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03/19/2019 MINUTES 1 <br />COMMISSIONERS' MINUTES <br />KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON <br />COMMISSIONERS AUDITORIUM <br />SPECIAL MEETING <br /> <br />TUESDAY 2:00 P.M. MARCH 19, 2019 <br /> <br />Board members present: Vice-Chairman Brett Wachsmith and <br />Commissioner Laura Osiadacz. Excused: Chairman Cory Wright. <br /> <br />Others: Mandy Buchholz, Deputy Clerk of the Board II; Kady <br />Porterfield, Event Center Director; Mark Cook, Public Works <br />Director/Interim County Engineer; and 11 members of the public. <br /> <br />PUBLIC HEARING EVENT CENTER RATES EVENT CENTER <br /> <br />At 2:04 p.m. VICE-CHAIRMAN WACHSMITH opened a Public Hearing to <br />consider adopting amendments to Fees of the Kittitas Valley Event <br />Center Rental & Use Fee Schedule. <br /> <br />KADY PORTERFIELD, EVENT CENTER DIRECTOR reviewed a Staff Report and <br />explained that the proposed rental rates reflect changes based on <br />community & customer concerns with the “all-inclusive” rate of the <br />Rodeo Arena set in 2018. She explained that many customers do not <br />use the additional facilities bundled in the “all-inclusive” rate <br />and solely want to use the Rodeo Arena. The “all-inclusive” bundle <br />caused the rate for the Rodeo Arena to increase by over 28.5% and <br />the 2018 rates have prevented new customers from using the Arena <br />because of the cost and long-time customers are having to look <br />elsewhere to hold their events as they can no longer afford the <br />facility. <br /> <br />THOSE PRESENT & TESTIFYING: TOM LUFT, RESIDENT expressed his <br />support for the proposed rental rate changes and questioned whats <br />included in the rate. GEMMA WOLFENBARGER, RESIDENT questioned if the <br />High School Rodeo Club would qualify for the 20% discounted rate for <br />non-profits. JACK WALLACE, RESIDENT spoke in favor of the proposed <br />rate changes and stated that the County needs to work on getting <br />folks back here because we are centrally located. LORAINE VARRIANO, <br />CASCADE COW CUTTERS encouraged the County to keep rates low. DAVE <br />HUBER, CASCADE COW CUTTERS stated that they don’t feel welcome and <br />when they come for their events they get shuffled around a lot. <br />JANIE LARSON, CASCADE COW CUTTERS stated that they spend a lot of <br />money when they come to the County for events and since it’s a <br />central location people want to be here but they don’t feel like <br />it’s inviting. SAMANTHA ROBBINS, RESIDENT stated that because of the <br />central location the County needs to make folks want to be here. She <br />stated that she grew up here and was never able to use the <br />facilities for the events she participated in because the groups <br />couldn’t afford the facility. She stated that she understands the