The Audit, Jen McGuire, and Tri-County Fair Updates with Joanne Parsons

Many in the community have expressed interest in Tri-County Fair CEO Jen McGuire and her recent resignation, as well as an audit conducted by the California Department of Food and Agriculture. While many called for answers, Eastern Sierra Now held off on writing a story until we could talk to a member of the board directly.

In a recent interview on the YouTube show “Business Matters with Amy Smith,” Amy sat down with dedicated board member Joanne Parson to talk about Tri-County Fair updates, Jen McGuire’s resignation, and the issue of the audit.

Joanne moved from Southern California to Mammoth Lakes in the 1990s and got involved in the fair through her children’s participation in 4-H. She eventually moved to Bishop and became the high school principal, further deepening her involvement with the fair and with the community.  

There has recently been a great deal of discussion about an audit conducted by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), where issues raised included housing for the CEO on the fairgrounds and financial management. A lot of confusion has surrounded this issue, and Joanne helped to clarify what exactly happened.

She spoke about how Jen McGuire came on board, and how Jen was hired as the CEO in 2018, bringing significant improvements and increasing the fair’s financial stability. Prior to coming onboard, Jen worked in marketing for the automobile industry.

The Fair borrowed $20,000 from the CDFA to pay Jen’s salary, the electric bill, and fulfill some other financial obligations at the time. In taking the loan, there was not enough money to give Jen even an entry level position (step 1). Because there was not enough money to pay her, in her contract it was written that there would be a space for Jen’s fifth wheel at the fairgrounds. In doing this, there were some unexpected advantages. Previously, there had been some problems with people breaking into the fairgrounds, and with homeless people staying on the property. With an on-site manager, it was looked at as a boon.  

According to Joanne, when Jen came on board, the fairgrounds had $5,000 in the bank. This last year, they have generated close to one million dollars in revenue and have approximately $600,000 in the bank.

There hadn’t been an audit in 15 years, despite experiencing significant financial and operational challenges, including past embezzlement issues. Joanne was happy to have the auditors there, initially, viewing it as an opportunity to validate their progress and gain insights for further improvements. But according to her, the audit was demoralizing, accusatory, and unprofessional.  

Evidently, the auditor challenged the fact that some of our local residents were performing multiple tasks while working at the fairgrounds. There was also significant disruption due to the timing of the audit, coinciding with Mule Days, and auditors seemed to lack understanding of the community-oriented nature of the fairgrounds.

The auditor came multiple times, and on her last visit picked up a laptop to examine. This was not a laptop she was given, but rather a laptop that she picked up off of a desk. She called Joanne when she got to Sacramento and said, “You’ve just sunk yourself. You gave me the wrong laptop.” The laptop the auditors wanted was sent to Sacramento, and they kept both laptops for a significant amount of time.

Because they had never been audited, the board was expecting a learning situation. Unfortunately, it turned out to be anything but that.

Representatives from CDFA arrived with Highway Patrol escorts, creating an intimidating atmosphere for the board members. During the closed session meeting, the board was informed that Jen McGuire had resigned for health reasons, a letter was prepared in advance, and the board was stripped of its powers. The board would be allowed to attend the board meetings, but the state would now be in charge of everything regarding fairground operations. The board members were left in a state of limbo, with no clear understanding of their roles or the future governance of the fairgrounds.

Joanne emphasized the importance of local control over the fairgrounds, suggesting that the city or county should take over to ensure continued community benefits. The community is encouraged to attend a town hall meeting for more detailed information and to express their support for the fairgrounds and its board members.

Additionally, Jen McGuire has been working the Tri-County Fair and the Ventura Fair for over a year.  She was initially asked by CDFA’s Michael Flores to also manage the Ventura Fair as part of a “sister fairs” initiative, with a promise of a salary increase and travel reimbursements.

Despite initial agreements, these compensations were never provided, and the audit later demanded repayment of travel expenses and raised issues about her housing arrangements. This inconsistent guidance, according to Joanne, strained the fair’s operations and led to Jen’s resignation, leaving the fair board and community feeling blindsided and mistrustful of the state’s involvement.

The audit of the Tri-County Fair has led to significant upheaval, with board members and community members seeking clarity and resolution. The fairgrounds’ future remains uncertain, but there is a strong desire to maintain its community-focused operations and ensure its continued success.

Don’t miss the town meeting on Wednesday, July 31st, where this topic will be discussed. It will be held at the Methodist Church in Bishop at 205 N. Fowler St from 6:00-7:30 pm.

News Staff