GREENVILLE — Fair board members are counting down the days until the 163rd annual Great Darke County Fair, August 16-24, as they discussed several items during Tuesday’s meeting.
Discussion at the start included a letter to the Ohio Senate in support of a $4.7 million grant program for county agricultural societies.
Brian Rismiller, fair manager, shared that the Darke County Fair was a previous recipient of $50,000 in matching grant monies from the program.
The Ohio legislature is currently considering the grant program as a part of their biennial budget deliberations (House Bill 166), wrote Amanda Sines of Government Advantage Group, a bipartisan firm specializing in lobbying Ohio Statehouse lawmakers, upon inquiry via email. The grant funding will be a part of the final budget bill and administered through the Ohio Department of Agriculture.
The grant program would equate to $50,000 per Ohio agricultural society.
The board also discussed the new swine barn with siding installation to begin this week and concrete to arrive on Monday. Along with the determination of items to be installed in the building as well as the costs associated with rubble removal and credit for unused gravel.
Doug Martin, vice president, returned to a previous meeting discussion on Ned’s chicken building, citing a need to upgrade not only the siding and roof but also the electric.
A motion carried to upgrade the building with the cost not to exceed $15,000.
Other items on the agenda discussed before moving into executive session:
• Dave Niley, director, shared with the board the need to deadwood 32 trees and remove seven dead trees on the grounds at an estimated $8500.
• Thomas Shaw, director, gave pricing and various options related to replacing bleachers lost in the fire. He estimated two to three weeks for delivery with several days to assemble. Pricing was dependent upon the inclusion of a tow kit which was motioned at the cost of $28,328.
• Discussions continued regarding the purchase or renting of portable scales.
The Fair Board meets at 7:30 p.m. on the first Wednesday of every month in the board room in the office under the grandstand. Meetings are open to the public.
