Fair Board Implements Plan To Enforce Stall Contracts And Clean Up That Area

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By Linda Kor
    An ongoing concern of the Navajo County Fair Board and the City of Holbrook has been the rental stalls located on the southeast corner of the fairgrounds.
    Councilman Kent Darris addressed the fair board earlier this month on the city’s concerns regarding the unsightly appearance of that specific area.
    “I would like to see the stall area cleaned up and be more humane,” he stated. “I also think that there shouldn’t be so many horses allowed in one stall.”
    Fair Board President Rusty DeSpain agreed with Darris’ concern and presented the board with a method to handle the current situation.
    “As of this week we are implementing some new things. I would rather have five good renters instead of 15, with 10 of them that won’t pay,” DeSpain stated. “We are paying Laura (Brooks) a considerable amount of money and it takes a lot of her time taking some of these individuals to court, but their horse is still on our site.”
    The determination was that anyone who owes stall rental fees will have to pay what is owed by a determined date. When that date has passed and no payment has been made, an eviction notice will be put up and a livestock inspector will come and impound the animal while the owner is taken to court.
    “It appears that the people who owe us money also have the biggest mess. If they don’t pay, then we will remove the fence panels, lock the animal in the stall and post a 48-hour eviction notice,” DeSpain ex-plained.
    “We appreciate that the city is trying very hard to change the image of Holbrook, so we will clean this up,” he added.  
    The board also discussed improvements to the fairgrounds, including the completion of a concrete slab with a handrail that replaces the first step of the grandstand, which had begun to rot. A new curb will be poured in the rabbits and poultry barn this week, and the glass and trade windows of the ticket booth under the grandstand are being replaced. A new steel counter, as well as security doors, will be added to the ticket booth.
    In other business May 14, the board:
    * Approved the placement of four ATM machines on the fairgrounds during the Navajo County Fair. The only cost will be for power supply.
    * Approved a motion to allow contestants in the Cinderella Pageant to practice on the stage as long as it is not being utilized for other purposes during the rest of May and the month of June.
    * Approved the use of the open class building from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 30, by the Arizona Cooperative Extension for a pesticide training class.
    * Approved the use of the open class building, the junior livestock grass areas and stage for the Medie-val Fantasy Fair sponsored by the Friends of the Holbrook Library Sept. 26-28.
    * Approved a two percent wage increase for employees Mina Henning and Laura Brooks.
    * Approved Young’s Corral as the Saturday night open bar sponsor during the fair.