County fair board approves two contracts

The Sanders County Fair Board signed two major contracts at last week’s May meeting in preparation for this year’s fair.

The board unanimously voted to sign a two-year contract with Powder River Rodeo, which has entertained local crowds for more than 30 years, and a one-year contract with the Sanders County Concessions Group.

Don Burrell, president of the nonprofit concessions organization, said they were surprised that the board switched from a percentage to a flat fee. Burrell said his group was under the impression that they would pay the fair 20 percent of the net income, not a $5,600 flat fee.

The concessions group had reduced the number of booths from a dozen to seven large booths and one small one this year, although Burrell hoped they would get more interest from nonprofit organizations in Sanders County in future years.

Bingo was one of the dropped booths, but the Knights of Columbus, based in Thompson Falls, told the board they would like to conduct bingo operations this year. Fair Manger Chris McGuigan told Ron Kazmierczak, the Knights of Columbus state deputy, that their bingo site would have to be in the pavilion or next to it. Details would be worked out at the June fair board meeting.

The only contract left to be approved by the board is the one coming from Paradise Amusements of Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho, which didn’t get a contract to the board before meeting time.

McGuigan said the vendor spots are quickly filling up. He now hopes to get 70 commercial vendors on the grounds at the fair this year. He also notified the board that the Cowboy Channel offered to produce an hour-long segment of Special Cowboy Moments of the Sanders County Fair rodeos, which would air sometime this winter and cost $5,700.

In the near future, the fair board will be looking at the nomination of this year’s Community Service Award and selecting a theme for this year’s fair from the 20 ideas presented to the board by members of the 4-H community. Juli Thurston, the County Extension Agent, received the suggested theme ideas from county 4-H kids last week. One 4-H’er submitted five theme ideas, said Thurston, who also said there were many great ideas and was pleased that the fair board is giving the kids the chance to come up with a theme, as they did last year. The winner will received $25 worth of fair bucks.

The manager told the board he continues to look into getting Jersey barriers for the demolition derby. However, he found out that the barriers would not be free, as he was previously told, but would cost $250 apiece.

“The expense is going to be phenomenal,” said McGuigan, who guessed that they might need 60 or more to circle the entire derby arena. The fair manager had hoped to get Jersey barriers to replace the large logs.

The manager also informed the board that Day Springs Restoration still has not finished work on the pavilion, which caught fire during the fair last year. McGuigan said he verbally put the contractor on notice that the work needs to be done by June 1 or “we’re going to go to battle” and shut them down. The contractor has been working on the building since late last year. Commissioner Carol Brooker said the county is not happy with Day Springs Restoration’s progress, although she said there was no completion deadline in the contract. In addition, McGuigan said there is a leak or are leaks in pavilion pipes, but due to the rain, he’s not been able to get under the building for an inspection.

Due to scheduling conflicts, the date for the June meeting has not been set.