Committed: Hutchinson, Reno County leaders send letter to state outlining dedication to State Fair
By Chance HoenerStaff writer
Hutchinson is committed to continuing its 105-year role as host of the Kansas State Fair and any suggestion otherwise is false, according to a letter sent Wednesday by city and county leaders to their state representatives.
Top officers from the City of Hutchinson, Reno County and the Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce drafted the letter following an early-morning meeting over House Bill 2790, which would require the State Fair Board to issue a request for proposals from cities in the state to host the annual event.
"The letter really outlines the meeting this morning," City Manager John Deardoff said. "We sat down this morning to discuss the recent message we've been hearing out of Topeka regarding the city and county commitment to the fair."
Deardoff met with Reno County Administrator Gary Gary Meagher, Chamber President Debra Teufel, Vice Mayor David Inskeep and County Commissioner Bob Bush.
"The recent message out of Topeka that the Hutchinson community is not appreciative of the honor to host the Kansas State Fair or do not understand the economic value of the Fair has caused great concern for us here in Hutchinson," the letter read.
It goes on to outline what the city, county and chamber plan to do — as well as things they have already been doing — to promote continued partnership with the State of Kansas and the Kansas State Fair Board.
"We plan to explore some local funding options that may provide a little more financial stability to the state fair," Deardoff said. "And we are also committed to continuing discussions we have been having for four years on potential tax credits that could be applied to stormwater fees."
"The outcome of the meeting was a very strong willingness to explore local funding options that will add to the proposed State Fair sales tax capture proposal and help set the State Fair on a path of financial stability," said the letter, signed by Teufel, Inskeep and Ron Hirst, chair of the County Commission.
State Rep. Don Schroeder, R-Hesston, requested House Bill 2790, spurred by statements from fair representatives unhappy with the leadership in Hutchinson. Some involved with the state fair believe the Hutchinson community should do more to help the Kansas State Fair Board and the fair itself.
HB 2790 was reportedly introduced as a way to spur those conversations — never expected to actually pass and move the fair. Schroeder apparently didn't expect the reaction, which included an outpouring of support from Hutchinson, which could stand to lose a staple of its local economy should the fair move. Each year the State Fair draws some 350,000 people who spend more than $40 million, according to the Department of Agriculture.
"I received an email from Rep. Schroeder that said he never expected the bill to go this way," Deardoff said. "It was just a way to get the city to talk, which I don't think was the correct way to go about it."
The city's addressed its letter of commitment to Sen. Ed Berger, R-Hutchinson, and State Reps Steven Becker, R-Buhler; Jason Probst, D-Hutchinson, Jack Thimesch, R-Cunningham, and Joe Seiwert, R-Pretty Prairie.
Deardoff said the letter will also serve to help the Reno County delegation in debating a bill that would allow the State Fair to capture sales tax dollars generated by the fair. Currently, those funds go into the state general fund. If passed, the bill passed, it would go into a capital improvements fund earmarked for the State Fair.