Fair board discusses projects, fair preparations

The Great Northern Fair Board discussed ongoing maintenance and preparations for this year's fair during their meeting Tuesday.

Board Vice Chair Bob Kaul said nearly all large projects on the fairgrounds are done or in the works at this point so focus can be put back on maintenance and preparations for this year's fair.

Kaul said the fairgrounds shop needs to be set up, but the vast majority of the project can be done in-house. He said they need to look at getting the fairgrounds' main drain pump cleaned out and have a maintenance record established for it, but otherwise, the grounds are at a point where keeping up with regular maintenance is all that's needed for the most part.

"I think we are in pretty good shape," he said. " ... Overall I'm pretty happy with where we are compared to where we were two years ago."

Fairgrounds Manager Frank English said one more new set of bathrooms is going to be set up at the fairgrounds and there was some discussion about where to place them and how to hook them into the sewers without overloading the system.

English said the system was well-flushed after last year's fair, but Board Chair Michelle Burchard said they should probably have the system flushed again just before this year's fair just to be safe.

Burchard also said they need to separate the soon-to-be operational rental house's gas bill from the grounds' total gas bill, so that it can be made part of the bill for renters.

English said work on the rental house is mostly done, though they will need to install some new vents, curtains and a fridge before it's ready to rent out.

Burchard said the fair has burned through a good amount of its surplus funds doing a number of large projects this past year, but they still have plenty for maintenance and normal fairgrounds operations, so finances are still in good shape.

As for upcoming events, Board Member Ken Erickson said the Hi-Line Winter Brewfest will be at the Bigger Better Barn Saturday, and the Extreme Bares & Broncs, a PRCA rodeo and Montana State University-Northern Rodeo fundraiser, will be March 29 in the same place.