Golf board and fairgrounds committee work together for improved facilities

DAYTON—The Friends of the Fairgrounds committee and the members of the Touchet Valley Golf Board are working together to create great resources for Columbia County.

That was the take-away message on Monday when the golf board members met with the county commissioners.

Bill Ayotte, owner of Chicken Bill’s restaurant, at the golf course, said there are rumors that the golf course people want to take land from the fairgrounds for a soccer field.

“Our golf group has no intention to take over anything from the fairgrounds,” Ayotte said. “We want to be good neighbors and friends. Both are extremely necessary, and both should work together where possible.”

Ayotte said the golf board wants to form a group much like the Friends of the Fairgrounds has done.

Commissioner Chuck Amerein agreed, saying he would like to see the golf board get as much traction as the Friends of the Fairgrounds have, so that golf course operations are more financially independent of the county’s budget.

Julia Mead, President of the Friends of the Fairgrounds, invited the golf board to check with their group to see how to become part of the Columbia County Community Network’s umbrella for grant funding.

Touchet Valley Golf Board Vice President Bill Savage agreed with the idea.

Time is of the essence because there is another round of funding through the state Recreation Conservation Office beginning in 2020, and this is one of the best shots the group has to fund the much-needed irrigation system at the golf course, he said.

Commissioner Amerein told the group to keep track of volunteer hours because that is a rich source of documentation when seeking grants.