ROCHESTER — The Rochester Country Fair Committee will move forward with substantial changes to next year’s event, including building a pavilion on the fairgrounds, holding four additional fundraising events, and expanding its beer and wine garden to the entire fairgrounds. 

A public discussion was held during a Board of Selectmen meeting on Monday to consider granting the fair three exceptions to the fairgrounds rules for 2019. Selectmen listened to arguments from abutters and fair committee members before approving all three changes. 

The Rochester Country Fair is held annually on the fairgrounds at 65 Pine St., which is owned by the town. The fair committee, to act on the proposed changes, needed to receive approval from the Selectmen before moving forward.

According to committee member Kelly Sullivan-Morgado, the fair lost about $10,000 this year after bad weather resulted in low ticket sales. The committee usually holds 10 fundraising events throughout the year, but the weather only allowed for six events. To make up for the losses, the committee proposed an additional four fundraising events in 2019. 

Chair Greenwood Hartley warned Sullivan-Morgado that the exceptions may only be temporary solutions or “band-aids” to the issues. Sullivan-Morgado said the changes would not be bandaids and the addition of the pavilion would be a permanent solution. 

The Selectmen approved the fair committee’s request to host up to 14 fundraising events in 2019.

Organizers decided that building a permanent structure on the fairgrounds would help offset rising tent rental fees. Sullivan-Morgado said that the committee was approached by an individual who could possibly donate the materials and labor required to build the structure. A pavilion, if constructed, would be town property after the fair is over. 

“If this goes through, not only would it benefit the fair but it would also benefit other organizations in town that are looking into using the fairgrounds,” said Sullivan-Morgado. 

Richard Masciantonio, an abutter, suggested that a permanent structure would be a burden to neighbors of the fairgrounds. 

“When the fairgrounds were approved, the idea was that nothing would be left there on the grounds,” said Masciantonio. “The fact that the fair didn’t make money shouldn’t be a burden of the neighborhood to assume.” 

Masciantonio expressed concerns that the pavilion was the next step of a “slow creep” toward other permanent structures or plumbing. Sullivan-Morgado reassured him that the fair committee is only interested in building the pavilion. 

Another abutter, Jeremy Peck, said that he was in favor of the fair and the pavilion. Peck told Masciantonio that he is more concerned about developments being built if the fair doesn’t build its pavilion. 

Hartley assured residents that the board has no intentions of developing the property or selling it to any developers. Though the town owns the fairgrounds, neighbors would be notified before any substantial changes are made. 

Selectmen approved the addition of the pavilion pending the design approval by Clerk Brad Morse.

At this year’s fair, there was a portion of the fairgrounds sectioned off for a beer and wine garden. According to Morse, Rochester Police Chief Robert Small said the department had no issues this year with beer and wine section. Next year, the committee hopes that beer and wine will be permitted on the entire fairgrounds. 

The board also approved the request to open up the wine and beer garden to the whole fairgrounds.