Grand Jury Report: County, Fair Association Contract Should be Terminated

that investigated issues between the county and the Placer County Fair Association, recommends that the current contract between the two be terminated immediately and a new nonprofit be sought to oversee the Roseville fairgrounds.

According to the 11-page report, which was released March 20, the current contract between Placer County and the Placer County Fair Association, which oversees the fairgrounds and All American Speedway, violates the law. The current contract has been in place for more than 10 years, despite a statute that requires no such contract to exceed five years. Under that contract, the association was required to get prior approval from the county before any construction modifications are made. However, a grand jury report in 2010-11 on the noise at the All American Speedway, found that the fair association made significant changes to the raceway in 2006-07 without county approval.

Since the changes were made, . Not only noise, but also residents complained about speedway hours, traffic congestion and air pollution, according to the report.

The county was not aware of these structural changes until they received information from the City of Roseville planning staff, according to the report. After hearing complaints from nearby residents, the county drafted a revised contract, which included added safeguards, controls and oversight by the county. However, the Placer County Fair Association refused to sign the revised contract.

Since the association did not receive prior approval to make the structural changes to the speedway, studies that should have been done prior to modifications must still be completed. That cost will now by paid by county taxpayers, estimated between $80,000 and $100,000, according to the report.

“Had the association sought prior approval by the county and gone through the required environmental studies it would have been responsible for bearing those costs,” the Grand Jury report finds.

The report also finds that Placer County was negligent in monitoring the association’s compliance with the contract.

Moving Forward

The Grand Jury recommends that the Placer County Board of Supervisors terminate the current contract between the county and association be terminated within 60 days. It’s also suggested that the Board of Supervisors immediately begin a search for a different nonprofit agency to run the fairgrounds and speedway.

The Grand Jury report also suggests that a “contract compliance monitor” be appointed to oversee future contracts.  

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What modifications were made to the All American Speedway?

In 2006-07, changes were made to the All American Speedway including:

• Extended 70 feet in length
• Widened by 30 feet along one side
• North embankment widened and heightened
• Pit relocated from north of the speedway to east and outside the speedway
• Race car entrance/exit relocated to the other side of the raceway
• Sound walls rebuilt and extended