By Rob Ollikainen
Peninsula Daily News
PORT ANGELES — The Clallam County Fairgrounds are getting a touch-up.
County commissioners will bid out two projects today for the fairgrounds in west Port Angeles: lighting improvements for the west midway and fresh paint for the art and agriculture barns.
Contractors may submit bids through Aug. 14.
This year’s Clallam County Fair is Aug. 16-19. The theme is “Kiss a Pig, Dance a Jig.”
“My hope was to get [the painting] done prior to the fair this year, but unfortunately, that’s not going to happen,” said Joel Winborn, county parks, fair and facilities manager.
Both projects are slated to start in early September and will be finished by mid-October.
The county received a grant from the state Department of Agriculture to cover half of the cost of the lighting and power improvements.
The painting project and the other half of the lighting project will be funded from real estate excise taxes, Winborn said in Monday’s work session of the Clallam County commissioners.
Meanwhile, Commissioners Mike Doherty and Jim McEntire tabled discussion on possible changes to some of the county’s 34 citizens’ advisory boards and committees
Commissioner Mike Chapman was absent Monday.
Consolidation is being discussed because of the staff time required to maintain the committees.
The county has lost the equivalent of 32 full-time workers through budget cuts since 2009. There are 381 full time equivalent positions on this year’s payroll.
“It is becoming more and more difficult to do everything we’ve always done,” County Administrator Jim Jones said.
“Things are getting slower. We’re getting longer lines. And this is one area that perhaps would be a good idea to come back and ask department heads: Are there advisory committees you no longer feel are required?”
Doherty and McEntire said they would like to gather input from elected officials and department heads and revisit the matter in two weeks.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rob.ollikainen@
peninsuladailynews.com.
