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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05 Minutes May 26 2020 Ag & ExtAGRICULTURE AND EXTENSION EDUCATION/FAIR COMMITTEE MEETING Tuesday, May 26, 2020 9:00 a.m. The May 26 meeting was held by Zoom and called to order by County Board Chairman Bob Keeney. Present in person were Roger Guthrie, John Patcle, Mark Stead, Pat Schroeder, Amy Olson, Lori Vesperman and Shane Drinkwater. Present by Zoom were Bob Keeney, Mike Lieurance, Gary Northouse, Paul Ohlrogge, James Schneider, Amanda Cauffman, Charisse Orth, Donna Peterson, Maria Schmid, Jeff Kindrai, Randy Peterson, Ben Wood, Joyce Roling and Jessica Gavinski. The meeting notice was posted at the 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 John Patcle, seconded by Mike Lieurance, to approve the amended agenda. Motion carried. Reorganization of the committee with election of officers was held. Mark Stead nominated Pat Schroeder for chairman. Motion by Mark Stead, seconded by Roger Guthrie, to close nominations and cast a unanimous ballot for Pat Schroeder as chairman of the committee. Motion carried. Gary Northouse nominated Roger Guthrie for vice chairman. Motion by Pat Schroeder, seconded by Gary Northouse, to close nominations and cast a unanimous ballot for Roger Guthrie as vice chairman of the committee. Motion carried. Mike Lieurance nominated Mark Stead for secretary. Motion by John Patcle, seconded by Roger Guthrie, to close nominations and cast a unanimous ballot for Mark Stead as secretary of the committee. Motion carried. Chairman Pat Schroeder presided over the rest of the meeting. Motion by Mark Stead, seconded by Roger Guthrie, to approve minutes of the meeting held April 27, 2020. Motion carried. Grant County Extension and Youth & Agriculture Center business was presented. Committee members received written reports from Educators. Paul Ohlrogge gave the Area Director update. He updated the committee on current University of Wisconsin guidelines for educators due to COVID-19. James Schneider informed the committee the Grant County Tourism Council applied for a Jem Grant to receive up to $10,000. The grant would focus on tourism with businesses opening. James requested reallocating the $2,000 Tourism Grant awarded to the Muscoda Morel Festival to the Grant County Tourism Council. Motion by Roger Guthrie, seconded by Mike Lieurance to reallocate $2,000 to the Grant County Tourism Council. Motion carried. Grant Regional Health Center requested the Tourism Grant they received in the amount of $1,500 be used in 2021 if they need to reschedule their event. Motion by Mark Stead, seconded by Gary Northouse, to allow the $1,500 grant awarded to Grant Regional Health Center for Tastes of the Driftless Region to carry over to 2021 if rescheduled. Motion carried. Motion by Roger Guthrie, seconded by Mark Stead, to allow the $2,000 grant awarded to the Grant County Fair for the June event that was cancelled due to COVID-19 be used to hold a drive-in movie night. Motion carried. Motion by Roger Guthrie, seconded by John Patcle, to approve Extension vouchers. Motion carried. Amy Olson gave the grounds and maintenance and Youth & Agriculture Center report. Railroad ties are in place to divert rain water runoff from the Fairgrounds to a neighboring property. Baus Electric started working on racetrack lighting. Amy requested extra masks, wipes and hand sanitizer. She will check on proper disinfectant. J & N Stone completed landscaping work around the arena area. Discussion was held on allowing events to be held in the Fairgrounds buildings. Motion by Roger Guthrie, seconded by Mark Stead, to allow use of buildings as long as guidelines are followed. Motion carried. Amy Olson presented Fair and Fairgrounds business. Amy spoke with Jim Hying from the American Legion. They have not met since February. Amy would like an answer by the June meeting whether or not the American Legion plans to work the admission gates at this year’s fair. Amy spoke with Kathy Mead from Badgerland Midways carnival. All fairs they were scheduled to be at in 2020 have cancelled through July 4 so far. There are a number of rides they would not bring to the fair because they are too hard to sanitize. A plan would need to be in place for distancing and cleaning. Amy asked what guidelines the Health Department would require to be followed. Jeff Kindrai gave an update on COVID-19 in Grant County sharing there has been an increase in cases. As the Grant County Health Director, Jeff would recommend cancelling the fair for 2020. CDC and WEDC guidelines were discussed as was the risk of transmission with having a fair. Also recommended by Jeff is the need to be seven days between livestock events in a facility. It was discussed that exhibitors from other counties do not attend an event at the Grant County Fairgrounds. This is for the safety of residents/exhibitors from Grant County and other counties. Grant County Corporation Counsel Ben Wood’s response was, although it may not be what the committee would want to hear they needed to respect the Health Director’s recommendation. If an outbreak would occur and be traced back to the fair he feels he could have a hard time defending the county because they would refer to the Health Director’s recommendation. When asked about insurance coverage, Randy Peterson said COVID 19 is a communicable disease not covered by insurance, which the committee realized could be a liability risk. Jeff Kindrai acknowledged the liability risk, but noted most important is human life and health. Amy, Charisse and Amanda have spent time brainstorming ways to allow youth to safely exhibit their projects at the fair. An extended fair would need to be held to allow exhibitors to exhibit in all departments. Further discussion was held with the committee. Amy will work with Jeff on safe guidelines. Discussion was held on the Junior Livestock Auction as far as the availability of space at processing plants for fair animals. Amy and Charisse informed exhibitors to make sure they secure a processing plant to harvest their livestock project regardless if a fair is held or not. The question was asked if there will be a grace period for exhibitors who are in their last year of showing due to age requirements. Charisse stated that National 4-H is not allowing the grace period. A decision will not be made at this meeting regarding whether to hold the Fair. The decision will be made before July 1. Amy received a $50 check for the Agnes Gates Memorial in memory of Gus Klug. Motion by Mark Stead, seconded by John Patcle, to approve fairgrounds vouchers. Motion carried. Motion by Mark Stead, seconded by Roger Guthrie, to move to closed session per state statute 19.85 (1) (c) considering employment, promotion, compensation or performance evaluation data of any public employee over which the governmental body has jurisdiction or exercises responsibility as it relates to the performance evaluation of the Grant County Fairgrounds & Operations Manager. Roll call vote unanimous. Motion carried. Motion by Roger Guthrie, seconded by Gary Northouse, to return to open session. Motion carried. Motion by Roger Guthrie, seconded by Mike Lieurance, to pay livestock claims in the amount of $465 to the Grant County Humane Society. Motion carried. Motion by Mark Stead, seconded by John Patcle, to adjourn. The next regular scheduled meeting will be planned for June 22, 2020, at 9:00 a.m. Adjourned at 12:08 p.m. Motion carried. Respectfully submitted, Mark Stead Secretary Lori Vesperman Recording Secretary