010 at 3:48 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
biscuitboy (anonymous) says...
I really didn't mean my last post to come of like it sounded. But I really am having a very hard time understanding the level of devotion that seems to exist for these old derelicts.
November 10, 2010 at 3:51 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
genxer (anonymous) says...
You know, the powers that be in this town sure do get their panties in a wad with all of the "bloggers" aka anonymous posters in this town getting their message heard.
And by message heard I mean there are probably only a handful of people that come here and read what is said.
It seems to me that they simply don't like the message so they are blaming the messengers. The peasants are in an uproar!
I don't think Clint would give a crap what people are saying on here, I haven't read one criticism of him, and I think there is a universal opinion that if it comes down to the new building or the quonsets the quonsets must go. However, I haven't heard one thing about that requirement other than some people saying they "think" that might be the case.
If it's a done deal lets drop it and move on. But they better remember not to come back to the tax payers with their hands out when they don't have enough space for the exhibits at the fair.
November 10, 2010 at 4:06 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
The Fair board has made the decision. They are the ones in charge, they do the heavy lifting at the fairgrounds. Clint Bowyer has given the people of Lyon County a great gift, not only money for a new building, but a chance to move forward and improve.
It's time to say thanks for the gift and put the arguments away. like an old friend told me after the smoking ban vote, "It's over with, deal with it."
So people, the decision has been made, deal with it and move forward .
This continued harping really isn't doing anyone any good, is it?
November 10, 2010 at 4:10 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
genxer (anonymous) says...
One thing it's doing is filling some time in the end of my work day.
November 10, 2010 at 4:18 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
biscuitboy (anonymous) says...
Like an old girlfriend of mine told me when I apologized to her for the way I had treated her fifty years ago. She gave me a big hug and said..."Preston, Past is past.....it's time to move on." It's time to move on here also.
November 10, 2010 at 4:21 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
gogreen (anonymous) says...
I think what the big deal here is, is that people don't want to see materials just thrown out and destroyed. Recycling and using materials that we already have is very important. Are there any organizations around town who could benefit from them? Could they be moved to another location to store equipment? I'm sure it's nice that Bowyer wants to donate this builidng...but where is it coming from? I haven't really kept up on the whole thing, but isn't there anything else he could put that money too?
November 12, 2010 at 11:32 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
b3bill (anonymous) says...
If the Quonsets are not going to be used anywhere on the Fairgrounds, they should be put up for bid or sale. Just because someone doesn't believe the buildings have a use at the Fairgrounds anymore doesn't mean the buildings are totally junk and have absolutely no potential use anywhere else.
A lot of individuals and businesses could make good use of them, such as for livestock shelters, or someone wanting to repair/reseal them so they could be insulated and maybe used for a shop. I'm sure there are a lot of resourceful people who have the skills, capability and commitment to reusing these buildings, and are well aware of the potential uses. Nothing says the buildings have to stay within Lyon County. A decent advertising of them for bid or sale would likely generate interest that would follow through, and that would cost basically nothing by the time it is covered in the media. They could also be listed on Craigslist.com and on the county website as to defining all the terms and conditions of the bid or sale.
I'm sure with a little effort all the Quonsets could be sold for use elsewhere. There should not be some unrealistically short time set for their removal to basically make it nearly impossible for the buildings to be taken down and relocated. Scraping them should only be the very last resort if it is found there is absolutely no interest in anyone wanting them.
The buildings will probably only sell for a small amount, but the effort made by the County and/or Fair Board in making them available for use elsewhere will speak volumes. It will show a genuine effort in being environmentally responsible, not being wasteful, as well as being economically considerate in helping others interested in getting this type of 4000 square foot building. But just deciding to scrap them outright without diligently attempting to sell them will show the exact opposite.
November 13, 2010 at 2:29 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
biscuitboy (anonymous) says...
gogreen
I have no problem with making every effort to recycle the buildings some how.
But Bowyer did not say he just wanted to give the fairgrounds a million bucks to make needed improvements. He said he wanted to build a million dollar building on the fairgrounds. I see that as an either/or offer.......either you take the building/or you take nothing.
November 13, 2010 at 12:08 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
gogreen (anonymous) says...
Well, I say we take nothing then. You think someone who is from this city would realize that we don't need a big fancy building. There are far greater issues that could helped or dealt with. Especially with a million dollars. How about paying the city workers to go out to the aquatic center and keeping up on the landscaping. That is definately lacking. Was a road sign not enough for him. Does he just want his name splattered all around town. So what, he's a cocky kid that rides around a track with soft walls. It's kind of sounds like a seel out to me. I suppose if he would ask the city leaders to bend over and take it they would....only if a million bucks were dangling in front of their faces. Sure why not!
November 13, 2010 at 9:14 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
biscuitboy (anonymous) says...
Well gogreen, suffice it to say we are just going to have to disagree on this one. To my way of thinking if you are basically making a large donation to the city you should have...and deserve to have...some say in how it is used. Using your logic we should have never accepted the fairgrounds from Mr Anderson either because there were strings attached.
By the way, concrete and steel is not soft. For you to say so displays a gross lack of knowledge about the subject. What minimizes the danger to the drivers is the direction of travel at time of impact, and the breakaway construction of the cars that allows for the absorption of a lot of energy. Just so you will be better informed next time.
November 13, 2010 at 10:21 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
HenryVIII (anonymous) says...
biscuitboy,
Perhaps you are the one who needs to be better informed. There are several different types of "soft walls" that NASCAR uses to protect the drivers. I have linked an article about one success story.
"It has been almost six years since the first SAFER barrier has been implemented in NASCAR. Introduced at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2002, the Steel And Foam Energy Reduction barrier, or soft wall, has had a huge impact on the sport's safety by reducing the impact on driver's bodies during crashes. "
http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/nascar/...
And now you know...
'enry
November 15, 2010 at 1:13 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
I am so glad to read that the fair board is going to bulldoze the fair grounds and create a circle dirt race track there! That's even better than a building. Thanks Clint!!!
November 15, 2010 at 1:34 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
biscuitboy (anonymous) says...
Thank You for the update "enry. I stand at least partially corrected. But as I read your link it is still a work in progress so at least some of the walls at many of the tracks are apparently still "hard".
But of course your zeroing in to nitpick one piece of misinformation in an aside paragraph is a common tactic when one is confronted with information in the real meat of the post (the first paragraph) that is harder to explain away..
The real purpose of my post was not to provide information about auto racing to a person that obviously didn't care.......the real purpose was to point out the lunacy of the suggestion that if Bowyer wouldn't give a million dollars to lawn maintenance instead the city should tell him to shove it. That shows a real lack of common sense among other things.
November 15, 2010 at 2:13 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
biscuitboy (anonymous) says...
REWBA
I thought that idea was for the golf course. Well maybe Clint will build two circle tracks.....one at the fairgrounds and one at the golf course.
November 15, 2010 at 2:17 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
Two circle dirt tracks! Wow, this story just keeps getting better every time I check it.
November 15, 2010 at 4:45 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
4Jayhawks (anonymous) says...
Just to clarify the Salvation Army issue. The deed/will left by the Anderson's when they donated the property states that if the county ceases to hold a fair on the grounds then the property would revert to The Salvation Army. It would then be up to The Salvation Army to sell or what to do with the property.
November 15, 2010 at 7:23 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )