Jerome Hoban Named Fairgrounds CEO

 

HOBAN REPLACES BEAZLEY MAY 1ST
In a press release following the Fair Board meeting this afternoon, Chair Joyce Tucker announced that Jerome Hoban, current Vice President of Operations at the Orange County Fair and Event Center, has been named interim CEO, replacing Dr. Steve Beazley, who will apparently leave his position effetive May 1.

 
PRESS RELEASE BELOW
The press release follows in it's entirety.  If you wish to view a larger version please just click on the image.

Fair Board Like A WWF Match!

WE NEED TO GET A FENCED OCTAGON!
OK, I'm not a big WWF fan, but attending Fair Board meetings is clearly going to be like going to one of those events in person!  Geez!

SHOUTING MATCHES
I attended the most recent Fair Board meeting this morning and found it to be enlightening, to say the very least.  Suffice it to say that it's a darn good thing that fifteen feet and a big conference table separate new members Nick Berardino and Stan Tkaczyk from hold-over member Dave Ellis and his new pal, Ali Jahangiri.  A couple times during the two and half hour meeting I found myself wondering why we just didn't adjourn to the parking lot and let those guys go at it.

CRITICISM OF DAILY PILOT ARTICLES
As expected, the recent spate of Daily Pilot articles - three of them - that appeared in one edition caused much controversy.  Speakers before the Board took exception to how some of the information had been presented regarding the costs of keeping horses at the Equestrian Center.  The writer of the article, Jon Cassidy, and the Editor of the Pilot, John Canalis, both were present and heard the complaints.  It's my understanding that a correction will be published soon.

ASSUME ELLIS WAS "THE SOURCE"
Beyond that, it was clear from the heated discussion between Berardino and Ellis - with Tkaczyk occasionally chiming in - that the source of the information was most likely Ellis.

ATTORNEY GENERAL REBUFF - AGAIN
The second article dealt with the decision by the State Attorney General to step away - again - from the Fair Board as a "client", requiring the board to seek outside legal counsel.  Apparently the AG is unhappy that there remains on-going turmoil about the proposed sale of the fairgrounds by certain members of the board three years ago.  Lame duck CEO Steve Beazley explained the chain of events and correspondence that led to the AG rejecting the Fair Board.  In fact, on the agenda today was an item about the forming of a committee to investigate the whole sale mess.  More on that in a minute.

"WORKER" PUBLIC ART DISCUSSED
The first agenda item under "Governance Process" dealt with Nick Berardino's suggestion that there should be some kind of public art commemorating the contribution of agricultural workers to the growth and development of Orange County.  A very professional presentation was made by staffer Joan Hamill, showing examples of such art and describing probable methods of making a selection.  After a short discussion Chair Joyce Tucker appointed Berardino and Tkaczyk as a committee to get the ball rolling and report back to the Board at a future meeting.

FAIR SALE REVIEW COMMITTEE
The second item was the review and approval of the scope of work for the Fair Sale Review Committee and to provide direction regarding the appointment of committee members.  It all began smoothly, with Berardino announcing the names of various members submitted by community organizations that were involved.  The Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce had not been contacted yet, but would be, plus the chairwoman still had to name two at-large members from the community.  Apparently, from a comment she later made, two retired judges had declined positions in this organization.  At this point things really got interesting.

 ELLIS TRYING TO KILL THE INVESTIGATION

By the nature of questions raised by Ellis - a person who logically would be one of the subjects of any investigation into the fair sale - it was clear to most observers that his intent was to encumber the process to the point that the group would be unable to do the job.  He presented the Board with a list (which he described as a "partial list") of 71 individuals he felt should be interrogated by the committee to get to the bottom of the issue.  Besides himself and every other then-sitting Board member, it included state and federal legislators, county officials, elected city officials (past and present), other bidders on the property, consultants involved in the process and many, many more.  Ellis also raised the question of the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting law, indicating that this committee must be guided by the rules of that law.  He also suggested that every member should be required to complete financial disclosure forms.  As he indelicately put it, "You know what I make, now I want to know what you make."  That comment set the tone for the "discussion".  During one heated exchange Berardino accused Ellis of trying to stop the committee, stating, "I think you're hiding something!"   Newby Ashleigh Aitken helped un-muddy the water when it came time to vote specifically on the Scope Of Work segment, which eventually passed unanimously.

