County, fair board consider manager's job description

Wahkiakum County commissioners and the county fair board held a workshop Tuesday to come up with a plan to hire a fair manager.

Recent Manager Becky Ledtke had been paid through Washington State University's Cooperative Extension Program on funding from the county, but WSU ended that arrangement February 25. Ledtke had exceeded her budget hours by volunteering her services to coordinate a fund raising dinner and program for the fair.

Labor laws don't allow the practice, and the WSU employees union also opposed it if the position didn't have benefits, said county Agent Carrie Backman.

The county budget simply includes a $10,000 appropriation for a manager. Commissioners and fair board members discussed the best way to recreate the position.

Ledtke had furnished a monthly list of tasks the manager addresses, and officials recognized that tasks could require work that would exceed whatever part-time hours the $10,000 would cover.

Officials agreed that the position needs a detailed job description.

"You need to delegate some of this," said Commissioner Mike Backman.

Commissioner Dan Cothren agreed. The fair board needs to go through the list and assume some of the responsibilities for the work and assign other tasks to the manager.

"The bottom line is that the county doesn't have a lot of money to do this," Cothren said. "You folks (the fair board) are going to have to take control of this."

Commissioners asked the fair board to review the list and meet another time with the county commission to draw up the job description and task list.

Commissioner Blair Brady said he would like the fair manager to reported directly to the fair board.

Philip Vik, senior fair board member, said board members normally attend meetings once a month and have little knowledge of the detailed workings of fair operation and finance.

"We'd have to hammer it out," said board member Maureen Bockius.