The Warren County Fair Association is attempting to resolve a lawsuit filed by the company that provided the fireworks for the 2008 Fair. According to Fair Board President Mike Eckhoff, an offer of $7,500 has been made to Premiere Pyrotechnics, Inc., to settle the suit. Eckhoff discussed the lawsuit at a March 22 work session with Warrenton city officials. Premiere Pyrotechnics, based in Richland, alleges in the lawsuit that it was never paid for the fireworks it provided for the Fair. The company is seeking to be reimbursed $13,440 for nonpayment of the original contract and more than $20,000 for equipment that was never returned, according to the petition. The lawsuit contends the Fair Board and Premiere Pyrotechnics entered into an agreement where $12,000 in fireworks were purchased for the 2008 event. The Fair Board was to reimburse the company by Dec. 9, 2008, but failed to do so, according to the petition. The suit was filed July 28, 2009, in Laclede County where the fireworks company is located. The case was transferred to Warren County Circuit Court later that year. Premiere Pyrotechnics is seeking interest fees on top of the $12,000 contracted amount, raising the amount to $13,440. The company is also seeking to be reimbursed $20,000 for equipment that was “improperly kept” and “improperly retained” by the Fair Association. The equipment was used to shoot off the fireworks. The equipment is valued at $20,000. Eckhoff, who was not on the Fair Board at the time of the 2008 event, said he was informed that rain on the evening of the show caused some of the fireworks to not detonate properly and that board members at the time didn’t feel the show was adequate enough for full payment to be made. Fair Board member Bob Wattler alleged that the show may have been sabotaged by the company’s workers who were on-site to detonate the fireworks. Fair Board members said the fireworks company had ample time to pick up the equipment following the show left by Premiere Pyrotechnics. The equipment has since been discarded. Eckhoff told city officials that “severe cuts” had to be made to the Fair budget. The 2011 fair will be shortened by a day and will open Tuesday, July 5, and conclude Saturday, July 9. Fair Board members are working to revamp how the organization budgets for its annual event, according to Eckhoff. He said that effort began when new officers were elected in September. At that time, he and other Fair Board members didn’t know the extent of the financial problems facing the organization or the ongoing litigation with Premiere Pyrotechnics. “It will definitely be different than the past,” Eckhoff said. “To this day, we’re still having trouble getting (financial) records from the past.” Board member Matt O’Brien, referring to the lawsuit, added, “Until now, it hadn’t been an issue. It has always been an issue, but never been something that was right there in the foreground. It’s always been in the background.”