By Khalida Sarwari
Members of the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds Management Corporation met in San Jose Wednesday to discuss a formal request to the Board of Supervisors for access to $100,000 from the county’s capital project fund to cover operating costs for the 2010 fair.
The Fairgrounds Management Corporation operates the county fairgrounds, which consists of about 150 acres in central San Jose. Its five members are appointed by the Board of Supervisors.
In anticipation of a budget deficit next year, the Fairgrounds Management Corporation is also requesting permission from County Executive Jeff Smith for access to $507,000 from the county’s capital reserve, allocated for maintenance projects, and fairgrounds upgrades and improvements.
The funds would be used over time for other events the fairgrounds is expected to host in 2010.
Executive Director Art Troyer said the Fairgrounds Management Corporation would provide quarterly reports to the county of its expenditures.
Last month, members of the Fairgrounds Management Corporation gave an informal presentation to the Board of Supervisors’ Finance and Government Operations Committee. The committee did not approve their request for financial help, citing insufficient information. The Fairgrounds Management Corporation was instructed to draft a business plan for 2010 by Feb. 29, 2010.
The Fairgrounds Management Corporation will give a formal presentation of its request to the Board at a meeting on Dec. 17.