Marinette County Fair Puts Price On Head Of VandalsIssue Date: October 31, 2012 Vandalism at the Marinette County Fair Grounds in Wausaukee has become such a serious problem that the Fair Board is offering a $250 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrators. Marinette County Sheriff’s Department is investigating damages to the gates, as well as broken windows and other damage to buildings on the grounds and campers, RVs and other items stored in the building and in the fenced grounds.
Decision to offer the reward was made at a meeting of the Fair Board’s Finance Committee on Sunday, Oct. 28. Members present were Treasurer Jessica Markiewicz, Fair Board President Dave Gross, Vice President Dave Heinz and Secretary Lisa Witak.
The committee also authorized spending not more than $2,000 to repair Gate 4 and rebuild Gate 5. Both gates had been hit by the vandals.
The problem seems to not be a one-time event. Gross had reported at the Marinette County Fair Association’s meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 16 that there had been some vandalism at the fair grounds, and that locks would need to be put on all electrical boxes and propane tanks to try to prevent some of the problems.
On an upbeat note, Gross thanked all the many volunteers and businesses that donate and do so much to make the fair a success.
At the Fair Board’s annual reorganization following the Oct. 16 Fair Association annual meeting at Beaver Town Hall, Gross was reelected president, Witak was returned to office as secretary, and Heinz was was elected vice president, replacing Bob Eggener. Markiewicz had been nominated for the vice president position but she declined. Subsequently she was returned to office as treasurer. Votes for all four were by unanimous ballot.
Members present for the Fair Association meeting were were Gross, Witak, Heinz, Markiewicz, Anne Martin, Dallas Martin, Kathy Gabriel, Dorothy Kaminski, Dave VanDeWalle, Kathy Olson, Kevin Olson, Abby Olson,Rich Kempka, Sandy Kempka, Bonnie Gerner, Koreen Denowski, Arliss Witak, Sally Witak, Carry Lea, Sharon Larscheid, Wally Hitt, and Chris Vieth. Also attending were Mitchell VanDeWalle, Chris Maguire, County Supervisor Shirley Kaufman, and Alexis Lasee.
On motion by Kathy Olson, seconded by Dave VanDeWalle and approved, bylaws were amended to state under membership qualifications that any person who is convicted of a crime against the Marinette County Fair, Fair Board, Fair Association, or anything of the like cannot be a member of the Association or any of its committees.
On motion by Koreen Denowski, seconded by Heinz, bylaws were amended to state that to be eligible for positions as Fair Board directors, nominees must first be members of the Fair Association. That motion also was carried without dissent.
Directors elected were Rich Kempka, Bonnie Gerner, Anne Martin and Abby Olson. Sharon Larscheid was also a nominee.
Gross reported that attendance at this year’s fair was down slightly, which he felt was mostly due to the weather.
Much money had been spent on Buildings and Grounds improvements. Some of this year’s major projects included blacktopping in front of the grandstand, water lines by the barn and painting the poultry barn.
Future building and grounds projects include gravel and then blacktop the road in front of Hoover’s and the Pork Producer’s stands, expand handicap parking, paint some roofs, replace portions of the water line, reroof Hoover’s and the Antique Building, add flashing on the new part of the horse barn, dig dirt from the front of the office and landscape to run water away from the building, do some electrical upgrades, upgrade the PA system and add lighting around the horse arena, put a chain link fence around the parking lot, and do some repairs to the cattle barn.
Carol Denowski mentioned that superintendents should meet so they are all doing the same thing.
Sally Witak reported that one of the persons who had been working at the gate stopped in at the fair office to tell them that several people had commented that the Marinette County Fair was the best that they attend. They specifically mentioned that it is clean, has good decorating and good entertainment and vendors.
The Fair Board, with an opposing vote cast by Anne Martin, agreed to hire Cassady’s Critters for the 2013 Fair and to pay the $150 deposit. They approved transfer of $437.31 from the premium fund to the checking account.
The next Fair Board meeting will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 20 at Peshtigo Town Hall. Agenda is to include setting up committees, discuss Wausaukee Composites rent, discussion and possible action on the proposed fence around the parking lot, purchase of a letterhead, and transfer of money to the premium account.
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