THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, November 23, 1994 TAG: 9411190637
SECTION: ISLE OF WIGHT CITIZEN PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LINDA MCNATT, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ISLE OF WIGHT LENGTH: Medium: 53 lines
A committee appointed by the Board of Supervisors will look into the financial stability of the county fair and try to secure its future.
The fair was held in September for the first time in 50 years and lost about $10,000, not counting another $10,000 initially donated by the supervisors as seed money.
Alan Nogiec, director of the Recreational Facilities Authority, said at the supervisors' meeting last week that one of the primary reasons the fair lost money was that the potential profit on several items was over-estimated.
``We were over-optimistic on some things,'' Nogiec said. ``There are areas we hope we can do better on in the future.''
In addition, Nogiec and fair co-chairman Joel Bradshaw agreed earlier that security, provided by the Sheriff's Department, cost more than fair officials had anticipated.
But there was good news from the fair as well, Nogiec said at last week's meeting: More than 28,000 people attended. The fair also brought the spread-out county together, he said.
And the fair garnered a blue ribbon on a statewide basis from the Virginia Chapter of American Poultry Breeders Association for its poultry show.
The supervisors asked board Chairman O.A. Spady and acting county Administrator Doug Caskey to work with the fair committee to see how the debts can be paid and to work out a plan to provide financial stability for future fairs.
In other business, the supervisors set Dec. 20 for a public hearing on a recent zoning ordinance change recommended earlier this month by the Planning Commission on large-production hog farms.
Stephen Merrill, an attorney heading a group opposed to such hog farms, the Isle of Wight Defense League, addressed the supervisors and asked them not to approve the ordinance. It places a setback requirement on the farms in some business areas but still would not affect those farms in areas zoned for agriculture.
``These farms should be regulated just like any other business,'' Merrill said. ``Why should such a polluting business be exempt from zoning ordinances? They should require a regular conditional-use permit just like any other business. The government has got to intervene.''
Merrill called the ordinance recommended by the Planning Commission a ``whitewash.'' He also said he is very concerned about what he called the county's lack of regard for a request from the city of Norfolk to hold off on any action until the city and the county can meet with state environmental officials. Norfolk officials have expressed concern about possible pollution that might affect South Hampton Roads' drinking water. by CNB