Solomon: Has scaled back snow removal at fairgrounds

The Great Northern Fair grounds manager and board members said not much new is in the planning for this year’s fair, with the groundwork set and proceding, although the manager said something new is happening with less snow removal on the grounds.

When board member Gus Sharp asked how snow removal is done at the fairgrounds, manager Tim Solomon said he has been doing that himself with his own vehicle and at his own expense. Solomon said he scaled back this year, not removing snow from most of the grounds.

He said that if the snow becomes very heavy, he asks the county road and bridge department to clear the grounds, adding that the department employees usually are busy removing snow from county roads at that time.

Sharp said the snow had made it difficult to for people using the grounds to gain access, particularly with horse trailers and so on.

Solomon said the contract with users does not require the fairgrounds staff members to remove snow.

“They can hire someone just like we can,” he said.

Solomon also said someone had driven through the fence on the border of the fairgrounds next to the Super 8 Motel, taking out a couple of sections and causing a couple hundred dollars in damage.

He said the Montana Highway Patrol has located the vehicle that went through the fence, but the Patrol has not given him any more information.

Sharp said the local association that has put on the rodeo at the fair the past three years has signed the contract to put the event on again in 2014.

Solomon said the contract is identical to last year’s.

He said he had no new news about the carnival. At previous meetings, the board discussed 2013 fairgoers being unhappy with the selection of rides, although they met the requirements of the contract, brought to the midway by Brown’s Amusements.

Last year was the first year Brown’s brought carnivals to Montana, and the first of a three-year contract with the Great Northern Fair.

Solomon said Monday that he had talked to the owner about bringing some different rides to the 2014 fair.

“We’ll see what happens,” he said.

He also said the fair has the opportunity to bring back a spraypaint artist who was at the fair a few years ago, creating and selling paintings at the fair as wells as creating a mural on the outside of a fair building. The board agreed to hold off on a decision to bring that artist back.

County Commissioner Jeff LaVoi applauded the board for its budget — both the fair and Beaver Creek Park, which are being converted to self-supporting entities, exceeded their revenue expectations and had lower-than-expected expenses, he said.

LaVoi also again brought up trying to bring back a grandstand to the fairground arena. He said the source he had been investigating would not be able to fund the construction, but he would like to continue searching for funds.

“I still think the fair should have a grandstand,” he said, to the agreement of board members.