Fair, commissioners agree to sign proposal

WAPAKONETA — Auglaize County Fair Board members met this week and are in favor of accepting an offer from the county commissioners for new electronic messaging signs.

The signs have been on the agenda for almost a year after fair manager Ed Doenges brought the proposal forward having seen what other area agricultural societies were doing to promote the fair and the grounds as a venue. He met with commissioners last week to talk about partnering to get the signs ordered and in place.

The proposal calls for the commissioners to pay the full $120,000 upfront with money from the 2021 budget. The fair board will reimburse the county $30,000 over a five-year period. In addition, the county’s annual grant to the fair board will be $10,000 less each year for five years.

The commissioners would cover the remaining $40,000 of the $120,000 cost for the two signs.

“I thought that was pretty generous of them,” Doenges said.

Board member Toby Lee was still concerned about covering a change order or a quote increase, which would be further discussed with commissioners.

The commissioners had tried to construct a similar deal with the fair board before COVID-19 delayed the project and put the fair board in “survival mode.”

Having agreed to the proposal, the board continued to other business.

Steve Bateson, president of the Ohio Harness Horseman’s Association, and Tim Ignarski of the Auglaize County Horseman’s Association addressed the board on their continued partnership. Bateson said he wanted to encourage horseman to be involved in the fair even if they aren’t on the fair board and to be open to helping. The horseman’s association offers a grant which the fair took advantage of last year to repair a water line leak.

“Water, barns, roofs — we are all in this together,” Bateson said.

He explained how Facebook Live has been crucial to the harness racing experience this year.

Ignarski thanked the fair board members for the opportunity to continue use of their property and put any prior bad blood behind them.

Also on Monday, board members approved spending up to $9,000 on a utility vehicle, as a golf cart had become worn out sooner than expected.

Doenges also discussed voting procedures for the Nov. 7 agricultural society election.

Audra Fetter of Goshen Township, Tom Sharp of Jackson Township, Toby Lee of Union Township, Bryon Stombaugh of Salem Township, Wayne Lybarger of New Bremen Village, Mike Schmerge of Wapakoneta, and Doug Roediger, member at large, are all on the ballot for the next year.

Doenges said board member Jeremy Newman is going to step away from his position because of personal reasons leaving an opening for a representative from Pusheta Township.