RESOLUTION NO. RS2012-241

A resolution requesting Governor Haslam to veto House Bill 3208, which would create a state agency to govern the Tennessee State Fair, including its location.

WHEREAS, the Tennessee State Fair is currently administered by the Metropolitan Board of Fair Commissioners; and

WHEREAS, the state legislature recently adopted House Bill 3208 to create a commission within the state department of agriculture to be the sole body charged with administering the state fair and exposition; and

WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Board of Fair Commissioners is concerned that the board has been misrepresented as being opposed to the state fair; and

WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Board of Fair Commissioners approved a motion at their meeting on May 1, 2012 voicing their willingness to work with the state, but declaring this legislation unnecessary; and

WHEREAS, the motion approved by the Metropolitan Board of Fair Commissioners was as follows:

“The Fair Board maintains that it is ready, willing and able to continue with its oversight of the State Fair at the fairgrounds. We would appreciate any involvement collaboratively from the State of Tennessee (if they want to participate) growing the fair and making it bigger and better, what it should be. We believe, however, that this legislation may be unnecessary at this point in time. We have not stepped away from having great fairs at this location and the current Fair Board certainly plans to proceed in good faith to make sure that we continue the tradition of having great fairs here. We would like to work together (with the State) and don’t think we need state law to overrule what we already have in place. We can continue to work with TSFA, see what they can bring to the table and not have any adversarial situation”.
WHEREAS, the state legislation also appropriates the name “Tennessee State Fair” without any consultation with or compensation to the Fair Board, which has owned and controlled said name up until this point; and

WHEREAS, given the Fair Board’s willingness to make the state fair successful, it is fitting and proper that Governor Haslam veto House Bill 3208.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT OF NASHVILLE AND DAVIDSON COUNTY:

Section 1. That the Metropolitan County Council hereby goes on record as requesting Governor Haslam to veto House Bill 3208.

Section 2. That the Metropolitan Clerk is directed to send a copy of this Resolution to Governor Haslam.

Section 3. That this Resolution shall take effect from and after its adoption, the welfare of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County requiring it.

Sponsored by: Jerry Maynard, Duane Dominy, Davette Blalock, Phil Claiborne, Steve Glover, Jerry Maynard, Bill Pridemore, Tony Tenpenny, Emily Evans, Sean McGuire, Josh Stites, Doug Pardue, Jason Potts, Sandra Moore, Burkley Allen, Erica Gilmore, Robert Duvall, Lonnell Matthews, Fabian Bedne, Karen Johnson, Brady Banks, Bruce Stanley, Karen Bennett, Darren Jernigan, Bo Mitchell, Jacobia Dowell, Carter Todd, Chris Harmon, Edith Taylor Langster, Peter Westerholm, Anthony Davis