JAHANGIRI PROPOSES CHAOS
Then more jockeying about the participants on the committee ensued.   Member Ali Jahangiri threw a monkey wrench into the works by demanding that committee membership should be open to anyone and everyone!  Berardino reminded him that all this had been hashed out at a meeting he failed to attend and that such a request would make it virtually impossible for the committee to function.  I saw just the slightest glimmer of a smile on Ellis' face...  The Board rejected that irrational request and resolved to have a total of 5 "at-large" members on the committee, up from two, and that Chair Tucker would appoint them.   Eventually, after much public comment, the Board voted to move forward with the committee as recommended plus the additional at-large positions and a pending contact with the Chamber of Commerce.  Only Ellis voted no.

DOOMED EFFORT
No provision has been made for legal guidance for this committee, no budget has been discussed and - despite several pleas by proposed members - the Board did not approve a mechanism to extend the life of this committee beyond the original 120 days.  If, in fact, Ellis' list of 71 names is just a starting point and if each of them must be interrogated to reach a decision AND if the Board and other entities will be required to provide the documents demanded by at least one member, I fear this committee will simply be spinning it's wheels and is doomed to failure.

SOME MEMBERS ARE BAILING OUT ALREADY
A sidebar... some of the proposed members of the committee were in attendance at this meeting.  This afternoon I've been advised that some of them may be having second thoughts and will withdraw from participation.  It's hard to blame them after watching this disfunctional display this morning.  Chair Tucker had that perpetual "deer in the headlights" look on her face, failed to control the discussion didn't provide any leadership that I saw.  That's too bad.

PACIFIC AMPHITHEATRE RENOVATION DELAYED
The final item on the open session agenda was the presentation of the proposed remodel of the Pacific Amphitheatre.  It was a short presentation because the staff, after reviewing all the elements, have decided that it is just not possible to pull everything together - and find the money to perform this renovation - in order to begin this fall.  They asked, and the Board agreed, to extend the time for them to do further analysis.  By the way, the plans look GREAT!

BYRON MAY BE RIGHT
So, another interesting morning in the land of Newport-Mesa is under my prodigious belt.  This one was certainly an exercise in frustration - like watching a ship steam at full speed through stormy waters without a firm hand on the rudder.  The residents of our county deserve better...  Maybe my friend, Byron de Arakal - who was quoted extensively by one speaker today - is right.  Maybe we SHOULD just sell the place!

Fair Board Greets New Members

FIRST MEETING FOR NEWBIES
Today I attended the monthly meeting of the 32nd District Agriculture Association Board of Directors - the Fair Board - to see how things functioned with two new members. This was the first meeting by Governor Jerry Browns most recent appointees, lawyer Ashleigh Aitken and retired businessman Stan Tkaczyk. I wrote about their appointments in my earlier post.

NO ELLIS TODAY
In that post I speculated about the potential electricity between Tkaczyk and fellow board member Dave Ellis. Well, that will have to wait because Ellis and Kristina Dodge were absent from the meeting. It is "ski week" in the Newport-Mesa Unified School District, after all, and they both have kids. So, that fun will have to wait.

READY AND EAGER
Both new members jumped right in, with Tkaczyk taking a major role in several of the discussions. It's clear that he's not going to be a passive board member. Aitken also made her presence known.



