POINT PLEASANT — With the Mason County Fair quickly approaching work is being done to prepare the fairgrounds for the event.

During last week’s Mason County Commission meeting it was reported that the status of the main building’s roof at the fair grounds was in poor shape. According to both commissioners and Benny Hoffman, fair board president, the roof has several leaks, which could present safety problems.

According to County Administrator John Gerlach, a contractor was recently sent to examine the condition of the roof, but said that there would not be enough time to adequately fix the roof in time for the 2009 Mason County Fair. Due to this, commissioners sent county workers to evaluate the roof in order to see if any minor repairs could be done prior to the start of the fair.

County workers will be able to temporarily patch one of the roofs main leaks, Gerlach said. According to Gerlach, $1,000 was spent on supplies, which included rolled roofing, tar based products and water proof products. The supplies have been delivered and will be used to patch the leak.

However, Gerlach said that the weather depends on how quick workers can complete the job.

“(The patching) can’t be done with the threat of rain,” he said. “The severe area over the top of incoming electric in the main building will be (temporarily fixed).”

He added that the leaks will be coated with a waterproof roofing compound and rolled roofing will be placed down and then coated with more roofing compound. Gerlach emphasized that the patching will not fix the roof, but is an attempt to make the fairgrounds safer.

Kevin Durst, Mason County Fair Board treasurer, said that the fair board is doing all they can to ensure the safety of the fairgrounds. He described the leaky roof as an inconvenience that could present structural problems in the future, and said that the board will continue to pursue funding to fix the roof.

“The idea (with patching the leak) is to do what we can know to patch up that spot to keep water from coming in and causing problems,” Durst said. “The county has been good with trying to get us money to replace the whole roof.”

According to Gerlach, the commission requested funding from the legislature to fix the roof, but have not found out if, when and how much money they will receive for the repairs.

“I spoke to Sen. Facemyer earlier and she said she might be able to tell us (the amount of money) in early August,” Gerlach said, adding that funding to repair the main building’s roof at the fairgrounds was the only thing that commissioners requested of the legislature this year.

The Mason County Fair is slated for Aug. 10-15, and will feature a variety of entertainment, including a performance from this year’s headlining act, Diamond Rio.

For more information on fair events, visit www.masoncountyfairwv.org.