Fair board pitches mill levy at Pachyderms

The Great Northern Fair Board Chairman Tyler Smith spoke Friday to the North Central Pachyderms Club discussing why approving a mill levy for the fairgrounds is crucial for the future of the fair.

Smith said this past year he couldn’t be prouder of how the fair board, staff and volunteers came together and got last summer’s fair accomplished.

He said that a small group of people opposed the parking passes that were implemented this past year, but overall, he wanted to thank everyone for the large amount of community support the fair received.

The fair board’s budget receives $3,100 in county tax dollars a year, one-tenth of one mill, Smith said. Compared to other counties in the state Hill County’s fair board does not receive very much funding in tax dollars, he said. For example, he said, Blaine County’s fair receives $37,000 a year; Dodson $70,000; Chouteau County more than $105,000, and Toole County $120,000.

The Great Northern Fair Board is requesting up to 4 mills, with most of that money going toward capital projects, long-lasting improvements, he said. He added that people are concerned that this money will go toward people’s wages, but that is not true.

The 4 mills would total about $140,000 a year, Smith said, although they will not see that for at least 12 months and the board is only requesting up to 4 mills, not a guaranteed 4 mills every year, for at least 10 years.

Smith said he can guarantee for the first few years they will need the maximum 4 mills. He said 4 mills is about $5 to every $100,000 of taxable property evaluation.

He added that if the levy is approved, it will take time until the money could be utilized. The board has a capital projects account with $180,000 and if the mills are approved then work can start on these capital projects using this fund until the levy money could be utilized.

The fair board has also been putting funds toward capital projects, Smith said, such as improving the Bigger Better Barn, which has an event every weekend this fall. The Bigger Better Barn, Smith said, is the most-utilized building on the fairgrounds.

He added that the board wants to finish re-siding and insulating the walls and build handicap-accessible bathrooms in the building. He said he has no cost projections for this project yet.

Smith said he and other board members would like to see the return of a grandstand. The grandstand, he added, would not go back to where it was but move to the south and turn 90 degrees so the sun and wind are to the back.

He said grant money is out there, but without adequate funding to start with, grants will be turned down because grant organizations will not approve a grant without seeing money to maintain the grounds.

Another project, he said he personally wants to see, is the paving of the midway, at least a third or half of it. This would make it easier for other events, he added.

The Bigger Better Barn also needs gravel placed in the back of the barn to prevent erosion, he said, adding that these are all only a few of the capital projects that will be done.

The fair will still continue, Smith said, but the year-round use of the grounds may not.

Smith said without the money for capital projects , all the board would be able to afford is to tear down buildings that need repair, such as the commercial building.

There was also a decline in the budget due to the carnival not generating enough revenue, Smith said. With the times changing a basic fair may not entice the same size of crowds it has in the past.

Pachyderm member Gail Rader asked Smith about the fairgrounds manager position.

He said that a hourly position for fairgrounds manager will no longer work and in the future will be a contract employee, setting benchmarks for them to accomplish. He added that the fairgrounds manager was not earning very much money, a yearly amount of $20,000 with a third of that lost in taxes. He said there were other issues with the past manager, but “you get what you paid for.”

He added that the salary position will increase the payment as well as specify some duties as priorities. Smith said in addition the board will no longer require the grounds manager to live in the lodging at the fairgrounds, hopefully making the position more appealing to a wider range of applicants. The house has also been rented out for residents and is being utilized as a revenue source, he said.

Smith added that people should consider passing the levy for the fairgrounds and he believes the board has shown it can make good decisions. Some of the decisions have been unpopular but they have been for the better, Smith said, giving the success of the parking passes as an example.

The board is also always open for suggestions with new events and ideas, he said.