Bannock commissioners stand by decision to close fair

The Bannock County commissioners didn’t waver from their decision to suspend the North Bannock County Fair Wednesday, but not before getting an earful from the community.

Bannock County Commissioners Howard Manwaring and Steve Hadley sat before a packed house at the Bannock County Court House. People from Pocatello, Chubbuck and Downey were in attendance. The South Bannock County Fair is hosted in Downey.

Before announcing their decision, the commissioners let attendees have their chance to publicly address them. More than a dozen people expressed their concerns or support for the commissioners’ decision.

Manwaring stressed the declining numbers at the North Bannock County Fair led to their decision to suspend it.

“We looked at the number of participants and it was far more in little, teeny Downey in the south than in the hub here of the cities of Pocatello and Chubbuck,” said Manwaring. “Far more in Downey than here, where there’s hundred times the people.”

Before he adjourned the meeting, Manwaring said unless Hadley makes a motion otherwise, the decision won’t change.