Fair board nearing manager hire

With six applicants to be interviewed, Great Northern Fair Board members are one step closer to hiring a manager-groundskeeper.

The debate among fair board members in the past had been whether to keep the position as it has been or to break it up. Board Chair Paul McCann confirmed after Tuesday night's meeting in the Timmons Room of the Hill County Courthouse that the position remained the same, with the same duties and pay.

The applicants will now go through the interviewing process and the board could have the opportunity to vote yay or nay for a candidate by its next meeting, March 21. That would be ideal, McCann said.

McCann said the interviewing is set to begin this week. Candidates will sit down with a commissioner, a couple of department heads from the county such as the auditor or the sanitarian, McCann and personnel executive for the county, Emily Mayer. Once a candidate has made it through that process, he or she will be brought before the board for discussion, McCann said.

"I hope we have somebody who wants to do what needs to be done and that the board agrees to that," he said.

Last time, he added, only one person applied for the job.

During the board meeting, members mentioned the importance of the new manager-groundskeeper being able to read contracts. Another decision that will be left until the new manager-groundskeeper is hired is what to do with the house on the property.

The board also formed an events committee, made of three board members, to help handle some of the communication between potential vendors and fair officials in lieu of a fairgrounds manager. Once the new manager comes in, the committee would serve more as a resource, McCann said.

Bull riding event vendor Justin Four Colors proposed during the meeting putting on a professional bull riding event during this year's Great Northern Fair, with board members taking information on the proposal.

The board also discussed work on a feature that would allow people to pay for fees and services online with a credit card. Right now, that is at a standstill until the fair board website is up and running, they said.