It’s no secret that the Park County Commission and the Park County Fair Board don’t get along. But it seems the two governing groups’ longstanding dysfunctional relationship has sunk to new lows in recent weeks.

Three weeks ago, Park County commissioners announced their plan to hire an events coordinator to attract groups and schedule events at the new multipurpose building being constructed on the Park County Fairgrounds in Powell. That person also would schedule events at other county-owned facilities.

On the face of it, that seems like a good plan — a way to ensure the new fair building is put to good use and managed efficiently. However, the commissioners last week made clear that the plan has another underlying purpose — to replace the position of Park County Fair manager, overseen by the fair board, with an employee who would answer to the commission.

The relationship between the County Commission and the Fair Board is unhealthy at best, and toxic at worst, so it’s understandable that commissioners desire a positive change.

But we believe the way they plan to engineer that change is shortsighted. It certainly won’t improve the relationship between the County Commission and the Fair Board, and whoever manages the new facility still will have to work with both groups. Without cooperation between the two governing boards, that person’s job could be very difficult.

The struggle between the two organizations goes back decades and spans the tenures of at least three fair directors, and it continues despite new blood on the Fair Board, new fair directors and changes in the makeup of the commission. But the situation has gotten much worse over the past two years while the commission waits for the Fair Board to raise $500,000 to help pay for the new $3.1 million facility.

Here we are nearly two years later, and both governing boards still are haggling over when and how the fundraising will take place. 

Letters seeking donations still haven’t been sent; plans for the sale of commemorative bricks, first proposed in 2013, are on hold, waiting for information about the design of a walkway or a wall on which they would be installed. 

It appears at least some of the slow progress on the fundraising stems from the commission’s decision to exclude the Fair Board from much of the planning process for the new building — another unfortunate illustration of the lack of cooperation between the two governing boards. 

As issues escalate, the relationship between the commission and the Fair Board continues to erode. When placing blame, each points to lack of communication and cooperation from the other. 

Meanwhile, construction on the building has begun (for which we are thankful), and this year’s Park County Fair is only five months away. 

At the very least, the commission should wait until after the fair to make any management changes to help ensure this year’s fair is successful. Hiring an events coordinator to replace the fair manager less than a month before the fair is just asking for problems — big ones. 

Fair Director Jennifer Lohrenz has proved that she can do a good job of organizing the annual event. She should be allowed to see her plans for this year’s fair through to fruition, both for her sake and for the public’s.

As plans for the 2015 fair proceed, Lohrenz should have full support and cooperation of the commission along with reasonable resources to perform her job well. She also should do all in her power to mend fences.

In the meantime, some serious mediation should take place between the two governing organizations — perhaps on a facilitated basis. These two groups should be working with each other, not against one another.

We believe that, if the County Commission and the Fair Board can repair their working relationship, commissioners might find there is no need for further change.

Even if an events coordinator is hired, the relationship between the two groups still needs an overhaul; otherwise, problems will continue.

These fences need to be mended sometime, and putting off that work hasn’t helped anything. We think those efforts should begin now.