2013 Oregon Revised Statutes
Volume : 13 - Water Resources, Agriculture and Food
Chapter 565 - Fairs and Exhibits
Section 565.521 - Conducting of Oregon State Fair; fairground business operations, buildings and facilities.

(1) The State Fair Council shall govern the conducting of the Oregon State Fair, the carrying out of fairground business operations and the operation of fairground properties and facilities. The council shall conduct the Oregon State Fair for a period of not less than three days and not more than 17 days annually on dates established by the council.

(2) The council may engage in all necessary or expedient actions or activities to carry out the mission and purposes of the council described in ORS 565.456.

(3) The council may enter into contracts and agreements involving property, goods or services as the council deems reasonable to carry out the mission and purposes of the council or to execute any duties, functions or powers of the council, including but not limited to contracts and agreements related to the conducting of the Oregon State Fair, the carrying out of fairground business operations and the operation of fairground properties and facilities as an exposition center or the construction, repair, remodeling, maintenance and insurance of fairground properties and facilities. However, the council may not enter into any contract or agreement that will result in a lien on fairground properties or facilities that exceeds the available financial resources of the council without first obtaining permission for the lien from the Oregon Department of Administrative Services.

(4) The council may sue and be sued in its own name.

(5) Subject to subsection (3) of this section and ORS 565.495 (1), the council may acquire, purchase, receive, hold, control, convey, sell, manage, operate, lease and improve real or personal property as the council deems necessary or expedient for conducting the Oregon State Fair, carrying out fairground business operations or operating fairground properties and facilities.

(6) ORS 227.286 does not apply to any construction, repair, remodeling or maintenance of fairground properties and facilities.

(7)(a) The council may solicit support for carrying out the mission and purposes of the council described in ORS 565.456 and, subject to ORS 565.495 (1), may accept conditional or unconditional gifts, grants, donations, bequests and other contributions of money, property, services or other things of value from public or private sources and, subject to any terms of a contribution, may:

(A) Expend the contribution to benefit the conducting of the Oregon State Fair, the carrying out of fairground business operations, the operation of fairground properties and facilities, the promotion of the Oregon State Fair and related Oregon tourism and other industries;

(B) Deposit the contribution in a dedicated acquisition account described in ORS 565.545 (1); or

(C) Use the contribution for any other purpose consistent with the mission and purposes of the council.

(b) The council may obtain sponsorships, sell advertising space, sell naming rights and engage in other transactions to generate revenue for any purposes consistent with the mission and purposes of the council. [2013 c.492 §8]

Note: Section 21, chapter 492, Oregon Laws 2013, provides:

Sec. 21. (1) The Governor shall complete the appointment of the initial members of the State Fair Council under section 4 of this 2013 Act [565.460] no later than January 1, 2014.

(2) The Oregon Department of Administrative Services and the council shall make a good faith effort to complete an agreement no later than July 1, 2014, for the council to assume care, custody and control over the conducting of the Oregon State Fair, the carrying out of fairground business operations and the operation of fairground properties and facilities no later than December 31, 2015. The department shall report as provided under ORS 192.235 to 192.245 no later than October 1, 2014, to an interim committee of the Legislative Assembly dealing with economic development regarding the progress of the council and the department toward reaching an agreement. If the council and the department have not reached an agreement by the time the report is submitted, the report must note that the statutory repeals under section 34 of this 2013 Act are scheduled to occur no later than December 31, 2015.

(3) If the council and the department complete an agreement as described in subsection (2) of this section, the department shall notify the State Parks and Recreation Director and the State Treasurer of the date that the council will assume care, custody and control over the conducting of the Oregon State Fair, the carrying out of fairground business operations and the operation of fairground properties and facilities under the agreement.

(4) Upon receiving notice under subsection (3) of this section, the director shall arrange for State Parks and Recreation Department staff to meet with the council to prepare for transferring the care, custody and control over the Oregon State Fair, fairground business operations and fairground properties and facilities to the council. The director shall make a good faith effort to ensure that the members of the council are fully briefed and familiarized with matters relating to the conducting of the Oregon State Fair, the carrying out of fairground business operations and the operation of fairground properties and facilities prior to the transfer taking effect.

(5) Notwithstanding section 5 (5) of this 2013 Act [565.470 (5)], for the period commencing on the effective date of this 2013 Act [June 26, 2013] and ending on the care, custody and control assumption date stated in the notification given to the director by the Oregon Department of Administrative Services under subsection (3) of this section, employees of the State Parks and Recreation Department may provide support services to the council without charge. [2013 c.492 §21]