LEGAL SERVICES
The issue that got the most discussion, and has attracted the most "real media" attention was during the discussion of the possible extension of the legal services contract with the private law firm, Manatt, Phelps and Phillips, who has been providing all legal services for the Fair Board ever since the State Attorney General - then Jerry Brown - tossed them aside because there might have been a situation where the AG's office would have to prosecute members of the Board for their part in the bogus scheme to buy the fairgrounds three years ago. Soon-to-be-retired CEO Dr. Steve Beazley recommended that that private contract be continued. Tkaczyk and others chimed in and suggested that a letter be sent to the new Attorney General requesting that they resume providing legal services to the Fair Board - a state agency - and, in the interim, negotiate a flexible short-term contract with the current firm.

PARKING A BIG ISSUE
A significant amount of time was spent reviewing the current parking situation for the Fairgrounds. The Fair has grown dramatically in recent years and, as a result, so has the demand for parking spaces. The Board directed staff to contact the Newport-Mesa Unified School District to see what kind of an arrangement might be made for the use of nearby school parking during peak events.

GOOD CHOICES
It was an interesting meeting - one of the few I've attended in the middle of the day. It looked to me like the new additions to the board will both be a positive influence on discussions and decisions that are made by that body. Let's hope so. We've had enough drama with the old board to last a long, long time. And, of course, it's always fun watching Tkaczyk's wife, Barbara Venezia, working the crowd, as she was here with fellow Orange County Register reporters Jon Cassidy and Frank Mickadeit.

An Honor Bestowed And PacAmp Amplified

BUSY, BUSY, BUSY...
It was a busy afternoon in Costa Mesa yesterday.




HAMMETT FIELD COMPLEX DEDICATION
First, at 4:30 I joined more than fifty other people at the former Farm Sports Complex as it was dedicated to local hero and municipal legend, Jack R. Hammett.
HONOR WELL-EARNED
Hammett, a former mayor and Pearl Harbor Survivor, has been instrumental in many of the early-day accomplishments Costa Mesa experienced. He has been a municipal leader for more than five decades and a mentor to many.
GOOD TURNOUT
He was honored by residents, family, friends, fellow World War II patriots and politicians. During the nearly one-hour long ceremony many rose to praise Hammett for his many contributions to our community. Among those present were Mayor Gary Monahan, Mayor Pro Tem Jim Righeimer, council members Steve Mensinger and Wendy Leece. Eric Bever was a no-show. I also saw Planning Commissioner Jim Fitzpatrick and Parks and Recreation Commissioners Jeff Mathews, Ethan Temianka and Kim Pederson. About-to-be-lame-duck Assemblyman Allan Mansoor showed up festively dressed in what looked like pajama tops, indicating that he just got off a plane from Sacramento.
CMTV ON THE JOB
Brad Long of Costa Mesa Television was scampering around, camera in hand, so we can probably expect to see some good coverage of this very nice event.

*****

PACIFIC AMPHITHEATER WORKSHOP
I went directly from the dedication to the Fairgrounds for an "open house/workshop" on the proposed modifications of the Pacific Amphitheater. Soon-to-be-former-CEO of the Fairgrounds, Dr. Steve Beazley, guided a presentation of the initial proposals for the modifications planned. He emphasized that they are in the very initial stages of this process - they just hired an architectural firm from Los Angeles - and that this meeting would certainly not be the only one.
EARLY IN THE PROCESS
Beazley fielded most of the questions from concerned residents - the room was packed to capacity, around 80 - and admitted that he didn't have all the answers yet. He did encourage any resident to call him for a one-on-one conversation, but was pressed to give a broader presentation than I think he anticipated. He did tell us that the Board anticipates spending $4.5 million on the proposed changes and that any construction would not start until August, after the Fair has ended, and would be completed before next year's Fair. More meetings are anticipated this spring.
SOME BOARD MEMBERS STAYED
The meeting commenced a little late because the Fair Board had not yet finished its Closed Session. When they did come out and adjourn their meeting, many members stuck around and, at one point, were polled by one member of the audience on their individual commitment to retaining the same sound restrictions currently in place. Each said, one way or the other, that they supported the current sound level restrictions. It was of interest that members Kristina Dodge, Dale Dykema and Dave Ellis were not present. I didn't see Ellis at all, and Dykema and Dodge skipped out after their closed session.
I DETECTED DISTRUST OF THE BOARD....
Many residents in attendance asked questions that implied concern about ANY changes at the Fairgrounds with just a recognizable tinge of distrust in the Board. Of course, that's understandable considering the events of the past couple of years. In fact, one member of the audience asked about the noise restraints in the event the Fairgrounds is sold. Beazley did a wonderful tap-dance around that one and never did answer the question.
THE PROCESS WILL CONTINUE
Now the architects will huddle with the Fairgrounds sound expert, Gary Hardesty, and work together to come up with a final design. More meetings will be held, according to Beazley - assuming he's around.

