Plan for rescuing county fair may be on the way

Efforts within the Metropolitan King County Council to save the county fair are underway.

Three council members this week formally proposed a council directive giving County Executive Ron Sims until next August to develop a recovery plan for the fair.

The plan, which would be presented to the council by Aug. 1, would include ways to attract exhibits, programs and entertainment that would increase attendance and revenue for the fair.

The plan would come from a 10-member panel that would include representatives from 4-H, Future Farmers of America, the Washington State University King County Cooperative Extension, Washington State Fair Association, the council and Sims.

Because of deficits in the county budget and sagging attendance at the 145-year-old fair in Enumclaw, Sims has suggested canceling event.

Citizens have objected to that. So have the three council members seeking a rescue plan, including Reagan Dunn, whose district includes Enumclaw, Black Diamond, Maple Valley and Covington.

“I’m confident we can develop a plan to revitalize this cherished event,” Dunn said.

The council is scheduled to approve a county budget for 2009 next Monday.

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