Some 23 years ago I had some free time and I wanted to serve on a Sonoma County Fair Board. This honor is an appointment made by the Governor. Ironically of all the appointments made by the governor a Fair Board appointment is the most sought after. Fair Board members serve without pay generally for a term until replaced. There are about 58 fairs in California that are state operated. Other fairs are county fairs and those board members are generally appointed by the county board of supervisors.
Twenty-three years ago I wanted to serve on the Sonoma-Marin Fair which was operated by the Fourth District Agriculture Association. More commonly the Sonoma County fair is referred to as the Petaluma Fair for the town where it is held. The process for appointment is more complex than just showing up at meetings. To be appointed entails filling out a complex form and having some influential supporters. Twenty three years ago the governor was Gray Davis, a Democrat. I am a Republican, so there was the first hurdle. I was friends with Rusty Areas, Democrat Assemblyman from Los Banos. Rusty helped me fill out an application and hand-carried it over to the appointment secretary’s office at the capitol. About three months later I received an appointment to the Petaluma Fair Board of Directors.
One of the reasons I wanted to serve on the Board was that the lease for the fair property from the city runs out in 23 years on the approximately 80 acres right smack dab in the middle of the city and the fair board pays the city whopping $1 per year for the land and all of the buildings.
The first meeting I attended was a report from a company who surveyed what the best use of the land might be. The report was extensive and complete with suggestions and a whopping bill. We filed the report and went on to preparing for the upcoming fair.
I enjoyed being a board member and was probably the furthest in distance and from my profession. All the other members were from the Petaluma area and connected to the dairy industry.
Politically Gray Davis was voted out of office by Arnold Schwarzenegger. I did not see any problem forthcoming since I was a Republican. How wrong I was, just two years into my appointment I was replaced. My concern about the lease for the land went south and year by year went away. No member of the board seemed concerned that the lease was coming due in 2023. Finally in 2022 the city hired another company to do a survey on the best use of the Fair grounds land. This company charged the city $450,000 for the survey. They came up with a report similar to the one I saw 23 years ago.
The Fair board finaly got into high gear and held some meetings. Year 2023 was coming to an end and now was the time to have some meetings with the Petaluma City Council who wanted their land back. Of course $1 per year is a slap in the face for 80 primo acres right in the middle of town
So here we are on the 25th of December and I am now reading a Community Update. “Petaluma City is thrilled to announce that the fair will continue. An agreement has been reached with the Fourth District Agriculture Association to continue operating their annual fair.”
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Historic Equipment
Several years ago a representative of the new Dam holding back the formation of Lake Mendocino came to my ranch. The representative was wearing some official government clothes. He was looking for some antique farm equipment to make a display at the outside bottom of the dam by the buildings. It would be placed so that visitors would see the equipment and a sign would be placed so it was showing just who donated the equipment for the display, This all sounded acceptable to me as I had pieces of farm equipment that dated back to my great grandfathers. I could just see a sign. Donated by the Dempel Ranch
The next day or so the dam representative showed up at my ranch with a truck and we loaded up three pieces of old antique farm equipment. A buck rake, a cycle mower, and a one-cylinder gas engine.
I did not think anything about the gift for some time. Just by chance several years passed and I saw some men who were waring government clothing from the Lake Mendocino Dam I asked them about the equipment and a display that would have been placed so that dam visitors would observe the old equipment. The employees informed me that there was no display of any old equipment. The employees went on to tell me that most likely the equipment was giver to a junk dealer. This information did not set well with me
Some time went by and I decided to follow up on just where my equipment had been displayed as promised by the Mendocino Dam employees.
It is not easy to contact a person at Lake Mendocino. There seems to be multiple agencies. From Corp of Engineers to the Department of Fish and Game, to an active visitors center. I finally talked to Taylor Bazhn. She was extremely helpful. She knew of some displays at the dam and even had a person take some pictures and send to me. Unfortunately, none of the pictures were of my equipment. I also talked Ben White, Project manager. I then got the name of Department of the Army Major Tim Shebesta in San Francisco. I tried to call the Major but could not ever get a call back
I did get some help that I should check at Lake Sonoma. So, on one of the days I drove to the south side of Lake Sonoma. I found my way to the fish hatchery. Even though the sign said it was closed, we drove in. I found the office for the fish hatchery. I met up with Alan Pariani, Fish Hatchery Manager. He was extremely helpful. He showed me a display they had there. Again, it was not my equipment. He also said that there was the boneyard behind some locked gates. He attempted to find someone from the Corp who would unlock the gate, without success. I was moved that someone from the government years ago was indeed thoughtful enough to display historic equipment both at Lake Mendocino and Lake Sonoma.
I finally got a call from Brandon Beach A CIV USARMY [USA]. He instructed me to file form 95 which I have finished and will send to the address supplied and hope an investigation will be started as to where my equipment is now located.
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