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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04 Minutes April 19 2021AGRICULTURE AND EXTENSION EDUCATION/FAIR COMMITTEE MEETING Monday, April 19, 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, Mike Lieurance, Gary Northouse, Bob Keeney, Amy Olson, Lori Vesperman, Shane Drinkwater, James Schneider, Donna Peterson and Tag Schneider. Present by Zoom were Paul Ohlrogge, Amanda Cauffman, Charisse Orth, Bev Doll, Amanda Degenhardt, Tonya White, Garry Pluemer and David Timmerman. 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 Mike Lieurance, seconded by John Patcle, to approve the agenda. Motion carried. Motion by Roger Guthrie, seconded by Mark Stead, to approve minutes of the meeting held March 15, 2021. Motion carried. Grant County Extension and Youth & Agriculture Center business was presented. Educator reports were given by Amanda Cauffman, Charisse Orth, Bev Doll, James Schneider and Donna Peterson. Paul Ohlrogge gave the Area Extension Director update. Paul and Joe Bonnell have been in contact with DATCP to discuss applying for a Clean Sweep Grant for Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Counties for 2022. The grant application is due in May, 2021. Joe is the lead person. Beginning July 1 educators can be back in the office 100% of the time. The Area Director 17 position will be posted soon. The FoodWIse Program agreement letter for the federal fiscal year 2022 was presented to the committee. Motion by Gary Northouse, seconded by Mike Lieurance to approve and sign the FoodWIse Agreement Letter. Motion carried. Motion by Mike Lieurance, 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. The barn was prepped for the first event held in April. Deb Reukauf contacted Amy regarding Teen Court doing volunteer hours at the Fairgrounds. They picked up tree limbs around the grounds. Lids have been cut off containers being used for garbage during the Fair. Eric Vesperman from Larry’s Welding will be meeting with Brian to come up with a hydraulic system for the skid steer to empty containers into dumpsters. Allen Braun, a DNR Forester, looked at the ash trees on the Fairgrounds. He said they have two- three years of life left and do not need to be cut down at this time, but dead branches should be removed. Brian showed him six trees that he thought were dead and the forester agreed they should be cut down and burned for now. Amy would like to apply for a grant through Alliant Energy, for up to $2,500, to be used to purchase a variety of trees for the grounds. Motion by Mark Stead, seconded by Gary Northouse, to have Amy apply for the grant through Alliant Energy. Motion carried. Reddy Ag would like to hold their customer appreciation event in the Youth & Ag Center due to the size of the event, using both kitchens and the Auditorium. They have alcohol at the event. Motion by Gary Northouse, seconded by Mark Stead, to allow Reddy Ag to have alcohol at the customer appreciation event in the Youth & Ag Center. Motion carried. Tag Schneider, West Grant Saddle Club, attended the meeting to talk to the committee about a new fence they would like to install around the arena area. It will be a five barb steel continuous fence. Discussion was held on concerns of the location of the electric box. Amy will get a cost on moving/repairing the electrical box for next month’s meeting. The Saddle Club plans to share the costs for the electrical box. Motion by Roger Guthrie, seconded by Gary Northouse, to allow the West Grant Saddle Club to put in a continuous fence in the area discussed and share costs of moving/repairing the electrical box. Motion carried. Amy Olson presented Fair and Fairgrounds Business. The new Fair website went live April 1. Amy reached out to libraries to see if they are open and if so, would they like to participate in the Read and Win program for the 2021 Fair. Each participant who completes 40 hours of reading will receive a free nachos and a soda from the grandstand food stand. She heard back from five libraries. The Fair Poster Contest will be judged by the committee at the May meeting. Vendor and Food and Beer Organization letters are being sent out. A meeting with Tim Slack to discuss the hybrid Junior Fair Livestock Auction is scheduled with Amy, Charisse, Amanda, Jenny and Lori. The next IAFE Thirsty Thursday meeting is April 22. The Junior Fairest of the Fair application deadline is Friday, April 23. Invitations will go out in May for the banquet on May 25. Amy met with Full Throttle to view and discuss use of the Grandstand and Grounds. Advertising is being finalized for distribution of posters for the June 26 event. Sponsorship deadline for the event is April 22. Frank Distributors is providing three roadside banners. Motion by Mark Stead, seconded by Roger, to sign the contract with Mr. Crabs Family Entertainment Show for the Scott Implement Kids’ Tent. Motion carried. American Legion decided not to do gate admission for the 2021 Fair. Amy proposed searching for an organization to tend the gates paying $500 each for Friday and Saturday and $300 for Sunday. Friday and Saturday hours are 9:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. and Sunday hours 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Approximately 30 people would be need for Friday and Saturday shifts and 20 for Sunday shifts. Motion by Roger Guthrie, seconded by Gary Northouse to pay organizations $500 ea ch for Friday and Saturday and $300 for Sunday to take gate admissions at the 2021 Fair. Motion carried. Contactless pay terminals and readers for the 2021 Fair have been delivered. They will be used at the June 26 ATV/UTV event. Alexis Blankenberg spoke with Amy regarding the $500 memorial donation from the Blankenberg family to the Fairgrounds to be used for new speakers in the Open Dairy Barn. Amy reached out to Tower Sound for information and costs. The total cost of supplies and labor for new equipment is $2,218.86 and gently used equipment $1623.90. Motion by Mark Stead, seconded by Roger Guthrie to go with gently used speakers for the Open Dairy Barn at a cost of $1,623.90, less the Blankenberg donation of $500, for a cost of $1,123.90 to the Fairgrounds. Motion carried. The Livestock Trust suggested they work together with Amy on a master plan for the Fairgrounds which would be for the livestock barns and horse arena area. Amy will work with Brian and Brenda to come up with a plan to present to the Livestock Trust. Amy ordered 6 small fans for the barn at a total cost of $11,823. She applied for a grant through Compeer Financial for $3,000 to put toward the cost. The Livestock Trust approved covering $8,823.00. If the Fairgrounds does not receive the grant, the Fairgrounds will cover the remaining $3,000. A reimbursement payment of $10,250 was received from Grant County Emergency Management for use of the Eckstein Exhibit Hall for Covid testing and vaccinations. If FEMA does not approve payment, the amount will be returned to Emergency Management. The IT department will be updating Wi-Fi on the Fairgrounds. Motion by Gary Northouse, seconded by Mike Lieurance, to approve fairgrounds vouchers. Motion carried. Motion by Mark Stead, seconded by John Patcle, to adjourn. The next regular scheduled meeting will be held May 17, 2021, at 9:00 a.m. Adjourned at 10:35 p.m. Mark Stead Secretary Lori Vesperman Recording Secretary