GALLATIN COUNTY FAIR BOARD
March 18, 2008 MEETING MINUTES
(as approved on April 15, 2008 meeting)
FAIR BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT – Bob Brekke, Chris Budeski, Dennis Farnham, Jim Oberhofer, Chuck Busta, Misty Radue, Linda Warner
STAFF – Sue Shockley, Debbie Ehlert – Secretary
COMMISSION – None
PUBLIC – Faith Poet, Tim Kuhlman, Sonja Berg, Lorna Simard
1. CALL TO ORDER – Chairperson Bob Brekke called the meeting to order at 6:35PM.
2. PUBLIC COMMENT – None
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Jan. 29, 2008 – Jim Oberhofer made a motion to approve the January 29, 2008 Meeting Minutes as presented. Misty Radue seconded the motion. Unanimous for. None against. Motion carried.
4. GUEST PRESENTATIONS – Sue Shockley introduced Faith Poet who is the new 4-H Agent who replaced Todd Kesner on March 3, 2008. Sue Shockley introduced Tim Kuhlman as the new Foundation Chairperson.
5. COUNTY COMMISSION UPDATE – None
6. DECISION ITEMS-
A. Committee Assignments – The Fair Board reviewed all of the Fair Board Committees.
B. Review and Approve Parking Committee recommendations of Fair Parking – Dennis Farnham said he was waiting on pricing for Parking for the 2008 Fair. Sue Shockley said that it had already been approved at a previous Fair Board meeting. Pricing for parking for the 2008 Fair was discussed. Jim Oberhofer made a motion to charge $2 for an all day parking pass. Misty Radue seconded the motion. Question: The Fair Board discussed pricing for a 5-day pass. Jim Oberhofer amended his motion to: $2 for a day parking pass and $8 for a 5-day parking pass. Chris Budeski seconded the motion. Unanimous for. None against. Motion carried.
C. Decision on items allowed to be sold at the 2008 Fair by commercial exhibitors – Jim Oberhofer said there are no weapons allowed at any time on the Fairgrounds as lined out by an ordinance. Gun Shows are an exemption. Special events are exempt but not for fair. Even people with a concealed weapons permit are not allowed to bring firearms on the property. There were two vendors last year at the Fair that sold replica guns, knives, Samari swords and Rambo knives. All of the knives had an edge on the blade but were labeled as toys. Dennis Farnham said that a month before Fair last year a vendor was okayed to sell toy guns and knives. Jim Oberhofer had samples of the toy guns. Chris Budeski asked Jim Oberhofer to draft a motion on what should not be
allowed. Jim said that any knife with a blade over 4” is considered a weapon. Jim Oberhofer made a motion banning sales of toys as simulated weapons, such as knives, swords, firearms as defined by code. This needs to be passed on to vendors on the application. Dennis Farnham seconded the motion. Unanimous for. None against. Motion carried.
D. Baseball Contract Negotiations – Bob Brekke and Misty Radue said in their discussions with Bozeman Baseball, the Baseball representatives discussed keeping the annual rent to $2500/year and not increasing it to $3000/year plus 3% increase/year after that. If the rent was left at $2500/year then the Fairgrounds could use the facility for 2 nights per year and Baseball would not have any functions during the Fair. Bozeman Baseball said they have $3 million into the facility and no credit against their investment. Sue Shockley said that BAHA had $1.3 million into the Haynes facility and they could use it for free for twenty years to use up the credit. Baseball did not know anything about the tree tax. Baseball needs to be informed on alcohol sales
at their facility. Gallatin County owns the facility and Bozeman Baseball, Inc. operates it. Sue Shockley said the Commissioners determined the rental rates. The Fair Board said to get the county attorneys office involved.
Misty Radue said no to the $2500/year because of the cost of increase. Misty recommended $3000/year immediately with a 3% increase every year after and to shut down during Fair. The Fairgrounds would lease back the facility if used. Baseball has to abide by the alcohol policies and needs to provide the license of their alcohol vendor. The Fair Board wanted language included that the gates would be locked until the contract was fulfilled.
Chris Budeski suggested $2500 plus 3%/year increase. The Fairgrounds would pay the light fee and any damage with use of the facility and the ability to use the facility for 10 guaranteed days per year. Sue Shockley said the Fairgrounds needs to get more consistency in leases. Sue wanted to backdate the lease for 2 years so it would be a 4 year lease instead of a 2 year lease and she did not want a long term lease. Sue felt 10 years was too long for a lease. The Fair Board recommended that all of the existing contracts end in 2010 and be reviewed by the County Commissioners and County Attorney.
Chris Budeski made a motion to put into place a four year contract backdated two years with $2500 plus 3% increase per year with 10 days/nights for events not during Baseball season and the Fairground would pay operating fees and damages if any. Chuck Busta seconded the motion. Unanimous for. None against. Motion carried. Need to go back to Baseball with the recommendations. Chris Budeski made a motion that if the Fairgrounds and Baseball do not enter into a contract agreement within 45 days the gates to the Baseball Field will be locked. Dennis Farnham seconded the motion. Unanimous for. None against. Motion carried.