Meetings Today and Tomorrow

PARKS & REC. COMMISSION TONIGHT AT 6:00 P.M.
In case you've forgotten, the Costa Mesa Parks and Recreation Commission under the guidance of Chairman Jeff Mathews meets this evening at 6:00 in City Council Chambers at City Hall. They have a slim agenda and only meet every other month, so if you want to see them in action go to City Hall or watch the meeting televised live on CMTV - Channel 24 (Time Warner Cable) or Channel 99 (ATT U-Verse).

DOUBLE-HEADER AT FAIRGROUNDS TOMORROW
Tomorrow the Orange County Fair Board holds its monthly meeting, but this one has been re-scheduled to 3:30 so folks attending can transition seamlessly to the Open House/Workshop about the modifications planned for the Pacific Amphitheater that's being held at the Fairgrounds Administration building beginning at 6:00. That subject has been a lightning rod for controversy over the years. You can read about that meeting HERE.

MORE ON BEAZLEY?
I suppose we might hear more information about the pending departure of Fair CEO Dr. Steven Beazley, who announced his retirement from State service recently.

Beazley Out As OC Fair CEO (AMENDED**)

RUMORS CONFIRMED
Following rumors swirling around Costa Mesa yesterday afternoon, this morning Robin Wachner in the Orange County Fair and Event Center Communications Department issued a press release announcing the pending departure of Dr. Steve Beazley from his position as Chief Executive Officer.

CONTROVERSIAL PERIOD AS CEO
Beazley is a long-term employee who rose to the top slot four years ago following the departure of Becky Bailey-Findley. He was the lightning rod for much controversy during the tumultuous time when the Fairgrounds was in play. At one point he was so concerned for his personal safety that the Fair Board authorized a security system to be installed at his home.

NO WORD FROM DR. STEVE
Calls to Beazley last night and this morning have gone unanswered and Wachner referred me to him this morning to get his story. I'll report more when I know more.

***

**THE STRAIGHT SCOOP
Steve Beazley just returned my calls to give me an update on his decision to depart. He told me that this is his decision - that he received no pressure from the Fair Board - and that, after 38 years with the Fair, it just seemed like the right time in his life to move on. He's told me that he never thought his job as CEO of the Fairgrounds would be his final job and that he's really looking forward to the new adventures that face him ahead. He told me he has nothing in the hopper at this time... Yikes!

FEELIN' GOOD
Beazley, always enthusiastic, told me, "I feel such a sense of rightness" about his decision. He feels he will be leaving the Orange County Fair and Event Center in very good condition, with a solid staff and good leadership from the Board. He hopes to participate in the process of replacing himself, but will leave that part of the transition up to the Fair Board. He told me he has spoken with the Fair Board leadership and will likely address the entire board at its meeting on January 26th.

A LEAP OF FAITH
Many of us have made this kind of decision in our lives. Beazley makes his as he approaches his 50th birthday - I made mine much earlier when I walked away from the best job I ever had to start a consulting practice. It's very much like jumping out of an airplane and wondering if the parachute will open when you pull the rip cord. I wish Dr. Steve Beazley well, and hope the transition goes smoothly for him and for the Fairgrounds.

