The Island County Board of Commissioners this week decided it will unanimously support the Port of South Whidbey’s fairgrounds proposal, but only if certain conditions are met.

The board formally approved a letter detailing the requirements during its regular meeting on Tuesday. It remains to be seen, however, whether or not the port will agree to the terms.

Angie Mozer, the Port’s executive director, at the meeting’s outset thanked the board for the letter but said she could not commit to the guarantees because she did not represent the port commissioners.

Mozer later said they have not fully discussed the guarantee requests.

The county commissioners’ conditions include the following:

• Guarantee that an annual agricultural fair and 4-H programs can continue at the fairgrounds without placing “an insurmountable financial burden” on 4-H or the Island County Fair Association;

• Preserve the historic nature of the fairgrounds’ Pole Building;

• Continue to provide a satisfactory location for any historic structures owned by the South Whidbey Historical Society and located on the fairgrounds;

• Require that the fairgrounds not be conveyed to anyone for private ownership except upon approval of a majority of residents within the boundaries of the South Whidbey School District; and

• Form an advisory committee to manage the property, with seats for the county and for the city.

If the port agrees to the requirements, it will ask district voters on an August ballot to OK the transfer and let the port raise its levy limit by 5 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value, equating to about $200,000 per year, to support the fairgrounds.