Former commissioner and current auditor candidate Greg Tompkins named interim Walla Walla Fair Manager
By Griffin Beach on Monday, June 8th, 2026 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
WALLA WALLA – The Walla Walla County Board of Commissioners has appointed Greg Tompkins as interim fair manager.
Commissioners agreed to create the interim position at their May 19 meeting, citing the need for a full-time person to handle duties with the Walla Walla County Fair and Frontier Days less than three months away. Commissioner Todd Kimball had filled the position since the previous manager, Greg Lybeck, and the county agreed to separate. Lybeck was placed on leave last year following allegations of misconduct.
“The fairgrounds is getting awfully close to the fair, and the fair needs somebody there full-time,” Kimball said at the May 19 meeting.
After a short application period, commissioners interviewed five candidates at their May 26 meeting before selecting Tompkins. Tompkins is a former county commissioner and is currently a candidate for county auditor.
Walla Walla Fair and Frontier Days named two finalists for a permanent role in March, but the search did not pan out.
“We are going to continue to take applications and then probably do interviews again after the fair,” Kimball said.
Tompkins will retain the interim role through at least September.
