Representatives from the Union County Fair Board and Union County Health Department say they have a strong working relationship, as they navigate repairing damages caused during COVID-19 mass vaccination clinics.
“The Union County Fair Board has had an open and good working relationship with the UCHD and looks forward to continuing to serve the health and safety of our community,” according to a written statement from Michelle Kuhlwein, with the fair board.
Kuhlwein said the estimate for $282,785.36 worth of damages, quoted by Goodwin Services, was obtained in order to start the process of applying for funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Union County Health Commissioner Jason Orcena shared the same procedural information during Wednesday’s Board of Health meeting.
He emphasized that he feels the current fair board is a “really good partner.”
A Thursday article covering the cost of COVID-19 mass vaccination clinics inaccurately stated the price to rent the grounds.
Rather than $10,000 per month November through March, UCHD paid $10,000 for those five months. The health department paid an additional $2,000 in April and $1,500 in May.
During that time, the site was used for COVID-19 testing and vaccination.
The health department also paid $11,900 to winterize the restroom facilities. Kuhlwein said the fair board contributed the rest of the cost the project, which amounted “over $30,000.”
Kuhlwein noted that the fairgrounds are owned by the Union County Agricultural Society, not Union County or the City of Marysville.
As part of UCHD’s rental agreement, Orcena said during Wednesday’s meeting that the health department is contractually obligated to reimburse the fair board for costs incurred because of the vaccine clinics.
The quote from Goodwin Services indicates repairs to the fairgrounds includes all equipment, materials and labor required.
The costs include:
– $3,844.50 to sawcut 2,330 linear feet;
– $1,180 for concrete removal of 400 square feet;
– $49,408.59 for asphalt removal of 22,561 square feet;
– $110,866.40 for full-depth subgrade repair of 15,952 square feet;
– $38,272.50 for concrete apron of 4,050 square feet;
– $7,290 for pothole repair of 810 square feet;
– $33,265.11 for chip sealing 8,731 square yards;
– $22,196.76 for double chip sealing 3,394 square yards;
– $8,008 for 411 topcoat for 28,600 square feet;
– $8,453.50 for importing and installing 275 tons of grindings.
Kuhlwein wrote that the quote covers “complete repairs of the grounds” including “the chip seal entry from the Route 4 and 31 gate(s) and damage caused by snow plow on all gravel roads.”
The quote provided by Goodwin Services breaks the project into seven areas that would be repaired: the driveway from the Route 4 entrance; midway; fair office area; the road from the horse show arena to the Route 31 entrance; the road between the Route 4 entrance and the rabbit/poultry barn; the barn entrance and the loop around the cattle barn, swine barn, sheep/goat barn and show arena.
On Wednesday, UCHD approved a payment “not to exceed $20,000” that will be used to resurface the area around the rabbit/poultry barn.
Kuhlwein wrote that the fair requested $13,835 for these damages.
Orcena said Wednesday that, if FEMA funding covers the total cost of damages, the agency will only pay to restore the grounds to the condition they were in prior to the vaccine clinics, not improve them further.
UCHD can solicit quotes from other companies and have the quote provided by Goodwin Services reviewed by experts.
Orcena noted that the scope and the cost of the project will be reviewed prior to any work being done.
UCHD hosted 56 clinics at the fairgrounds and vaccinated approximately 25,000 people at no cost to them.
“Our health department did a great job,” Kuhlwein wrote, adding that Gov. Mike DeWine visited the site in March.