Commissioners fire fairgrounds manager

Since news broke that Great Northern Fair Board members had discussed making big changes such as seasonally shutting down the fairgrounds, people have taken to social media with comments, suggestions and complaints en masse.

In a recent twist, those changes have already begun, as county commissioners voted during their Thursday meeting to fire fairgrounds manager Dave Brewer.

Hill County Commissioner Mike Wendland said this morning the decision was all about money.

"Fairgrounds revenue has not kept up with expenditures," Wendland said. "It's an unfortunate thing."

The goal is to not spend any more money until revenue starts coming in, Wendland said.

Brewer's firing happened during the "Employment Review" portion of the agenda. Wendland said there was no attempt by anyone to hide anything by not listing a vote on Brewer's position as a specific item on the agenda.

The decision was not knee-jerk and did not come as a surprise, Wendland said, adding that Commissioner Mark Peterson had talked to board members extensively before the move was made. Brewer was hired last spring in April, after the fair board had gone months without a fairgrounds manager because the previous manager, Bob Horne, had quit November 2016, before reaching the one-year mark.

Fairboard Chair Paul McCann, echoing Wendland, said this morning that there's just no money to pay Brewer. As for who'll handle Brewer's duties, McCann said there will most likely be a meeting sometime next week - time and place should be decided by Monday - to discuss those details and others.

Wendland said the goal is for the commissioners and the board, along with other volunteers, to be "more active" in functioning of the fairgrounds and putting on the fair.

The fairgrounds' money problems have persisted for at least the last eight years, McCann had said after the Feb. 20 meeting.

Board member frustrations came to a head during that  meeting after Finance Committee Chair Ray Kallenberger went over the cash reserves budget that was, and still is, in the red.

"We're in an emergency condition," board member Scott Doney had said. "We're being asked to run a business that's a sinking ship. ... In the next couple of months, we have some serious decisions to make."

The fairgrounds generates revenue from the fair - carnival proceeds and money from civic groups and concessions and exhibitors - fairgrounds facility rentals, camper storage, house rental, and from schools who use the grounds to train for rodeos. A small portion, about $5,000, comes from county tax coffers.

Members explained last meeting that it costs more to keep the fairgrounds open than it generates. The two largest expenses are utilities and wages. Repairs are another costly expense.

The large public response - as indicated by social media - seems to fly in the face of McCann's assumption that people may not be as excited about fairs like they used to. McCann had made multiple statements to indicate that lack of money means a loss of interest.

"Fairs are kind of funny. It's a culture that's changing," McCann said during the Feb. 20 meeting. "It was bigger when I was growing up. Maybe it's something the public doesn't even want."

Jolynn Cole, one of the many who say she does want a fair, started a Facebook page wholly dedicated to "saving our fairgrounds."  

Cole said she started the "Save our fairgrounds" page the day after the last meeting. The purpose of the page  is to generate ideas for the sake of saving the fairgrounds.

Cole and her husband, Paul Cole, have not only attended many fairs in their lifetime, but they've even worked them, they said.

The problem with the Great Northern Fair, as they see it, is not that people aren't interested in fairs, it's that is hasn't been worth attending for a long time.

"It's gone down in everything," she said. "It seems to have lost that hometown feeling."

People like Seth Jensen agree. Jensen wrote on Facebook's "Havre's Questions, Comments, & Concerns" website: "The quality of the fair has just gone down every year, the midway gets worse, and I think that a lot less attend rodeos and the derby due to the fact that there is no longer any cover from the sun, I know that's why I stopped attending those events."

The fair could use more events like jelly, yarn, and animal competitions, as well as entertainment. Moving the fair back to August would help, too, Cole said during an interview.

As indicated by people on "Havre's Questions, Comments, & Concerns," moving the fair back to August and providing more shade, along with many others, are just some things that may improve the fair.

Suggestions included those to generate money outside of fair week, as well as events and ways to improve the fair.

People said it may be a good idea to combine fairs with other counties; rent out the fairgrounds buildings for craft sales as a way to make money in offseason; hold a Pizza Hut or Taco Johns fundraiser to raise money for the fair; get more businesses involved; build an indoor stadium; talk to counties who "seem to manage" and get ideas from them; bring in "decent" musical acts; hold a pig wrestling competition; have 50/50 raffles to support various organizations; have a community dog park so pet owners have extra reason to visit; charge an entry fee; bring better rides during the carnival; advertise to hold events on the grounds during offseason; and host skijoring, horse races, softball, dodgeball events.

More suggestions had been made and they continue to rack up.

When asked about the response, McCann said Tuesday this is what board members need to know. The fair is "an expensive party" to throw for the community, and board members need to know if it's sustainable and wanted. While the response on social media has been large, McCann said it hasn't been reflected in phone calls.

The goal of the special meeting will be to help the public understand what the board feels the future can hold, good and bad, McCann had said. It will be a couple of hours long and the idea is to come prepared with solutions.