Harney County Fair Board Meeting August 14, :00 p.m. Memorial Building Minutes

Transcription

1 Harney County Fair Board Meeting August 14, :00 p.m. Memorial Building Minutes Board Members Present: Zelley, Jerry Staley, Chance Peila, Jackie Smith, MaryLee White at 6:25 Absent: None Employees Present: Manager Jordon Bennett, Secretary Leasa Allington, Consultant Rick Paul County Court Members Present: Judge Pete Runnels Guests Present: Franki Kesling, Amanda Tyler, Rocky Male, Darrell Gilmer, Trina Gilmer, Julia Clark, Travis Singhose, Kelly Singhose, Matt Smith, LeAnn Smith, Melissa Woodbury, Grace Jenkins, Heidi Jenkins, Jolene Cawlfield, Sarah Laiosa D.O., Shane Otley, Crystal Otley, Barbara R., Lisa Grant, Emilie Glascock, Mr. Jenkins, Lacy Singhose Call to Order: Call to order by Jerry at 6:02 p.m. Changes to Agenda: Include the discussion on the smoking policy in New Business if a vote needs to be taken. Approval of Minutes: Correction made on the price of the purchased headset for the grandstand, it was not $3000 but $300 and the actual purchase price was under $300. Chance moves to approve minutes with change. Jackie 2 nd the motion. No discussion. All in favor. No oppose. Correspondence: None Guest/Public Comment: Dr. Sarah Laiosa presented letters from Harney District Hospital and EMS regarding the 3-year smoke free policy on the Harney County Fair Grounds. She reported on behalf of Kelly Novak that John Day has a smoke free policy and they have seen no negative effects from it in their attendance. Dr. Laiosa asked that the fair grounds remain smoke free. Jerry Staley asked how to police it/ enforce it because people are smoking on the fair grounds. Dr. Laiosa stated that there is a difference between someone smoking on their own and not following the rule versus the Fair Board endorsing it and allowing people to smoke. Jackie brought up the question of people smoking in their cars. The car is their personal property compared to being on the fair ground s property. Comment was made that the car is on fair ground property. A short discussion commenced with no conclusion on people smoking in their cars.

2 Franki Kesling from Symmetry Care addressed the fair board with concerns from a parent s perspective on retaining the no smoking policy. She used the tobacco free policy that Symmetry Care enforces as an example of how people will respect the rules if they are known and asked to follow. She guaranteed that it won t be a big deal if you ask them to not smoke, people are accustomed to it and respectful of others. Franki continued that if the public bands together and helps enforce the rules along with the enforcement of the police it will help. She presented the problems of individuals that have lung/breathing conditions that can not be around 2 nd and 3 rd hand smoke. 3 rd hand smoke is the residue left in hair and on clothes from the 2 nd hand smoke. Franki Kesling expects her elected officials to promote smoke free public areas. She informed the fair board that other counties in Oregon have Tobacco Free grounds. The question was asked about Tobacco Free compared with Smoke Free. Franki said the other fair grounds use the term Tobacco Free and could only assume it means all forms of tobacco. Barbara R. FNP from the Harney Health Department expressed her support for the smoke free policy and feels it is for the kids and that it is important. Jolene Cawlfield, director of the Harney Health Department and supervisor to Kelly Novak, mentioned a letter that was sent by Kelly Novak. Jerry Staley intervened and informed all present that he had letters in his possession that were not sent to the Fair Board but to the 4- H office. Jerry read the letter that stated the fair board had changed the policy and made the fair grounds a smoking area. He corrected the statements in the letter and questioned how this information got out, how was this idea created, how did Kelly Novak hear anything of this. He informed the public in attendance that the fair board held a work session and the question of having designated smoking areas was brought up and the board was still discussing the issue and no decision had been made. Why wasn t the letter sent to the fair board? Mrs. Cawlfield said that here we are, now before the board to discuss the issue. She read a letter from Kelly Novak that presented the risks and problems from smoking and from 2 nd hand smoke. The letter supported a smoke free fair and reported that some fairs that have a smoke free policy have seen an increase in attendance. Jolene Cawlfield concluded with a personal note that her father died from 2 nd hand smoke. Jackie Smith stated that she looked up enforcement of smoke free policies and said that only the police can enforce the law. It was discussed that a citizen can speak up and ask someone to stop smoking around them. This and the police enforcing the policy will greatly help. Judge Pete Runnels decided he was the reason for all of the concern over a smoking policy at the fair grounds because he spoke to Kelly Novak about 3 weeks previous and she had asked him about the county s smoking policies. Judge Runnels told Kelly that he could not speak for

