Use power line funds to replace grandstand lights at fairground

Taylor County needs to look toward its own facility needs before funding outside groups.

The Taylor County board should use power line impact fee funds to pay the full cost of replacing the grandstand lights at the Taylor County Fairgrounds. The new lights including poles and installation are projected to cost about $70,000. This amount is in line with similar types of lighting projects that have taken place at ball diamonds and other venues around the region.

At last week’s finance and personnel committee, groups from throughout the county came with their hands out asking for power line impact fee funds. Since the environmental impact fees fund was created in 2006, following the construction of the Arrowhead to Weston high voltage power line project, the Taylor County board has awarded funds to more than 60 projects totaling about $700,000. Every one of the projects benefitted the taxpayers, residents and visitors to Taylor County. Some, projects benefitted residents, arguably more than others.

Over the years, Taylor County has not been shy about dipping into the power line funds to pay for once-a generation types of projects. The county has spent $116,000 to tuck point the courthouse and replace aging windows. The county spent $206,000 to install rural address signs around the county. The county spent $67,556 to improve the west side of the courthouse and address plumbing and retaining wall issues. The county spent $100,000 to expand and modernize the Chalet at the winter sports area.

Why would replacing the grandstand lights at the fairgrounds be any less worthy of an investment compared to those projects?

As last week’s finance and personnel committee, members were told it would cost $70,000 to replace the lights and responded by recommending contributing only $20,000 from the power line fund to the project. Members suggested that it should be something that is budgeted for replacement each year.

With the constant complaining every budget season about how broke the county is and how they can’t afford anything but zero percent increases for operational budgets — including buildings and facilities maintenance — it serves no purpose to point fingers at past employees and say they should have been setting aside money for the past 44 years.

The fairgrounds are owned by Taylor County and are as much the county’s responsibility to maintain as the courthouse, human services or the highway shops.

The only question for the county is where it will find the money needed to replace the rapidly decaying poles and lights. To this end, the power line fund is the appropriate place to tap into given the funds intended original purpose is to promote outdoor and recreational use in the county.