Fair Board And Noise
May 24, 2018 at 4:32 p.m.
By -
When I was a young boy my dad would come home from work and first thing that was said was "turn that noise down!”
What was music to me was loud irritating noise to him. My point is simple, not everyone enjoys certain noise.
Over three decades ago we moved in the neighborhood south of the fairgrounds, raised a family and decided to stay and retire here. Over time I got to know some of the families along the lake and to hear and understand their position on the events with all the noise. They pay very high taxes, utilities, and maintenance to enjoy the lake for a short window of time. Then I got a true dose of it myself. Concerts were so loud that I could put my hand on the window inside my home and felt the vibration and noise for hours on end.
I spoke with one of the board members in 2016 and let him know how loud it was and how it could be heard in neighborhoods far south of the fair grounds and by others all around the fairgrounds. I left feeling like mutual progress was made. However, nothing changed, and only got worse.
I believe the current fair board is made up of good people, but it takes more than a good person to make a corporation, farmer or lemonade stand successful. Mr. Harris Sr. indicates they are struggling. Maybe it’s time for some of the old guard to step back and put in place experienced business-minded people who have a proven track record of operating a not-for-profit organization as well as at least one who has experience in event planning, execution of an event and fundraising abilities.
We do support the 4-H, fair week and the events that go on during fair week, but not the other events that are associated with the current court action. I understand why the property owners feel the way they do, and for the record, it’s not just four property owners that feel this way about the noise. There are hundreds of us. This is not just an editorial opinion, there is proof, folks. As others have shared, these are our homes, and people work all week to enjoy their life and time with family on weekends. I support the property owners around the lake, because the fair board has forced them to take legal action.
If one of the board members wants to sit down and have a conversation to engage in a mutual path to help resolve this, I give the Times-Union permission to give my phone number to that one person.
Mike Wood
Warsaw, via email
When I was a young boy my dad would come home from work and first thing that was said was "turn that noise down!”
What was music to me was loud irritating noise to him. My point is simple, not everyone enjoys certain noise.
Over three decades ago we moved in the neighborhood south of the fairgrounds, raised a family and decided to stay and retire here. Over time I got to know some of the families along the lake and to hear and understand their position on the events with all the noise. They pay very high taxes, utilities, and maintenance to enjoy the lake for a short window of time. Then I got a true dose of it myself. Concerts were so loud that I could put my hand on the window inside my home and felt the vibration and noise for hours on end.
I spoke with one of the board members in 2016 and let him know how loud it was and how it could be heard in neighborhoods far south of the fair grounds and by others all around the fairgrounds. I left feeling like mutual progress was made. However, nothing changed, and only got worse.
I believe the current fair board is made up of good people, but it takes more than a good person to make a corporation, farmer or lemonade stand successful. Mr. Harris Sr. indicates they are struggling. Maybe it’s time for some of the old guard to step back and put in place experienced business-minded people who have a proven track record of operating a not-for-profit organization as well as at least one who has experience in event planning, execution of an event and fundraising abilities.
We do support the 4-H, fair week and the events that go on during fair week, but not the other events that are associated with the current court action. I understand why the property owners feel the way they do, and for the record, it’s not just four property owners that feel this way about the noise. There are hundreds of us. This is not just an editorial opinion, there is proof, folks. As others have shared, these are our homes, and people work all week to enjoy their life and time with family on weekends. I support the property owners around the lake, because the fair board has forced them to take legal action.
If one of the board members wants to sit down and have a conversation to engage in a mutual path to help resolve this, I give the Times-Union permission to give my phone number to that one person.
Mike Wood
Warsaw, via email
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