3 the fairgrounds, but all other county buildings were smoke free. Pete knows that the fair grounds already has a policy, so do the current fair board members want to change it? The board discussed the current policy. Jordon Bennett informed the board that it currently hangs in the fair office. The question of how the policy was amended was answered by Rick Paul. He said that in 2017 the wording changed to include no vaping and no other kinds of smoking. Jerry Staley asked if any board member wants to amend the current policy. No amendments were wanted, and the policy will stand as written. Some guests thanked the fair board and the discussion closed. Matt Smith asked for a clarification on NO OPEN CLASS pigs. MaryLee White told Matt that she had spoken with Shana Withee and they decided it would be fine if little kids wanted to show an older 4-H/FFA kid s pig in a kind of Jackpot show at the fair. Who will organize this with everything else going on? LeAnn Smith ( ) volunteered to be the organizer. Amanda Tyler asked for clarification on all pigs getting slaughtered with no open class. She is grateful it is a terminal fair. MaryLee affirmed the rules. Tyler Waggoner introduced himself as the new FFA advisor for the Burns High School. Lisa Grant asked if the fair board would consider changing their meeting day/time so it did not coincide with he school board meeting. The fair board asked if Lisa could ask the same thing to the school board. She said she would. Financial Report: July s revenue discussed. Manager Jordon explained some changes and items that needed to be reported differently on the budget and how it was fixed. $25,000 advance was received by the insurance company from the wind storm and $18,000 was received from the county. $30,000 was made in the month of July. The board discussed the budget sheet. Manager s Report: Underground leaks are being fixed, fence is being worked on, the 1 st temporary hired help for the fair has been killing weeds, 25 of the 40 damaged horse stalls have been moved to the barn, on the 20 th the new stalls will arrive, Jordon needs to get a quote on the damage for the stalls and the performance stage area canopy. He is renting a 30ft x 90ft tent for the canopy area that will be set up from Sept. 4 9 and will cost $2300. Jordon will look into a tarp repair person to see if they can fix the canopy. Old Business: Discussion on the flow of traffic. Where should the traffic wait to enter the rodeo arena? The different gates were discussed and the planned parking arrangements. Concern was expressed about the increased distance from the outer parking area. Heidi Jenkins suggested having golf carts to haul people back and forth. It was considered a great idea, however the lack of volunteers to drive the golf carts will cause a problem. Jordon will have the parking roped and structured. Matt Smith asked about a designated parking area for

4 the pick-ups with trailers. Jordon presented his plan of having west of the irrigation mainline for trailers and east of the irrigation mainline for cars and pick-ups without trailers. Chance voiced his concern about not knowing if this plan will work because it has never been done before. Discussion about the rodeo participants and having them wait at the entrance gate at the southwest corner of the asphalt parking area and needing 2 people with radios to communicate when the vehicles may go. Maybe the asphalt area can be used as a staging area where those coming in can pull to wait for those leaving because there is not enough room for the traffic to pass each other on the roadway. Pete Runnels commented that he can speak with the road department about having the roadway made wider for vehicles to be able to pass one another. Shane Otley asked about the old back entrance on the north side of the race track. Why is that not being used? A discussion of the many conflicts it creates from having city land and private property along with that part of the race track being driven on by the rodeo participants. Chance asked who will be in charge of finding the gate volunteers? Jordon will. Judge Runnels will sketch a parking plan with Jordon and handouts can be made for the public. Shane Otley suggested that youth with livestock would come earlier than the seniors/disabled and maybe they could use the asphalt parking area first thing in the morning and then move their rigs to the outer parking area. Melissa Woodbury expressed her thoughts that the grass parking on the other side of the fence isn t that much farther, maybe 50 yards, and that distance can easily be walked. Chance asked about parking by the barn, the one currently holding the horse stalls, can they come and go as they like? Yes, they can. Trina Gilmer asked about vehicles remaining in the camper area. No, the rigs must be removed and parked out in the grass area after they have unhitched their trailers and unloaded their stuff. Jordon reported that there are 3 ATVs that can help haul equipment and feed. There are now 29 hookups with power and water, dry camp areas by barn, and 6 on the other side of the track that Jordon and Chance will mark for those to use in the rodeo area. New Business: Stall cleaning requirements for all fair stalls. In the premium book it states there will be a $35 fee for kids that do not clean out their stalls. Trina asked where do the youth take their shavings? Crystal Otley asked about rental fees for horse people.

