County Reviewing Ag Building Usage
Many local groups use the meeting room at the Fayette County Ag Building – so many, according to Pct. 3 Commissioner Harvey Berckenhoff, that the offices housed in that building often can’t use it for their own purposes.At the April 9 Fayette County Commissioners Court meeting, the Court took up a request from two groups to use the Countyowned space for meetings: Rural Whole Health Coalition and La Grange Taxpayers for Responsible Schools.
“What’s happening is our (AgriLife) extension agents (and) the USDA, they’re having trouble booking the room for themselves to have their own programs there,” said Pct. 3 Commissioner Harvey Berckenhoff. “There’s too many groups out asking for space over there. It’s no fault of anyone’s. They said that this thing has just grown too large for them to handle over there.”
Berckenhoff said the AgrilLife staff sometimes has to book the room six months in advance because the room is reserved so often. In one case, he said, AgriLife agents had to hold a program at another facility because the Ag Building meeting room was unavailable. The County does not charge rent to use the room. Berckenhoff said that under the original agreement governing use of the room, it was intended for groups like governmental bodies, 4-H clubs, and the Fayette County Firefighters Association. Pct. 1 Commissioner Jason McBroom said one of the groups using the room is a book club.
“There’s a room at the library they can use for free,” McBroom said.
In addition, McBroom said some of the groups using the room are for-profit enterprises.
“There are eight rooms at the (City of La Grange-owned) Randolph Recreation Center that can be rented,” McBroom said. “There’s an EH kitchen (at the Fairgrounds) that can be rented ... I think the whole goal with the Ag building was to promote agriculture, through agriculture education and through extension.”
During the meeting, the Court considered denying the request from Rural Whole Health Coalition and La Grange Taxpayers for Responsible Schools. The Rural Whole Health Coalition planned to use the space later this summer. However, La Grange Taxpayers for Responsible Schools wanted to use the room last week for a public meeting over the La Grange ISD $90 million bond proposal. Pct. 4 Commissioner Drew Brossmann proposed allowing the two groups to use the meeting room at this time and then reviewing use of the meeting room by private organizations at a later date. Commissioners voted 4-1 to authorize the two groups to use the building. Berckenhoff cast the dissenting vote.