County seeks board members, superintendents for upcoming fair

Posted 4/22/15

Those three seats on the board opened up when members Mike Demoney, Linda Nielsen and Robby Newkirk unexpectedly resigned last week.

“We want people to be part of the fair board that are excited about the future. Obviously, they weren’t,” …

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County seeks board members, superintendents for upcoming fair

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Park County officials are looking for some volunteers to help ensure the show goes on at the 2015 fair.

A number of new superintendents are needed, and there are three vacancies on the county fair board.

Those three seats on the board opened up when members Mike Demoney, Linda Nielsen and Robby Newkirk unexpectedly resigned last week.

“We want people to be part of the fair board that are excited about the future. Obviously, they weren’t,” said Park County Commissioner Loren Grosskopf. He made the remark at a special Thursday commission meeting where the County Commission set a rapidly accelerated schedule to pick replacement board members.

Anyone interested in joining the board must apply by 3 p.m. Thursday. Commissioners plan to conduct interviews and appoint new volunteers on Friday.

“We’d like to get the fair board up and running with full complement as soon as possible so they can continue to conduct business,” said Commissioner Lee Livingston, adding later that, “It (the fair) has been supported ... by the community ever since its inception, and we’d like people that are interested and want to help it go forward and have the time and the dedication to do that, to apply.”

“We’ve had some issues in the past. We feel we’ve turned a page,” said Commissioner Tim French, adding, “We’re looking to the future and a great new building down there.”

The trio of resignations followed weeks of tension over commissioners’ decision to replace Fair Director Jennifer Lohrenz, who answered to the board, with Park County Events Coordinator Echo Renner, who answers to the commission. That was the commissioners’ way of resolving a bitter divide that developed between fair staff and county buildings and grounds crews, but the resigning members said they’d come to believe their opinions were unwanted and unappreciated.

There had been other conflict between the commission and fair board, including poor communication and board members’ lack of progress on a $500,000 fundraising goal for the new multi-use facility now under construction.

Lohrenz had been scheduled to stay in her position through June, but the fair board let her go last week.

In addition to seeking board members, the county also is asking people to step up and serve as superintendents for the July 21-25 fair.

There are openings in divisions involving dairy goats, horses, floriculture, kitchen arts, needle arts, drawings and paintings, 4-H contests and 4-H herdsmanship.

A superintendent’s duties include posting schedules and decorations, lining up judges and clerks, overseeing exhibits and ribbons, supervising exhibitors and spectators, verifying clerk records and managing the check-in and release of exhibits.

Renner has been contacting current superintendents to make sure they’re still on board. While many are eager for the fair, some who’ve been with the fair for decades or who have other commitments are ready to move on, Renner said in a news release.

“We are looking for members of the community to step up and fill the superintendent positions,” she said, adding, “There is a list of roles and responsibilities for guidance, and I’m willing to help.”

People can be co-superintendents with someone else if they want to share the load.

Current superintendents are also being asked to review their division’s information in the 2015 fair book. A draft of the book is available at the fair office in Powell.

“The fair book is behind schedule, and we are trying to get it to the printer as soon as possible. However, it’s important that we have input from the superintendents to make sure we have everything as accurate as possible,” Renner said.

To sign up to be a fair superintendent, review the fair book or get more information on the positions, contact fair office manager PJ Chouinard at 754-5421.

For more information on, or to apply for, the fair board, contact the commission office at 754-8510.

All the positions are unpaid.

Of the three unexpired terms now available on the fair board, one runs through the end of the year, another goes through Jan. 1, 2017, and the other concludes Jan. 1, 2018.

“I think if there’s ever a year to wow the public, we want to make that happen this year,” said Grosskopf, noting that the new building should be mostly finished by fair time. “So I guess we’d invite anyone that wants to participate in that (to apply); it’s a big event.”

Editor's note: This version removes incorrect information about the nature of compensation paid to Lohrenz.

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