The Putnam County Commission Monday night approved a $1 daily rental fee for the Fair Board during the 2025 season.
The move comes one year after the county commission approved no rental fee for the use of the fairgrounds. Commissioner Jonathan Williams said the original motion to waive the rental fee did not clarify how many days the fair board would use the fairgrounds. Williams said in 2014, the fair board and the county commission sort of divorced themselves from each other.
“Since then, the relationship has always been one of tenant and landlord, and so we have charged you rent and so forth, so you’re treated kind of like everyone else is,” Williams said. “I do recognize the special relationship between the county and the Fair Board, and so I do want to recognize that, but I think the motion as it is, is just too open-ended.”
The commission narrowly approved the motion to charge the fair board a $1 per day rent fee with a 14-10 vote. The newly approved rent fee will only apply to the fair board for the year 2025. The commission will re-evaluate the rent fee again next year with considering moving the fair to the new fairgrounds.
Commissioner David Gentry said charging the fair board rent for the use of the fairgrounds is a “disgrace.”
“They’re a non-profit organization, they work and deal with this 12 months out of the year,” Gentry said. “It costs them money to be on the fair board. They put up with that 90-something degree heat over there and nearly pass out. For nothing, and like I said, they are representing this county, and I don’t think they should have to pay rent on the fair board.”
Commissioner Darren Wilson said he was in full support of the Fair Board, as the county fair brings in a lot of tax revenue.
Fair Board President Brenda Gentry said the county fair is the largest event that the county hosts.
“We generate more revenue than any other event for the county, and everything we spend goes back into the county if it possibly can,” Brenda Gentry said.
Commissioners briefly discussed that the county would need a future plan on how to set rent fees for the new fairgrounds. Commissioner Vinnie Faccinto said he agrees with re-evaluating rent fees as things can change from year to year.
In other business, the commission approved to authorize County Mayor Randy Porter to work with the city of Cookeville to buy back property in the Highland Business Park area.
The commission approved a resolution to apply for Community Development Block Grant Disaster Relief Funds. The commission approved adding Anna Marie Lane to the official county road map.
The commission also approved to appointment of Penelope Nash to the county Board of Equalization. The term is set to expire in April 2026.
