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Home My WebLink About03 Minutes March 15 2021AGRICULTURE AND EXTENSION EDUCATION/FAIR COMMITTEE MEETING Monday, March 15, 2021 9:00 a.m. The March 15 meeting was held in the South Room of the Youth & Agriculture Center and by Zoom. The meeting was called to order by Chairman Pat Schroeder. Present in person were Chairman Schroeder, Roger Guthrie, Mark Stead, John Patcle, Gary Northouse, Bob Keeney, Amy Olson, Lori Vesperman, Shane Drinkwater, James Schneider and Bev Doll. Present by Zoom were Paul Ohlrogge, Amanda Cauffman, Charisse Orth, Donna Peterson, Lance Wetter, Judy Hazen, Amanda Degenhardt, Tonya White, Nancy Rutherford, Andrea Bahl, Wayne Wodarz, Sherry Quamme, Robin Baumeister, Denise Tolzman and Tammy Enz. Mike Lieurance was excused. The meeting notice was posted at the Extension Office, Youth & Agriculture Center, Administration Building, on the Grant County website and emailed to media. Motion by John Patcle, seconded by Gary Northouse, to approve the agenda. Motion carried. Motion by Roger Guthrie, seconded by Mark Stead, to approve minutes of the meeting held February 15, 2021. Motion carried. Grant County Extension and Youth & Agriculture Center business was presented. Educator reports were given by Amanda Cauffman, Bev Doll, Charisse Orth, and Donna Peterson. Paul Ohlrogge gave the Area Extension Director update. Paul will be retiring the end of May, 2021. Farm Progress Scholarship applications were reviewed. Motion by Roger Guthrie, seconded by Gary Northouse, to award the Farm Progress Days Scholarship to Randy Winch. Motion carried. James Schneider presented seventeen Grant County Tourism Grant applications requesting a total of $14,000. A total of $10,000 was available for awards in two categories - the New Event/Activity Category (award capped at $1,000 per application) and the Social Media Category (awarded capped at $750 per application). A single community/organization will not be awarded more than $1,500. Representatives from organizations were invited, but not required to attend the meeting via Zoom. The committee discussed awarded applications. Motion by Gary Northouse, seconded by John Patcle, to approve the awards as follows. Motion carried. New Event/Activity Category Organization Event or Project Amount Requested Amount Awarded Boscobel Depot Depot Days/Season Events $1000 $1000 Cassville Tourism Southwest Wisconsin Road Trip $750 $750 Full Throttle Events Full Throttle Shootout $1000 $1000 Mining & Rollo Jamison Museum Exhibits $1000 $1000 Muscoda Tourism Committee Morel Mushroom Festival $1000 $1000 Platteville Regional Chamber Ag Tourism Brochure/Map $1000 $1000 Wisconsin River Trail Organization Music in the Park $1000 $500 Social Media Category Motion by Gary Northouse, seconded by John Patcle, to approve Extension vouchers. Motion carried. Amy Olson gave the grounds and maintenance and Youth & Agriculture Center report. General maintenance continues. Amy and staff are working on safety planning for the 2021 Fair. The old goat pen frames can be sold or taken for scrap. Discussion was held on ash trees on the grounds and damage due to emerald ash borer. Motion by Roger Guthrie, seconded by Gary Northouse, to remove the ash trees from the Fairgrounds. One no vote. Motion carried. Amy Olson presented Fair and Fairgrounds Business. Lance Wetter, United Methodist Church Mission Group, asked for a reduce rate for use of the Crops Building June 21-25, 2021. Motion by Pat Schroeder, seconded by Roger Guthrie to reduce the rate by 50% for the United Methodist Church Mission Group’s use of the Crops Building, charging $75 a day. Motion carried. Judy Hazen was present for discussion on the June 26 ATV/UTV Drag Race/Demo Derby event. Contracts were presented for Lafayette County Speedway and ECI Pullers. Motion by Roger Guthrie, seconded by Gary Northouse, to sign both contracts. Motion carried. Amy needs to get a permit for exotic animals from the City of Lancaster for Mr. Crabs