E. Dinner for Blair – Sue Shockley said she would schedule a dinner for a Thursday night at Stacy’s and let the Fair Board members know.
7. FOUNDATION UPDATE – Tim Kuhlman said they are working on building up membership. Lorna said that the Foundation needs direction on what the Fair Board wants them to work on. She asked for a list of projects listed by their level of importance. Misty Radue presented the Foundation with a check for $1920 from the stallion auction for the 2008 Wild West WinterFest. Sue Shockley said the restrooms were done in the concession stand two weeks ago. She said they still do not have a temporary use permit because there was an electrical wire hanging down in the kitchen area where the range hood is supposed to go and there was a cover in the bathroom that needed to be installed. The building inspector that Sue met with said the Foundation did not have to do the concrete slabs outside the building right
away. Sue said that they can only get temporary use permits until the kitchen is finished and they would have to keep applying for them.
8. COMMITTEE REPORTS
A. 2008 Fair – Sue Shockley said that the PBR will be here on Wednesday night. She is working with Andy Watson and Travis Burian. Harry Huntsinger is not involved at all. She sent out a proposal of $8700 plus bleacher rent, equipment time, and clean up for $300. Sue said this would be about $10,000. Advance sale PBR tickets will include admittance to the Fair. Purchase of PBR tickets the day of the event will not include admittance to the Fair. Dennis Farnham said that Wells Fargo Bank wants to help man gates for Fair. Sue said she was trying to decide on a Christian Comedian (Family) entertainment. Sue said the cost was $2200. She said that the Bridger Mountain High School Rodeo team wanted to put on a rodeo event during Fair.
B. Long range plan– no report
C. Contract Committee – See decision item. Nothing new.
D. Policy/By Laws Committee – Has not met. Sue will email copy of updated Policy Manual to all Board members for review. Will place on Feb. agenda for approval. Nothing new.
E. Parking Committee – Sue said a decision has been made regarding pricing and we need to schedule a meeting with Mike Costle and the Boy Scouts.
F. Security/Emergency Planning/First Aid/Alcohol Committee – Jim Oberhofer said that there were issues with alcohol during Wild West WinterFest. Jim said there was free flowing beer during the Chili Cook Off and when our office had the keg removed then people were running back and forth outside to get beer until he shut them down. Next year, Jim wants no alcohol coming in from outside. Our alcohol vendor was not happy because it was impossible to secure the building. Alcohol was not supposed to leave the building but it was going out the doors. Jim Oberhofer said the Fairgrounds did not follow its own Alcohol Policies. Jim Oberhofer said there were the same problems in the Indoor Arena. There was supposed to be a beer garden at the south end of the
arena but people were taking their drinks up into the bleachers. Jim Oberhofer said there needs to be security at each door to prevent alcohol from leaving the building. Jim said he was not a proponent for the wording at the Haynes Pavilion. There were issues there as well with alcohol. He did not find out who was providing the alcohol. Jim felt that this was a liability issue and the Fair Board should meet with the BAHA Board. Alcohol needs to be specified in the next contract with BAHA along with no parking in the Fire Lane. Jim Oberhofer said there were not enough officers on the grounds on Saturday night and he will look at this next year.
G. Volunteer Committee – No Report.
H. Marketing Committee – No Report.
I. WinterFest Committee – 2008 Recap- already discussed some.
J. Open Lands Committee – Sue wanted permission from the Fair Board to proceed with presenting the completed application to the Open Lands Committee. The Fair Board agreed.
9. CORRESPONDENCE – Nothing.
10. MANAGER’S REPORT – Sue said she was making changes to the Operations schedules and the person with Seniority chooses the shifts they want and so on.
11. FINANCIAL REPORT – Must approve financial report – Jim Oberhofer made a motion to approve the February Monthly Expenses as presented. Chris Budeski seconded the motion. Unanimous for. None against. Motion carried. Sue said that we were still waiting on some additional revenue. Misty Radue said she did not receive the contract for Headwaters Livestock for the Horse Sale for WWWF. Sue said Misty may not have received it.
12. DISCUSSION ITEMS
A. Gallatin Ice Foundation Project Update- Nothing new.
B. Fairgrounds Business Plan – No Report
C. RFP for Storm Water Management Plan – have the beginning of an RFP – we can so this if we receive the Open Lands Grant. – Nothing new.
D. Changes to Fairgrounds General Lease Agreement – tabled until after Policy Committee reviews.
E. Review and approve RFP for Alcohol Provider – will get this done for April meeting. Not completed.
F. Other items not on Agenda – discussion only – Sue said she received an invitation to present the plans for the event center at the Senior Retired Group at the Senior Center. Ron Bray with City Parking wanted to discuss the plan for Senior Center Parking at the Fairgrounds.
Chris Budeski said that Streamline will be available for the Fair. Sue said she had not talked with the Mall, Wal-Mart or K-Mart yet.
13. ANNOUNCEMENTS - none
14. AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT MONTH’S MEETING
15. ADJOURNMENT
Bob Brekke adjourned the meeting at 9:05PM.
Respectfully Submitted by:______________________________________
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