Tri-County Fairgrounds: an On-going Saga

The Eastern Sierra is now included in what national politicians and news agencies have described as “a year of weird.” For the last few weeks, questions raised on what can best be described as the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA) takeover of the Tri-County Fairgrounds and removal of chief executive officer Jen McGuire have been asked and answered at a community meeting and with interviews of locals connected to the Fairgrounds. The only entity that has failed to respond has been the CDFA, the only entity with the real answers.

Fortunately, the 2024 Tri-County Fair will go on as scheduled from August 29 to September 1. McGuire, the Fairgrounds chief executive officer since December 2018, had the event wrapped up prior to her removal from the post.
According to Fairground board of directors’ member, Joanne Parsons, McGuire “took a chance” when she accepted the position knowing it would require increasing the facility’s income to pay her employees and make necessary improvements. For instance, the California High School Rodeo Association has specific requirements that had to be met to maintain the Fairgrounds’ contract with the organization. That contract was renewed for three more years during McGuire’s tenure.
“Jen wanted the opportunity to bring our almost bankrupt Fairgrounds back to life,” Parsons said. “Back to life” would have to include paying employees, maintenance of the facility and generating enough funds to pay the Fairgrounds’ overhead. That would also have to include raising her own salary. The Fairgrounds did not have the money to pay McGuire what the CDFA sets as Level 1.

Parsons referenced “the magic that happens here” during an on-line interview, explaining her own family’s involvement in Fair activities through two generations. “All the Board members have family stories that go back for generations. The Fairgrounds has been the heartbeat of the community for both young and old.”

The Fairground facilities have always been open for firefighters, families and livestock displaced by evacuations up and down Inyo County due to wildfire and flooding incidents. “We all help take care of each other in good times and bad,” Parsons added.

The Board talked to CDFA officials regarding the details of McGuire’s contract five years ago. Following that discussion, a clause including a free space for McGuire’s RV, was written into her contract and approved by the CDFA. That clause benefited both McGuire and provided 24/7 security.

When the Fairground board asked CDFA for a raise for McGuire, the request was initially approved. Now CDFA maintains that approval “was a mistake” and the State wants that money back. Communications between the Eastern Sierra and Sacramento fits right into the “year of the weird” theory. At one point, local officials were told “just simmer down and let us work this out.” Since the Fairgrounds board and Friends of the Fair organization are made up of females, that response, reminiscent of the 1940s, probably did not sit well. A CDFA attorney responded to the audit with “just fix it and this will go away.” His evaluation: “I’ve seen worse.”

Parsons stressed that McGuire “kept us going through COVID-19 shut-downs with new events that followed the mandates. She also paid off $300,000 worth of Edison invoices and other Fairground debts during her tenure.
Initially, the board had asked for and was glad the CDFA was conducting an audit since one had not been done in 15 years, even after allegations of embezzlement in 2017, prior to McGuire’s employment. The first sign CDFA’s visit might not end well was the presence of California Highway Patrol officers on-site to protect the State auditors when they showed up, unannounced, on June 24. According to Parsons, “inappropriate questions” were asked of the office staff. The auditors took an office laptop as they left, the one that included payroll and accounting information.

Another interesting fact: During the 1920s and 30s, horse race betting was allowed to supplement operations at state fairgrounds. San Diego County’s Del Mar Fairgrounds is a prime example. That option, however, is not a remedy for Tri-County’s situation.

McGuire also served as CEO of the Ventura County Fair operations, an arrangement that may have raised questions in the Eastern Sierra. However, the arrangement was in line with the CDFA’s Sister Fairs program and, according to Parsons, was “CDFA’s idea.” The state agency initially committed to paying McGuire’s mileage for the nearly 600-mile round trip between Bishop and Ventura. No mileage payments were ever made.
After all the discussions and meetings, there are still no solid answers. What remains are a whole lot of new questions.