Parking At CICO Closed - But Why All The Trucks

By Jon A. Brake

Yes, there is a County Resolution that prohibits trucks from parking at CICO Park. But for the past week the
Ottaway Amusement Inc. trucks have been using the parking lot.

The company provides shows, rides and concessions for fairs and special days like the 4th of July. In fact the
company had a week off before going to Wamego for their 4th of July celebration. For several years the company
has been using CICO Park if they had an off week. They pay the Riley County Fair Board $100 for the right.

Many local owner-operator trucking companies were using the parking lots but City and County officials wanted
it stopped. Several years ago the City held meetings because Commissioners were getting complaints about the
noise. It was the County that passed a resolution in 1998 to ban all trucks from the area.

The Riley County Police Department did not have the right to give tickets until the resolution was changed on
June 8, 2000. The revised law makes it a "Class C Misdemeanor" to park in the area. Persons convicted can be
"confined in the Riley County Jail for a period not to exceed one month and/or may be fined a sum not to exceed
five hundred dollars."

The County law does state: "Excepted from this prohibition is sale or commercial activity associated with Riley
County Fair or any other County approved activity, project or event."

The Board of Commissioners can make exceptions for other activities if prior written authorization is obtained.

The Fair Board does not have the authority to issue parking permits. If money were the only reason for the "No
Parking Resolution" local truck owners would have been first in line to pay the fee. As it is, local owners must
take their trucks four or five miles north of town to the County Shops Area.

There is nothing in the contract between the Riley County Fair Assn. and Ottaway Amusement Inc. about parking
at CICO other than during the Riley County Fair. This year the fair will be held July 27-30.

But, again only the Riley County Commission can give an exception and in this case they have not.