Shelby Hamfest Issue Information

[K4ICL]

(Here is a the story in Shelby Star newspaper, Shelby NC.)

LATEST NEWS FROM SHELBY


Cleveland County losing Hamfest to Gaston County
Sunday, Apr 20 2008, 2:41 pm
David Allen
SHELBY - It's apparently over, for Cleveland County that is. Hamfest is heading east, ending a 50-year tradition that brought in electronics enthusiasts from across the nation.

But they aren't going far, Hamfest Chair Robby Hamrick said Sunday.

Details still have to be finalized, but as it stands currently, Biggerstaff Park in Dallas, also called Gaston County Park, will be the new home for the electronics show.

The separation stems from earlier contract disputes with the Cleveland County Fair Association. At this point, Hamrick is doubtful that the relationship between the two organizations can be reconciled.

"I'm thinking it would be hard for us to go back to the fairgrounds. It would almost be impossible for us to go back," he said. "If someone gives you the impression that they don't want you, we'll take it at that and move on."

New contract stipulations for the fairgrounds put Hamfest in jeopardy. The radio club thought the fair association's contract changes were unacceptable, leading to a half-month stalemate.

But it didn't take long after the dispute began for Gaston County to take interest, Hamrick said. Soon, Biggerstaff Park became an option.

The Gaston County site is reserved for the event, Hamrick said. The radio club held a meeting Friday night, voting Biggerstaff Park as the event's new home.

"We've got to get back to them," Hamrick said. Representatives are still waiting for the club's decision.

Despite how things ended, Hamrick hopes the relationship between the radio club and Cleveland County doesn't change.

"I hope it doesn't," he said. "It's just one of those things."

He said the amateur radio operators will remain active in the county and continue to assist in gathering and providing information during events such as Saturday's stormy conditions.

The Cleveland County Fair Association leases the property from county government for $1 a year.

Radio club officials met with Cleveland County Manager David Dear and Commissioners Chair Jo Boggs early last week. County officials said they listened to the radio club's concerns and passed those on to the fair association.

More information will be released as it becomes available, Hamrick said.




Radio club hasn’t given up on Hamfest this year
Friday, Apr 11 2008, 3:36 pm
David Allen

SHELBY - Despite recent contract disagreements between the Shelby Amateur Radio Club and the Cleveland County Fair Association, plans are ongoing for Hamfest, a 50-year county tradition that draws electronics aficionados from across the country.

"As far as the Hamfest going on, right now, we're still in the process of planning," said Hamfest Chair Robby Hamrick. "It's not been cancelled yet, we just don't know where we're going to have it. We're looking at all our options that are going to be available to us."

The Star previously reported that Hamfest, sponsored by SARC, will not be held at its usual location, the county fairgrounds, because of the radio group's disagreements with this year's contract conditions set by the fairgrounds association.

Hamrick said he is meeting with County Manager David Dear Tuesday about possibilities for the event.

"We have to make a decision soon," he said. "But we don't want to make a hasty decision."

Hamrick said more information will be released as it becomes available.

EARLIER ARTICLES

Hamfest in doubt Annual festival won't happen at fairgrounds
Tuesday, Apr 1 2008, 11:23 pm
Hugh Koontz

SHELBY - The county's biggest "family reunion" may not be held this year after a half-century.

The Shelby Amateur Radio Club Tuesday night agreed not to hold its annual Shelby Hamfest at the Cleveland County Fairgrounds because of a disagreement over a proposed contract.

Robby Hamrick, event chairman, said the group made the decision "with great regret" but felt forced to take the action it did.

No Hamfest for 2008?

"It's looking that way," said Hamrick, "unless we find another place to have it."

He said the club spent months visiting fairground officials to negotiate a new contract for the 50-year Cleveland County tradition. For that effort, the club received a non-negotiable contract in the mail, he said.

The proposed contract also included a hike in cost and untenable limitations placed on the club on how it uses the space, Hamrick said.

"Since I read that contract, I've had to take my driver's license out to check my birthdate to see if I was born yesterday."

Hamrick said the club requested a face-to-face meeting with fairgrounds management and asked for a reply by March 28.

"Since we did not get a reply, we have no choice but to cancel our plans for the 2008 Hamfest," Hamrick said.

The fair association and the radio club have had a rocky relationship in recent years.

The event regularly attracts about 10,000 ham radio enthusiasts from throughout the country. Last year, visitors from as far away as Australia came to the festival. The event generates revenue for county businesses, Hamrick said.

"This is like a family reunion for some," he said of the radio operators. "Some show up two weeks early and camp out."
Hamrick said the fairgrounds provide special facilities not found everywhere - such as places for their vendors, campsites and restrooms - and that it would be hard to find another place with such amenities for the Labor Day event.

Hamfest is the club's biggest fundraiser, with money going to support the group's four active repeaters.

"We're not going to give up," said Hamrick.

As this story broke Tuesday night, we'll have more in Thursday's Star and at shelbystar.com on Wednesday, including comments from fair officials, more from the Shelby Amateur Radio Club and more specifics on the contract itself.

FOLLOW UP STORIES


Hamfest on hold
Radio club chairman says money is not main contract concern
Wednesday, Apr 2 2008, 11:07 pm
David Allen

SHELBY - Unless things are quickly patched up between the Cleveland County Fair Association and the Shelby Amateur Radio Club, Hamfest - a 50-year county tradition - won't be held at the fairgrounds this year.