Family Entertainment Show. Amy spoke with Dan from Antique Tractor Pullers. No decision has been made whether they plan to be at the 2021 Fair. At the February 24 Livestock Auction Committee meeting, the committee approved holding the Grant County Junior Fair Livestock Auction hybrid style. Holding the auction hybrid style this year will allow buyers to participate remotely or in person. The auction will be held in the pavilion with screens for buyers to view photos of consignors with their animal. Consignors are required to be present at the sale to represent their animal shown on the screen. They are also advised to be present by their stalled animal prior to, and after the sale. Consignors will be required to submit a digital picture of themselves with the animal they choose to sell at the auction. The deadline to submit pictures will be the same as the fair entry deadline. Slack’s Auction will be in person at the sale. Motion by Gary Northouse, seconded by John Patcle, to hold the Grant County Junior Fair Livestock Auction hybrid style at the 2021 Grant County Fair. Motion carried. Organization Event or Project Amount Requested Amount Awarded Bagley Volunteer Fire Department Thunder in the Valley $750 $750 Boscobel Chamber “You Should Be Here” Campaign $750 $750 Fennimore Chamber Shop Local Plus 5 Events $750 $750 Platteville Main Street Program Marketing Campaign $750 $750 Wisconsin Mississippi River Parkway Commission Great River Road $750 $750 Amy asked whether the fair needs to require certain precautions for food vendors this year. The committee decided to leave it up to each vendor’s discretion. Contactless pay for the Fair was discussed. Using PayAnywhere will provide the option of using credit or debit cards at gate admission, ticket booth, and the food and beer stands under the grandstand. Motion by Gary Northouse, seconded by Roger Guthrie, to have PayAnywhere contactless pay available at the 2021 Fair. 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. Protocol for opening buildings on the Fairgrounds on April 1 was discussed. Grant County Corporation Counsel recommended continuing to have waivers signed by lessees. Covid testing and vaccinations held in the Eckstein Exhibit Hall need to be moved to the Youth & Agriculture Center as of April 14 due to previously scheduled events in the Eckstein Exhibit Hall. A request was made by Andrew Walz for using the Eckstein Exhibit Hall an additional day for a wedding reception. Motion by Mark Stead, seconded by Gary Northouse, to charge $50 for an additional day’s use for receptions in the Eckstein Exhibit Hall. Motion carried. A request by Farm Bureau was made to allow alcohol in the Youth & Ag Center, since the Eckstein Exhibit Hall was not available for rent due to Covid testing and vaccinations. Motion by Roger Guthrie, seconded by Mark Stead, to make an exception to allow alcohol in the Youth & Agriculture for the Farm Bureau event, due to the Covid emergency declaration. Motion carried. The Wisconsin Association of Fairs Talk It Out Tuesday will be March 16 and April 6. The April 13 District Fair Meeting will be held by Zoom and start at noon. Amy will join in the South Room with all Committee members invited to attend. The Fairest of the Fair and Junior Fairest of the fair crowning is scheduled for the evening of May 25. Amy would like to apply for a grant through Compeer Financial to apply towards fans in the Livestock Facility. Motion Mark Stead, seconded by Gary Northouse, to apply for the Compeer Financial Grant. Motion carried. Motion by Gary Northouse, seconded by Mark Stead, to approve fairgrounds vouchers. Motion carried. Motion by Gary Northouse, seconded by John Patcle, to pay livestock claims in the amount of $155 to the Grant County Humane Society. Motion carried. Motion by Mark Stead, seconded by Gary Northouse, to adjourn. The next regular scheduled meeting will be held April 19, 2021, at 9:00 a.m. Adjourned at 12:35 p.m. Mark Stead Secretary Lori Vesperman Recording Secretary