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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04 Minutes April 15 2019AGRICULTURE AND EXTENSION EDUCATION/FAIR COMMITTEE MEETING Monday, April 15, 2019 9:00 a.m. The meeting was called to order by Committee Chairman Roger Guthrie. Present, in addition to Guthrie were John Patcle (arrived at 9:40), Mark Stead (arrived at 9:40), Mike Lieurance, Gary Northouse, Bob Keeney, Amy Olson, Paul Ohlrogge, Amanda Cauffman, Bev Doll, Donna Peterson and Charisse Orth. The meeting notice was posted at the UW-Extension Office, Youth & Agriculture Center and mailed to media and Administration Building by Lori Vesperman and posted on the website by the Grant County Clerk’s Office. Motion by Mike Lieurance, seconded by Gary Northouse, to approve the amended agenda. Motion carried. Motion by Gary Northouse, seconded by Mike Lieurance, to approve minutes of the meeting held March18, 2019. Motion carried. Grant County UW-Extension and Youth & Agriculture Center business was presented. Agent reports were given by Amanda Cauffman, Donna Peterson, Bev Doll and Charisse Orth. Paul Ohlrogge gave the Area Extension Director update. The FoodWIse Program agreement letter for the federal fiscal year October 1, 2019-September 30, 2020, was presented to the committee to sign. The four county Agriculture Educators in Area 17 are working collaboratively with Agriculture Educators from other areas on podcasts. There may possibly be more funding for Agriculture Educators in Wisconsin. Paul met with Grant County educators for performance reviews and goal setting plans. A civil rights review for Grant County was held on April 17 to address how Extension attempts to reach protected groups and audiences. The Speakers Task Force on Water Quality is using the Youth Agriculture Center on May 8 for a public hearing. Motion by Mike Lieurance, seconded by Gary Northouse, to allow the Speakers Task Force on Water Quality to use the Auditorium and North Room on May 8, 2019, at no cost. Motion carried. Discussion was held at the District 3 Fair Meeting on Extension Educators working with county fairs. Roger feels Grant County has a good relationship between the Extension Office and the Fair and wants to continue that relationship. Paul supports continuing this relationship. Discussion was held on youth participating in 4-H versus FFA. Motion by Gary Northouse, seconded by Roger Guthrie, to approve UW-Extension vouchers. Motion carried. Amy Olson gave the grounds and maintenance and Youth & Agriculture Center report. The cement in front of the Youth & Agriculture Center is pitting. Amy will make contact regarding this. Vehicles stored in fairground buildings need to be out by the end of April. The wire from the main transformer to the digital sign snapped due to wind. It has been fixed. Amy applied for a grant through Compeer Financial for two drinking fountains with bottle fill feature. The cost for two fountains is $3,072 and the grant amount applied for is $3,000. Amy completed the DRA Grant application. Amy Olson presented Fair and Fairgrounds business. Calkins Midway plans to have Midways of Utopia help with the 2019 Grant County Fair. Amy will contact Tricor to make sure proper insurance is provided from the carnivals. The fairbook is completed and is online. Amy increased the judging rate for exhibitor events that occur prior to the fair dates. This cost is covered under the fair budget. Discussion was held on 4-H, FFA and other youth organizations’ roles as fair exhibitors. The pork fundraising supper held on April 9 was not as successful as hoped for. Amy expects approximately $2,500 profit. She would like to put the time and effort towards the tractor pull fundraiser in the future. Motion by Mark Stead, seconded by John Patcle, to sign contracts with Other Brothers, TKO Band (also providing the sound), Kampfire Kings, Peggy & Joe and Dairyland Antique Tractor Pullers. Motion carried. Discussion was held on the June 7 tractor pull fundraiser. Jason Kleppe, Southwest Wisconsin Area Pullers, has classes ready. Southwest Wisconsin Area Pullers is donating $150 for tickets to the grandstand. Amy is working on posters. Amy presented information on rain insurance for the tractor pull. She will get additional quotes. The Fairest of the Fair banquet is May 7. There are two fairest candidates and four junior fairest candidates. Amy purchased a new colored printer/copier for the fair office. A ditch from running water has formed around the horse arena. It can be repaired with breaker rock and gravel. Amy will be asking Allied Stone to donate material for sponsorship. Rain water on the west side of the Youth & Ag Center created a ditch along the grass line. Gravel was used to prevent the issue. The gravel is running into the city sewer system. A permanent fix is needed. It was suggested to have the highway department engineer give an opinion on how to correct the problem. Mark Stead suggested the blacktop in front of the Youth & Ag Center needs to be repaired before the 2019 fair. He also suggested the southeast corner of the grandstand area be cemented to accommodate the handicapped getting to the VIP deck next to the grandstand. Motion by Mike Lieurance, seconded by Gary Northouse, to approve fairground vouchers. Motion carried. Motion by Mike Lieurance, seconded by Gary Northouse, to approve the livestock claim in the amount of $150 to the Grant County Humane Society and send on to the full county board for approval. Motion carried. Public Comment - Amy received $150 from Lancaster Youth Wrestling for use of the Youth & Ag Center for practices. Roger was approached about Grant County hosting Farm Technology Days after 2023. The committee needs to decide whether to pursue hosting or not. Motion by Mark Stead, seconded by Mike Lieurance, to adjourn. Motion carried. The next regular scheduled meeting will be Monday, May 20, at 9:00 a.m. Respectfully submitted, Mark Stead Secretary Lori Vesperman Recording Secretary