5 Tyler Waggoner suggested using large dumpsters from C&B for the shavings. It was discussed about the race horse people who do or don t clean their stalls and how a dump pile has been at the end of Ernie for past years and that is where they are familiar with dumping and maybe one of the large dumpsters can go there. Chance noted that the race horses will suffer if fees are charged. The race horse community likes our fair because it is the last one to earn points and they feel it feasible to bring many horses not just the ones that would win. A discussion concerning charging the race horse participants for shavings and having a cleaning deposit per stall that would be returned after their stalls are cleaned. How about $10 per bag of shavings and $50 per stall for a cleaning deposit? Chance makes a motion to sell shavings to non-4-h/ffa/fair courts participants stall shavings at $10 a bag and require a $50 per stall cleaning deposit that will be returned after the stalls are cleaned. It was clarified that this includes all horses, high school rodeo, race horses, visiting horses Zelley stated that the shavings money needs to be separate from the cleaning deposit. Heidi Jenkins stated that the open class pay for their shavings at the 4-H office. Jackie 2 nd Chance s motion. All in favor. No oppose. A $10 charge per bag of shavings and a $50 returnable cleaning deposit per stall for non-4-h/ffa/fair Courts passed. Jackie expressed her disappointment concerning the July 28 th cleaning day and the small number of kids that came to help. She suggested that maybe stall assignments could be made earlier and the kids have to come and clean their own stall or they don t get a clean stall. Jordon said that when he thinks of the upkeep of the fair grounds he thinks of every part and does not separate out the animal stalls as being a different concern. Melissa Woodbury informed the board that she is working on the stall assignments and that there is more than one cleaning day. On August 6 th there were many people at the fairgrounds cleaning and she personally with her daughters cleaned the Memorial Building. The 4-H office does their best to inform the families about the cleaning days, but they can t make them come. It all falls onto the parents if kids make it or not. There will be another cleaning day on August 18. LeAnn Smith admitted that her kids did not help clean and she would do a better job at that in the future. Tyler Waggoner committed the FFA to doing a better job in the future with being a part of the cleaning.

6 Crystal Otley stated that the cleaning should be done at the end of fair. MaryLee reported that the sand was not put in and there will be big chips put into the stalls. Fair Updates: a) 4 lights from ACW are coming for the parking and only those that are needed will be used. The Boosters are staffing the ticket gates. 6 people are needed for the derby on the 18 th. Tuesday of fair week there will be training for the Boosters on how to run the ticket gates. Jackie presented an example of the form to be used for ticket money. b) Royalty: Trina would like the wording for the fair court rules. No one has signed up and Grace Jenkins said she would try out for queen but wants to know the rules she will be signing. The board will work on the wording and then if needed Tim will look at it. Trina will send an copy for the board to look at and work on. When part of the rules was read Matt Smith expressed that receiving punishment for a traffic violation seemed a bit excessive. Trina stated that in the past the fair board has given $2500 for the expenses of the fair court. She spoke of providing a hospitality tent for the visiting royalty. There is usually 6-7 that come. Chance asked if the fair court can help at the auction (Fat Stock Sale). Yes, they can. c) Headline concert: Angela Marshal is providing hospitality. No one knows how Collin Raye is getting here. d) Daily entertainment: Friday night dance, when should the music be set up and begin playing? e) Rodeo f) Pari-mutuel racing: Fee for Fred g) Youth Exhibits: Melissa reported approximate numbers of 36 beef, 79 pigs, 22 lambs,8 goats with 2 beef open class and 2 lamb open class, 4 horses with a colt. It was acknowledged that Tyler Waggoner, FFA Advisor, had traveled around and seen every FFA project. h) Open class: Zelley s superintendents have their volunteers lined up. Rick Paul emphasized that Jordon needs to turn in a volunteer report by Sept. 30 and all volunteers need to be recorded. Are volunteers paying to enter the fair? Maybe if it is for 4 hours or less they need to pay, 4 hours or more they do not need to pay. i) Carnival: We have a new company. The prepay is $18 and at the gate is $23. You can buy early at NAPA the Chamber office and at the Fair Office. j) Premium Book: The cover photo, Leslie Delphphinias did not want credit for it were ordered and 2000 have been delivered around the county. k) Sponsorships are going fine.

7 l) Vendors: Less number because of the liability insurance requirement. The insurance cost roughly $125. Camp Equipment is switching to Campbell Equipment and did not want to advertise due to the change in ownership that will happen in October. Adjournment: Chance moves to adjourn at 8:51 p.m. and Jackie 2 nd the motion. All in favor. No oppose. Meeting adjourned at 8:51 ***Note the next meeting will be Tuesday of fair week in the fair office at 6:00 p.m. and should last only 1 hour. Executive Session: The board went into executive session at 9:06 p.m.