Local law regulates events at Caledonia Fairgrounds

   With Mayor Joe Caluorie casting the tie breaking vote, the Village of Caledonia passed an amendment by a vote of 3-2 to local law 162 Racing and Similar Activities, ending nearly four years of talks between the Village Board, West End neighbors and the Caledonia Fair Board. The vote took place March 20, 2007 following the close of the public hearing on the amendment that regulates the number of motorized events that can be held at the Caledonia Fairgrounds. Some members of the VB called the adopted amendment, "a fair solution to the grid lock between the village’s local law, neighbors in that area and the Caledonia Fair board." Village Board members pointed out that the Fair Board has freedom to hold any other type of non-motorized event at the fairgrounds at any time of the year, provided they complete the proper Amusement Application.

   The amendment allows the Livingston County Fair and Agricultural Society at Caledonia to hold one additional motorized event per year at the fairgrounds, outside of the annual fair week. The operator of the event would still be required to obtain an Amusement Permit from the Village. Any additional motorized or racing events held at the fairgrounds would be in violation of village code and punishable by a fine of not less than $250 and not more than $2,000.

   Prior to the adoption of this amendment, motorized, racing or similar events could not be held at all at the Caledonia fairgrounds, except during the annual fair week, according to a Village of Caledonia local law. For the last several years, at least one additional motorized event, the Second Chance Demolition Derby, has been held at the Caledonia Fairgrounds, angering some of the residents living in the area who approached the VB nearly three years ago asking them to enforce the law and shut down the event. That’s when the VB opened negotiations with the Caledonia Fair Board to find an equitable solution.

   Bob Hilderbrant, president of the LCFAS at Caledonia, believes that this issue should not be debated at all because the Caledonia Fair is a not-for-profit corporation that should be considered pre-existing, non-conforming and should not be subject to the Village Code at all, but be grandfathered in. He acknowledged that representatives from the VB and the Fair did meet, along with their attorneys, but that open communication between the two sides did not occur.

   "The meeting didn’t address the issue, it only added penalties for things we have an inherit right to do anyway," Hilderbrant answered.

   Members of the Caledonia Fair and West End neighbors (area of the village where the fairgrounds is located) continued to attend numerous village board meetings over the past several months. In the spring of 2006, newly elected Trustees Steve Polo and Teresa Truman surveyed the West End neighborhood to determine their concerns about what types of events go on at the fairgrounds.

   "Trustee Truman and I, on direction of the board, queried the neighborhood and 98 percent of the folks surveyed were opposed to more than two events per year at the fairgrounds," Polo stated.

   He said the majority of the neighbors said they were not opposed to the Second Chance Demolition Derby but did oppose any additional motorized events being held there throughout the year. Polo said the neighbors told him that they just want the VB to settle the issue.

   The VB and their attorney said they attempted to work with representatives of the Caledonia Fair, to include their input in the Racing Law amendment.

   "In a meeting, we asked their lawyer to just give us a list of what they want done," James Coniglio, attorney for the Village of Caledonia, told the trustees.

   Mayor Joe Caluorie says the VB has made every attempt to work with the Caledonia Fair Board.

   "The Fair Board was invited to participate in numerous Village Board meetings regarding the proposed Racing Law. The last meeting we had with them was at their request by their attorney. We felt that the subject had to be resolved. It has been an issue for several years and during that time period nothing was resolved. When I came on board, I noticed that the Fairgrounds was on the agenda for every meeting. It would be counterproductive to continue this for the next four years without a reasonable conclusion. It is my desire that the Village Board, Fair Association and the residents can work in concert to put aside personal feelings in support of an amicable relationship that will benefit everyone" Mayor Caluorie explained.

   Trustees Diane Fowler and Steve Boscoe, both having served on the previous VB who initially took up this issue with the Caledonia Fair Board, voted no to adopting the amended local law. Both said they felt there was not enough input from the Fair Board.

   "The Fair Board did not ask for this law. We don’t have enough input from the Fair Board. Is this even what they want?" Boscoe said.

   Trustee Fowler said she believes the issue is a personal vendetta between some of the neighbors of the fairgrounds and the Fair Board. Fowler says she believes the neighbor’s concern with activities held at the fairgrounds stems from a personal issue and that is why she voted against adopting the amendment.

   "I cannot change the law for a personal vendetta," Fowler stated in the public hearing.

   Coniglio told the VB that numerous attempts to gather input from the Fair Board were unsuccessful. Mayor Caluorie and Trustee Polo agreed, and with the motion to adopt the amendment on the floor with a 2-2 tie, Mayor Caluorie cast the tie- breaking vote in favor of adopting the amendment.

   "The discussion is done," said Boscoe. "Let’s do some positive things for the village."

   After the public hearing, Boscoe and Fowler said they would have preferred that the current law be enforced, rather than changing the law without clear input from the Fair Board. When asked why they didn’t request that the current law be enforced over the past few years when the Fair Board violated it by holding the Second Chance Demolition Derby, the trustees said, "As trustees, we didn’t attempt any enforcement while this issue was being negotiated."