Allegations of favoritism, gatekeeping, and the private use of public resources have surfaced at the Josephine County Fairgrounds, as frustrations boil over regarding access to livestock scales and the scale arena—key components for youth agriculture participants preparing for the 2025 county fair. The concerns center around long-standing control dynamics and lack of equitable access, prompting calls for oversight reform and possible removal of a key official.
At the center of the controversy is Jen McGowan, who wears multiple hats in the local youth agriculture ecosystem: Fair Board member, auction committee member, director of the Youth and Agriculture (YA) program, and beef superintendent. Critics say McGowan’s extensive involvement across these overlapping roles has allowed her to consolidate too much control over resources meant to serve all participants equally.
The tipping point appears to be a pattern of inconsistent and restricted access to the fairgrounds’ scale system—equipment critical for 4-H, FFA, and YA members raising livestock for auction. Multiple community members have pointed to examples where only certain clubs or individuals were allowed to use the scales freely, while others were turned away, charged fees, or given limited windows of use.
In a recent Fair Board meeting, McGowan admitted that for a scheduled open weigh-in at the fairgrounds, the scale control box was left unattended just minutes before the event was scheduled to begin. Yet eyewitnesses reported that weighing had already started well before the posted time, raising questions about transparency and fairness. Furthermore, McGowan suggested that it was the auction committee, not the superintendents, responsible for scale operations—a statement that contradicts prior public claims made during board meetings. Critics argue this discrepancy was meant to obscure the control she and her close allies continue to exert.
One of those allies, Erica Faye, is neither a superintendent nor a member of the fair board, yet her club reportedly enjoys unrestricted access to the scale and arena while other youth groups are forced to schedule around her. This is the first year that youth groups have had to pay for use of the scale arena—and it is only because an informed cattleman started asking questions. Several parents have questioned why scheduling decisions appear to favor some groups over others, especially when weigh-ins are critical milestones for market animal care and preparation.
Another point of contention surrounds maintenance of the scale equipment. McGowan claimed she paid out of pocket three times to repair the control box’s wiring harness—yet text message records cited by her critics suggest it was only twice. With no official receipts or documentation yet presented, public trust in the handling of these issues continues to erode.
Even more concerning, according to critics, is the transformation of what was once a public, inclusive program under OSU Extension into what many are now calling a “private Youth and Ag. club.” This shift followed the controversial defunding of OSU Extension in Josephine County—a decision that, advocates say, was justified at the time by claims of exclusionary practices. Ironically, the new structure appears to have not only preserved such practices, but deepened them.
Calls for accountability are growing louder. Some are urging the Board of County Commissioners to investigate whether McGowan’s long-term use of fairgrounds property—including the scale and scale arena—has crossed the line from public service into private control.