Contract disagreements have caused problems in the process. Now the event, which draws electronics aficionados from across the country, is in jeopardy.


"Hamfest has been provided with three separate contracts this year and they have returned each one saying the terms were unacceptable," said Chair of the Cleveland County Fair Association Board Terre Bullock. "The last one was non-negotiable ... we had included everything we thought was important."


But signals got crossed somewhere along the way.


"All we saw was one," said Hamfest Chairman Robby Hamrick. "That's the only written contract we've seen. I asked for a contract in August and I've been going over there on a regular basis since the first of the year."


Hamrick said the process hasn't been handled "in a very business-like manner," but if compromises were made, Hamfest could still happen at the fairgrounds.


"If we get something finalized right fast, we'd be willing to work with it," he said. "It's not something we can do overnight."

But Bullock said the CCFA board does not sit down with lessees to work deals out.


"We have the space to lease ... we would like for whoever leases the space or wants to lease ... to abide by the rules we set," said Bullock. "It is regrettable but it is our property to lease."


Fair Manager Fuchia Allen declined to comment on the issue.


Negotiations between Hamfest and the CCFA do not involve Cleveland County, despite the county being the fairgrounds' property owner. Bullock said the contract had been before County Manager David Dear and the commissioners to keep them aware of the provisions.


"The property is leased to the Cleveland County Fair Association. Any dealings with Hamfest would be done directly between the Cleveland County Fair Association and the Shelby Amateur Radio Club," Dear said. "Cleveland County or Cleveland County commissioners would not be involved with any negotiations."


Hamrick cited the economic benefits of Hamfest, which he said helps local businesses and motels.

Mixed signals


The fair association and the radio club have had a rocky relationship in previous years but have always managed to work something out in the end.


According to this year's Hamfest contract sent Feb. 27, for a sum of nearly $21,000, the SARC would have the right to use the fairgrounds, Goforth Hall, Dorton Hall, the fire house, Weathers Arena and the cattle barn during Hamfest.


"There have been minor increases over the years, very minimal," said Bullock. "There had been no significant price increase in the contract agreement in probably 15 to 20 years. Basically the last contract we sent them covered our costs."


Hamrick did not agree with Bullock's assessment.


"It's usually about a 10 percent increase every year," he said. Hamrick noted that last year's contract did not include a price increase.


According to information from Hamrick and the SARC, the amount paid to the fairgrounds for Hamfest has increased by more than 35 percent since 2000. Some years, the price paid went down.


Bullock said the contract price covers extensive labor, maintenance and material costs.


"If you look at what our cost is - just from a manpower standpoint and material standpoint - it is very expensive to let someone lease the property," she said.


This year's proposed contract didn't impress Hamrick.


"Since I read that contract, I've had to take my driver's license to check my birth date to see if I was born yesterday," Hamrick said Tuesday.


But money was not the main contract concern, Hamrick said.


"The money is not what's holding us back," he said. "If we can't do what we've got to do, then there's no need in us having the place to do it. We never could get to sit down and talk."


As part of the contract, during Hamfest, the power could not be manipulated in any manner without consent of the lessor and dividers and fixtures must stay as-is in buildings.


"We'd been doing that for 30 years and I can't understand why all of a sudden we can't do it," said Hamrick.


Bullock attributed the reason for the stipulations to the time, effort and resources it takes workers to get everything back as it was before the event.


According to a letter sent from Hamrick, fundraisers will be held to keep repeaters and emergency equipment operational. Options for a smaller Hamfest will be explored if other properties become available within Cleveland, Gaston or Rutherford counties, he said.



Working out Hamfest deal has benefits

Thursday, Apr 3 2008, 7:02 pm

The Cleveland County Fair Association and the Shelby Amateur Radio Club appear at an impasse over use of the fairgrounds for this year's Hamfest.

The radio club announced the 50-year tradition won't be held at the fairgrounds this year over disagreements with the proposed contract. Options for a smaller Hamfest will be explored if other properties become available within Cleveland, Gaston or Rutherford counties, radio club officials said.

The two organizations have had a sometimes tumultuous relationship in previous years. But in the end, they've been able to work things out well enough for the event to continue at the fairgrounds.

We hope the two groups can work out enough of an arrangement to continue Hamfest at the fairgrounds. There just don't appear to be a lot of options out there in terms of suitable sites. As technology has improved over the years, the facilities at the fairgrounds seem uniquely suited to this event.

It appears as though the radio club is at least keeping a door open to the possibility of working things out.

As for the county, which owns the land and leases it to the fairground association for $1 a year, officials seem to be staying out of the fray.

We understand their logic, but as the owner, people will always associate the fairgrounds with county government. Each time the fairgrounds issue comes up, emotions run high.

Holding Hamfest at the Cleveland County fairgrounds is obviously beneficial to the radio club, but it's also a good public relations move for the fairgrounds people, particularly as talk continues to circulate through the community over the future of the fair itself. It seems to us, at least, that the more viable events held at the fairgrounds the better.

And Hamfest does bring in tourism dollars as radio club officials are quick to point out.

At the end of the day, these are two private groups working through this issue. We hope they'll work something out as they've always been able to in the past.