Fair organizers will develop a plan for new location
Published 5:13 pm Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Members of the Kiwanis Club will develop a plan for figuring out a new location for the Chilton County Fair in 2014.
President of the Clanton Kiwanis Club Dan Nolen spoke to Chilton County Commissioners during a work session on Monday night to develop a future plan for the 2014 fair.
In January, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) at the Chilton County Airport granted a one-year extension for the Chilton County Fair to remain in the current location, near the airport, for the 2013 fair.
It was previously announced in October 2012 that the fair would have to find a new location due to a proposed airport project that would extend the airport’s runway 1,000 feet to the west.
The fair posed safety issues with the airport that receives grants from the FAA and Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) Avionics Division due to having a lit up Ferris wheel that is considered an obstruction near the airport’s runway.
The Airport Authority informed the Kiwanis Club of the airport’s long-term plans for growth and allowed a one-year extension for the fair, but members of the Kiwanis Club are trying to develop a plan for what to do in 2014.
Nolen told commissioners on Monday that the club is trying to secure property near the old Henry M. Adair School located at 102 First St. S. in Clanton for the new location.
Both the Chilton County Board of Education (BOE) and the city of Clanton own property at the location so the Clanton Kiwanis Club is trying to propose a lease for the property from the city and the county.
Commission chairman Allen Caton told Nolen one of the ways the commission could help was in the way of county equipment such as dump trucks to prepare the new location if there was a need.
Commissioners Heedy Hayes, Shannon Welch and Bobby Agee who were present at Monday’s work session all agreed the Kiwanis Club should develop a phase plan and report back to the commissioners with the first part of the plan.
Welch told Nolen a phase plan would help commissioners know what help commissioners could provide for the club.