***
Here is the text of Wachner's press release:

Costa Mesa, Calif. (January 17, 2012) –OC Fair & Event Center President and CEO Dr. Steven Beazley has informed the Board of Directors of his intention to transition out of the position in 2012.

“It is time to reinvent myself. My intention is to retire from State service to pursue new creative opportunities including writing a book,” said Beazley.

Beazley, 49 expressed his desire to begin working with the Board on creating a CEO transition plan. A transition date has not been set.

“It is of the utmost importance to me to ensure that the CEO transition is a smooth one, maintaining the continuity of the organization,” Beazley said.

“While we are saddened by the news of Steve’s transition, we are happy for him and looking forward to selecting our next CEO,” said Board Chair Joyce Tucker.

Beazley stated in a letter to the Board that his 37 years in the organization, with 14 years as an executive including nearly 4 years as the President and CEO, have been a true joy. He quoted former Beatle George Harrison’s album title as a universal truth: “All Things Must Pass.”

Fair, Concerts, National Night Out and Council Meeting

HURRY UP!
Been to the Orange County Fair yet? No? Well, you'd better get crackin' because its run is half over and there's lots of fun to be had.




DR. STEVE ON TV
CMTV and Dr. Steven Beazley, President and CEO of the Orange County Fair and Event Center have collaborated to present "At the Fair", a weekly video presentation available on streaming video at the city web site. These short - 10 minute - clips give you interesting information and may help motivate you to visit the Fair and partake in the food (Deep fried practically anything) and entertainment. You can view the first one HERE and the second one HERE.

TWO WEEKS LEFT
So, from Wednesday through Sunday until August 14th you'll have a chance to be part of the record crowds having a blast at the Fair. Enjoy.



MY FUN? THE COUNCIL MEETING
Tonight, instead of going to the Concert in the Park or participating in the National Night Out event I will, once again, be hunkered down in the City Council Chambers as they council deals with pithy issues at their only real meeting of the month. Yes, they have a study session scheduled for the 9th, but they canceled the August 16th council meeting, so this is it until the day after Labor Day. I'll report tomorrow night - unless they manage to run the meeting into Wednesday morning. I'll report when I can, in any event.

It's That Time Of The Year - Again

LET'S EAT!
It's time for the Orange County Fair Again. A couple years ago some thought we might not see this day, but they were wrong. So, after divisive debate, countless legal battles, friends pitted against friends and alliances some folks knew could never work, Friday was opening day of the most recent iteration of the Orange County Fair. Early reports indicate the attendance is up 25% - a wonderful, welcome bit of news in this kind of economy.

A SPECIAL KICK-OFF THIS YEAR
But this year the Fair was actually kicked off by a very special event on Thursday. The brainchild of Fair Board Chairman Dave Ellis, the Fair hosted foster children from around Orange County as described in the press release, below:

“A Fair To Remember: A Celebration Of Our Children”
OC Fair Preview A Huge Success

Costa Mesa, Calif. (July 15, 2011) – On the eve of the 2011 OC Fair, more than 8,200 foster children, foster families and county social services staff enjoyed a “Fair to Remember: A Celebration of Our Children,” sponsored by the OC Fair & Event Center. Attendees were treated to a complimentary dinner, dessert, Peking Acrobats performance, carnival rides, the Ice Museum and overall Fair merriment.

“The goal of this event was to put smiles on their faces and provide a rewarding Fair experience for them. We wanted to show our appreciation of the foster care community for the service they provide to our county,” stated OC Fair Board Chairman David Ellis.

More than 100 elected officials, including Orange County Supervisor John Moorlach and Assembly Members Allan Mansoor and Jim Silva, joined OC Fair Board members and staff to serve dinner to the visiting children and families.

“I hope ’A Fair to Remember: A Celebration of Our Children’ becomes an annual event. The OC Fair is all about children, families and family-friendly entertainment,” said OC Fair & Event Center CEO Dr. Steve Beazley.

