By Ryan Berry

DailyAdvocate.com

GREENVILLE — Four new Darke County Agricultural Society directors took their seats for the Wednesday meeting of the fair board. Directors Brian Rismiller, Craig Bowman, Russ Skaggs and Curtis Yount joined Greg Pearson, Marla Werner, Dave Singer, Heidi May and Dean Neff for the meeting. Directors Jim Zumbrink and Jason Manning were absent.

The issue of funding the proposed barns was discussed again. Kathleen Ditmer, of the dog committee asked that the $25,000 the dog department has raised be included in the numbers that are included on the board in the Secretary’s Office. Rismiller explained the pledges and money received are what is included on the board. “That what we have right now,” he said. “Unless you are going to give the money to the board and put it into that account, I don’t know that I would be willing to put it on the board,” he said. He did add that knowing it could come or will come is good to know.

Ashley Shilt, president of the swine committee, expressed the need for additional space. She suggested the swine open show was the only species limited. She was quickly corrected with several directors pointing out that most of the species were limited to the number of entries.

Bowman asked for Shilt’s suggestion on what the board can do to create space. She said there were plenty of options, but one of the first things the board can do is to move the show ring out of the barn. Werner said that option has been discussed.

Shilt said the swine department is “very go with flow” and all they want is a decision from the fair board.

Tim Reck brought an issue to the board in regard to the horse barns in the speed department. He pointed out there are 42 stalls that need repairs. Fifteen of those stalls have horses. He shared there are 77 stalls that have rubber mats installed along the walls. Of those stalls, only one needs repaired. He pushed the board to begin installing the rubber mats in all of the stalls to help lessen the damage a horse does to the walls when they kick.

Reck believes fixing the stalls that need repair could ultimately help the board rent out those spaces. He also suggested the board advertise they have space available.

The board as Reck to work with Bowman to get prices on the rubber mats and boards to fix the stalls. The board may decide to fix a few stalls each month to spread out the cost of the repairs.

The next regular meeting of the Darke County Agricultural Society’s board of directors will be Feb. 1, 7:30 p.m., at the Secretary’s Office.

To contact Daily Advocate Editor Ryan Berry, email [email protected].