By: James Pruitt
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
People who get their tickets early for the main entertainment show at the Williams County Fair are in for a treat.
The Fair Board voted to mail one-day passes out for each ticket sold before Labor Day to the Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2016, program. The policy applies to grandstand and track area tickets.
Tickets are $20 for a grandstand seat and $25 for the track area. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. The entertainers are as yet to be announced.
Tickets and the passes will be mailed, the fair will not hold tickets, Board President David Page said.
The board honored longtime volunteer Lou Mollett with a plaque. Mollett began working at the fair in 1977 and recently retired, but still comes out to pick up trash.
Mollett said he has been coming to the fair every year since he moved to Montpelier in 1959.
In other news:
In an attempt to tighten control over the distribution of passes to the fair, passes will only be for a day. Groups needing passes for volunteers will be required to make a $5 per pass donation and the supervisor will be required to sign for each one.
The fair will match the money raised from the passes and put it toward a project on the grounds in that group’s name. So if a group spends $250 on passes, the fair will earmark another $250 for work done on the grounds and give credit to the group, board Vice President Brian Wieland said.
The fair will send documentation to all groups about the policy.
The board approved a policy that requires anyone who volunteers to drive a fair-owned vehicle at the fairgrounds be at least 16 years of age and a licensed driver. The issue is one of liability, Page said.
The board is moving ahead with plans to apply for a $50,000 grant from the state to build a new barn. The grant requires a 50 percent match. The plan is to erect an open-air structure with basic lighting, no heat or fire suppression.
The barn will be able to hold moveable pens and be surrounded by a 4-foot wall.
The existing barn will be demolished.
4-H is looking to raise funds for any uncovered expenses Wieland said.
The board decided to give $500 to the king and queen in scholarships. The gift will become an annual occurrence.
To show how times have changed, Wieland said he received a $50 U.S. Savings Bond when he was fair king.
The board agreed to donate $400 to the Junior Fair Board to help them buy special shirts for the fair.
The flea market will run from the first week in May through the end of August. Vendors must register at the fair office and show proof of liability insurance, Page said.
Signs will be posted around the grounds informing walkers and cyclists the fair will not be liable for any injuries. The signs will be removed during fair week, Director Alan Bennett said.
The board has lined up Skyline Rodeo from Michigan for the last Saturday of the fair.
James Pruitt may be reached at
publisher@thevillagereporter.com