The event was underwritten by donations from the community and OC Fair vendors.

“This event would not have been possible without the financial support of Orange County and the hard work of Fair Board Vice Chair Joyce Tucker to help secure the underwriting funds. Orange County is a compassionate and caring community that provided nearly $100,000 in donations to give the kids a Fair to Remember,” concluded Ellis.

Donors included: Argyros Family Foundation; Ben's Asphalt; Deborah and Larry Bridges; Tony and John Ginger; Henry T. Nicholas, III Foundation; Simon Foundation; Ovations Food Services; Ray Cammack Shows; R.A Industries, LLC; Glen & Mindy Stearns; Joyce and Tom Tucker; Allen and Susan Boerner; Namkung Promotions Inc.; Madison Materials; Ware Disposal; Centennial Farm Foundation; Cinquini Family Trust; Dale and Sandi Dykema; David & Christin Ellis Family Trust; Hensel Phelps Construction Co.; Victoria and Gil LeVasseur; Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Foundation; Manatt, Phelps & Phillips; Diana Martin; Carl F. McLarand’ OC Employees Association; Red Capital Group, LLC; Robert E. and Linda Yellin; Michael Berns; California Community Foundation; Larane Cinquini-Rodnick; Harry & Diane Rinker Foundation; Peter & Cindy Stephan Bergkvist; Bergkvist & Carter, LLP; Doug & Bonnie La Belle; Steve and Diane Beazley; EDB Consulting, LLC; Jerome and Lisa Hoban; Orange County Advocacy Group, Inc.; Betty Presley & Associates, Inc.; RBF Consulting; Kathleen Blomo; Gerard and Cherisse Goedhart; and Thalman & Associates.

The 2011 OC Fair, themed LET’S EAT!, is July 15 – August 14 and will bring 23 days of food, rides, exhibits, animals, music, action sports and fun, as well as the popular Super Pass (season pass), Pacific Amphitheatre Summer Concert Series, The Hangar and Action Sports Arena. The Fair is open Wednesday-Sunday. The OC Fair was ranked the eighth highest attended fair in the U.S. last year by Venues Today magazine.

***

A NEW COLLABORATION - "@ THE FAIR"
One of the new features of this year's Fair experience is a collaboration between Costa Mesa TV and the Fair Staff called "@ The Fair", which is available for viewing on CMTV and on streaming video. Fair CEO Dr. Steve Beazley and CMTV's Dane Bora have teamed-up to present everything you want or need to know about this year's Fair. The link for the first edition of "@ The Fair" is available HERE. This looks like a great, easy-to-use resource for all those fair-goers who plan a big part of their summer around this month-long event.

FOR MORE INFORMATION....
For more information on all the entertainment, food and features available at this year's Orange County Fair, visit their web site HERE. The Fair runs from July 15th through August 14th, but is closed Mondays and Tuesdays. So, go to the fair and be the first person in your block to try this year's new culinary delight - Deep Fried Kool-Aid! What's next, Deep Fried Dust? Have fun...

Fairgrounds Sale Officially Dead

CAN YOU HEAR HER?
Well, it looks like the fat lady has finally sung for Facilities Management West. In an article by several Orange County Register reporters just after noon today and updated an hour ago, HERE, the State of California is apparently no longer interested in selling the Orange County Fair and Event Center. Of course, the timing of this news, on the opening day of the annual Orange County Fair, is fortuitous.

SALE R.I.P
According to the Register article, FMW has no plans to file an appeal the ruling earlier issued by the 4th District Court of Appeals. So, this news effectively drives a stake in the heart of FMW, and any other potential bidder for the Fairgrounds.

WHAT NOW, DAVE?
I'll be VERY interested to see how the Fair Board follows through with their revenue sharing proposal they pitched to the State earlier this year. I'll also be interested to see what new developments Board Chairman Dave Ellis and the CEO, Dr. Steve Beazley, plan to propose now that the lawsuit is out of the way and the path seems clear for them.


