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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04 Minutes April 21AGRICULTURE AND EXTENSION EDUCATION/ FAIR COMMITTEE MEETING Monday, April 21, 2025 9:00 a.m. The April meeting was held in the Extension Office Conference Room at the Youth & Agriculture Center and by Zoom. The meeting was called to order by Chairman Roger Guthrie, Present in person were Joe Mumm, Pat Schroeder, Gary Northouse, Kathy Kopp, Mark Vosberg, Bob Keeney, Nate Dreckman, Amy Olson, Lori Vesperman, James Schneider, Bev Doll, Kim Kester, Lynn Perkins, Ron Brisbois, Jeremy Vissers and Geri Bryan. Present by Zoom were Tonya White, Jackie Varholik, and Chelsey Ihm. Present by phone was Shawna Cook. 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 Gary Northouse, seconded by Kathy Kopp, to approve the agenda moving 7. a.-e. up on the agenda. Motion carried. Motion by Pat Schroeder, seconded by Mark Vosberg, to approve the minutes of the meeting held March 17, 2025. Motion carried. Educator reports: James Schneider reported that there is an opportunity for Uniquely Wisconsin to do a program on Grant County. James gave a presentation on his current position as Community Development Educator and his future outlook of the position particularly involving tourism in Grant County, followed by discussion. Ron Brisbois, Grant County Economic Development Director was present to give his opinion as well. Kim Kester and Bev Doll gave their reports. Charisse Orth was at a national conference. Lynn shared Maggie’s report. Lynn Perkins gave the AED update. She shared information she had of the new Extension position, Rural Economic Development Specialist. The Community Needs Discussion will be held Tuesday, May 6, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Lynn will schedule a scoping conversation with Lindsey Day Farnsworth, Community Development Institute Interim Director; Kristin Runge, Community Development Program Manager - Economic Development; Nate Dreckman, Bob Keeney, Kathy Kopp and Ron Brisbois regarding the Community Development Educator position. Motion by Pat Schroeder, seconded by Kathy Kopp, to accept and sign the snowmobile resolution authorizing participation in public funding for snowmobile trails in Grant County for the 2025-2026 snowmobile year. Motion carried. The full County Board approved the resolution at their April 15 meeting. Due to James Schneider’s retirement, Lori Vesperman, was designated Grant County Snowmobile Coordinator. Motion by Gary Northouse, seconded by Joe Mumm, to approve the Extension vouchers. Motion carried. Amy gave the grounds and maintenance and Youth & Agriculture Center report. Amy continues to work with Farm Bureau on the cement pad by their stand and placement of the memorial bench. The bench has been ordered. Maintenance is painting the Eckstein Hall restrooms. The hand towel dispensers in all buildings need to be replaced. The overhead door in the livestock pavilion was replaced. The work done on poles in the dairy barn passed inspection by the Lancaster City Inspector. Therefore, maintenance can continue their work on replacing poles. Amy will request funding from the Livestock Auction Trust at the April 28 meeting to complete the pole project. Continuous fencing will be done next. Maintenance continues getting storage out. Everything will be out by the end of the month. The computer in the maintenance office quit working and needs to be replaced at a cost of $1,385. Presbyterian Church would like to make a donation for new chairs in the Youth & Ag Center. Fair and Fairgrounds Business Jeremy Vissers, representing Sudden Unexplained Death in Children (SUDC), requested a waived or reduced rate for use of the Youth & Ag Center and grounds on May 3, 2025, for an awareness fundraising event, with setup on May 2. Motion by Kathy Kopp, seconded by Pat Schroeder, to waive the fee. Motion carried. Jacquelyn Varholik requested use of the Youth & Agriculture Center for Christmas for Kids of Southwest Wisconsin fundraiser. Motion by Pat Schroeder, seconded by Joe Mumm, to allow the organization to use the Youth & Agriculture Center on November 29, 2025, at no cost. Setup is November 28. Motion carried. Chelsey Ihm, with the non-profit pediatric cancer organization, Chasing Rainbows, requested a reduced or waived rate for a Trucking for Cancer event on the Fairgrounds on September 13, 2025. Motion by Joe Mumm, seconded by Gary Northouse, to waive the fee for use of the facilities. Motion carried. Geri Bryhan, Grant County Humane Society, requested to use the Eckstein Exhibit Hall November 12-15, 2025, for a garage sale fundraiser. Motion by Roger Guthrie, seconded by Kathy Kopp, to waive fees for use of the building. Motion carried. Shawna Cook is organizing a June 14, 2025, fundraising event for a relative with brain cancer. She requested a waived or reduced rate for use of the Youth & Ag Center. Motion by Pat Schroeder, seconded by Kathy Kopp, to waive the fee. Motion carried. Lactating dairy cows need to have proof of negative Influenza A test as was required in 2024. All animal identification information have been sent out. The consensus of the committee is that swine loadout will be Monday morning after the fair. Motion by Pat Schroeder, seconded by Mark Vosberg, to sign contracts with local bands TKO, Countryfied and Second Generation in the entertainment tent. Motion carried. Motion by Joe Mumm, seconded by Kathy Kopp, to have Amy order 14 chair racks for the Eckstein Hall at a cost of $99 each. Motion carried. Amy has coloring books for parades. She will be using credit card machines again this year for fair purchases. She needs to have fair entry packets completed for 4-H clubs by May 9. She is working on finalizing judges and trophies. The Read-n-Win program will be held this year. Fair passes are being ordered. All Event wristbands are here along with carnival passes. The Tavern League will be donating $1,000 to order more coasters than in the past. Amy received $1,000 from WAF to apply toward an IAFE Economic Impact Study for the fair industry at a cost of $1,500. An electronic recycling event will be held on the Fairgrounds on November 8, 2025. The goat and swine survey will be sent out. Amy will share the Fairgrounds masterplan with the Livestock Trust at the April 28 meeting. A board has been established and a meeting held for the Friends of the Fair 501(c)3. The cost for filing forms could be around $1,600. Amy approached a business to see if they would cover costs up to $2,000. Motion by Joe Mumm, seconded by Mark Vosberg 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 Director. Motion carried. Motion by Joe Mumm, seconded by Mark Vosberg to return to open session. Motion carried. Motion by Kathy Kopp, seconded by Mark Vosberg, to approve the vouchers. Motion carried. Motion by Kathy Kopp, seconded by Joe Mumm, to adjourn until the next meeting, May 19, 2025. Motion carried. Kathy Kopp Secretary Lori Vesperman Recording Secretary