An opinion by Vilas County corporation counsel Jack Albert that rental of political space on the Vilas County fairgrounds property “did not meet the purposes of ‘A County Fair’ under the fairgrounds lease to the Vilas County Agricultural Society was overturned by the county Forestry, Recreation & Land Committee this week.
That opinion was in response to “many complaints” related to political signage at the fairgrounds facing Highway 17-70 where fair parking is usually located. The signage was part of space rented by an individual selling political items such as signs and shirts.
Dale Ayers, President of the Fair Association, was upset saying “you ask us to try to self-sufficient and rent and then you take it away. They had both Biden and Trump material and we told them they had to take it down at night and they did.”
Supervisor Jay Verhulst felt the fair board “should make the decision” and not corporation counsel while county board chairman Ron DeBruyne had more blunt remarks.
“I’ve been at the fair and I’ve talked to politicians attending and both parties had booth rental at the fair in past years,” DeBruyne said. “I know the public is polarized on this political issue. The fair board is trying to be self sufficient and we’re stoping them. I disagree with our corporation counsel opinion.”
Verhulst added “the purpose of the fair is at the discretion of the fair board” while Ayers informed the committee with COVID-19 “there are many groups using the fair property.
Forest administrator Al Murray ended the discussion indicating “there may be weakness in the lease language and we should look at adding language that allows the fair board to rent space.”
