2-132. County free fair; petition and election; purchase of grounds; tax levy, use of proceeds; admission to fair.
2-132
2-132. County free fair; petition and election;
purchase of grounds;
tax levy, use of proceeds; admission to fair.
Whenever in the opinion of the board of county commissioners of any county in
this state the agricultural and industrial interests of such county can be
advanced by the establishment and maintenance of a county-owned and operated
free fair, and a petition to the same effect, signed by 60% of the
landowners of such county, is presented to the
board of county commissioners therefor, it shall be the duty of the board of
county commissioners to call an election to submit to the voters a proposition
to purchase a fairground, and if a majority of the votes cast on that
proposition shall be favorable to such purchase it shall be the duty of the
board of county commissioners to purchase such grounds. In any county which has
established a free fair under this section and in which there is no
county fair association recognized by the secretary
of agriculture, such county free fair shall be recognized by the
secretary of agriculture as the official county fair of such
county if the secretary of agriculture shall have
first determined that the county within which such county free fair is located:
(1) Has fairgrounds, or fairgrounds and buildings combined, with an appraised
value of at least $5,000; (2) has
conformed to adequate standards for a "fair" as defined in K.S.A. 2-125, and
amendments thereto; and (3) has paid premiums and awards for exhibitors and
contestants of at least $2,000
annually for the two consecutive years last preceding. Nothing in
this act shall prevent the board of county commissioners of any county in
Kansas from receiving and accepting as a gift, lands to be used as a fairground
except that where the board of county commissioners of any county in Kansas has
received and accepted lands for uses of fairgrounds as a gift from a fair
association organized under the provisions of K.S.A. 2-127 and 2-128, and
amendments thereto, and such fair association at the time of
such gift had official recognition from the
secretary of agriculture as an official county fair association, the
board of county commissioners of such county may make an annual tax levy on the
equalized assessed valuation of all tangible property in said county in an
amount which will produce at least
$2,000 and at least such amount shall be spent by such
county for premiums and awards for exhibitors and contestants at
such county free fair if there are exhibitors and
contestants
qualifying for such premiums and awards. When any county has purchased a
fairground as provided herein, or when any county has provided a suitable
fairground, either by lease, devise or otherwise, the board of county
commissioners shall annually at the time set by law for making levies, levy a
tax for the erection, maintenance, upkeep and repair of the equipment,
buildings and improvements thereon, the care of the grounds, the payment of
premiums and awards, the actual expense of operating the fair, and retiring any
indebtedness on lands received through gift, devise or purchase and to pay a
portion of the principal and interest on bonds issued under the authority of
K.S.A. 12-1774, and amendments thereto, by cities located in the county but no
part of such levy shall be used for the expense of purses and compensation for
all purely entertainment features and racing. No charge shall be made for
access and admission entrance to exhibits competing for premiums at any fair
operating under the provisions of this section and K.S.A. 2-133, and
amendments thereto. Recognition of any such county free fair, as an
official county fair by the secretary of agriculture,
may be forfeited by the secretary of agriculture for
failure to comply with this act or for failure to pay at least $2,000
each year, in premiums and awards for
exhibitors and contestants.
History: L. 1929, ch. 1, § 8; L. 1935, ch. 2, § 3; L. 1951,
ch. 4, § 1; L. 1953, ch. 3, § 1; L. 1957, ch. 3, § 1; L. 1975, ch.
162, § 2; L. 1979, ch. 52, § 18;
L. 2004, ch. 101, § 8; July 1.