ENJOY THE FAIR...
So, let's all enjoy the Fair this year. I can hardly wait to run over there and get some Deep Fried Kool-Aid! OMG! :-)

Wa'sup With The Fairgrounds?

NOW ON SIMMER
The boiling tumult that was the sale of the Orange County Fair and Event Center (Fairgrounds) has been on simmer for the the past couple months awaiting resolution of the legal challenges to the sale and to see if New/Old Governor Jerry Brown will use his executive power to halt the sale.

WHO DO YOU BELIEVE?
Parties on all sides of the issue - it's not really a two-sided issue, more like a parallelogram - have quietly jockeyed for position in the arena of public perception, hoping to be viewed as the "real" savior of the Fairgrounds. Jaded members of the public seem unwilling to buy any "I'm really a good guy" argument at this time, but we'll see.

ORANGE COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS PRESERVATION SOCIETY
Sandra Genis' Orange County Fairgrounds Preservation Society remains poised to pounce if it looks like the sale will go through. Over the past couple years Genis has spent countless hours lobbying with government officials at the local and state level trying to quash the sale.


FACILITIES MANAGEMENT WEST - "WE'RE GOOD GUYS"
Potential owner Facilities Management West recently issued a press release in effect telling the world that they are good guys and would be good stewards of the Fairgrounds if the sale goes through. Since President Ken Fait's little tirade before the City Council many months ago folks are having a hard time conjuring up the image of him as a benevolent owner.

PARTNERSHIPS AND PROFIT SHARING
Last week the management of the Fairgrounds, through their CEO, Dr. Steve Beazley, issued a couple press releases. The first, HERE, issued on March 24th "announced several forward-looking endeavors to enhance partnerships and profitability" and went on to talk about its relationship with Barrett-Jackson, including a new 85,000 square-foot exhibit hall to be used for the car auction. It also addressed the plan to find a partner for an 8,500 seat Pacific Amphitheater concert venue - we're assuming this would be a covered building that would deflect any future "noise" issues.

32ND DAA OWNS THE FAIRGROUNDS!
The second, HERE, issued the same day, announced the Fair Board affirmation of its belief that the 32nd District Agriculture Board actually owns the 150 acre site and pledged to halt the sale. The Fair Board has apparently unleashed it's legal counsel toward that end. This is good news.

ELLIS SPEAKS!
Then, today, OC Weekly Chasen Marshall gave us his most recent view of the whole Fairgrounds issue, HERE, and actually got Fair Board President David Ellis to speak for attribution! Be still, my heart! Ellis actually is quoted by Marshall, when asked about the stealth non-profit creation that was at the cornerstone of the controversy nearly two years ago, as saying, "I'll be the first to admit I was in the middle of all that..." You can read the rest of his quote in the article at the link I provided.

BYRON DE ARAKAL JOINS FAIRGROUNDS TEAM
At the end of Marshall's piece today he announced to the world that my friend, Byron de Arakal, has been retained as a public relations consultant by the Fair Board. I've known about this assignment for a little while, but withheld comment until it was officially announced - I guess we're at that point now. I've teased my pal about this assignment since we first began talking about it. Much like Bill Lobdell's assignment with the City of Costa Mesa, Byron is going to have his hands full with this one regardless which way the sale goes. I've teased him about being a "corporate make-up artist", alluding to that old "lipstick on a pig" analogy. One thing I think we can anticipate is crystal clear communications coming from the Fair Board while Byron's onboard. We'll see...

O.C. MARKETPLACE OUT?
And, the fate of the Orange County MarketPlace remains in doubt. Operator Jeff Teller may find himself odd man out regardless which way the sale is resolved. It's clear from public pronouncements that Facilities Management West feels (felt?) that they could operate the upscale swap meet better. And, Teller is currently in "negotiations" with the Fair Board about problems with his rent. The drama continues...