Advertisement

In order to counteract some shortfall, members agreed, for the first time, to levy a small donation to enter the grounds for this yearÕs August event. The fair is planned Aug. 9-11 on the Craven Park grounds. Board member Joe Variot suggested another possibility might be to create a ÒfunnelÓ whereby the public would enter a specific area and be charged a small fee for admission.

"If we are in that dire of a straits, I think we need to do something," he said.

Ex-officio member Dee Miller, the MSU extension educator in the 4-H program said, due to the lack of a fence surrounding the fairgrounds the board might want to ask for a specific donation.

In addition to generating more revenue, it would also allow the fair to secure a headcount of those visiting. A donation of $1 for adults, $3 for families and 50 cents for children was suggested, with no fee assessed for exhibitors.

"This will allow us to see how much of the public we actually get coming to the fair," Variot said. "Anybody who signs up to enter a project can be given a pass and they wonÕt be charged. As the long as the exhibitor is showing something they can be given free admission."

The action came during the associationÕs regular meeting April 11 where members learned all funds for fairs and exhibitions had been frozen by Gov. Jennifer Granholm.

"That amounts to about $4,000 that we might not be getting from the state," treasurer Gloria Campbell said. She said the fair has not received the second half of their state funds, which they typically use for grounds improvements and premiums.

Premiums are funds paid for the awards given at the fair for the blue, red and white ribbons. If the funds were cut, the only people to profit from the event would be those selling their market animals at the livestock auction.

Under three different scenarios presented, Campbell said the fair could end up $490.94 in the black if there were no changes in state funding and all occurred as planned, $3,677.78 in the red if no state funds came through and the premiums were paid as scheduled and $1,902.84 in the black if no additional state funds were received and no premiums were paid. It is estimated the county fair takes about $13,000 to operate.

"We need to think of ways to make this ground up to get the county fair running," Campbell said. "We have gotten $2,400 from the state, which is the first half of our matching funds and I donÕt think we will be receiving any additional matching funds. Right now we can probably make it through this fair, but we will need to be figuring out ways to sustain ourselves for next year."

It was explained that Gov. Granholm needed to cut about $3 million across the board in order to bring the state budget into balance. In addition to the state funds, the Antrim County Board of Commissioners also have been steadfast supporters of the fair, contributing about $8,000 toward the operations in their 2006/2007 year and during previous years as well.

"We were also urged to contact our state Senators and Representatives and to tell them what the impact of these cuts would mean to our communities," Campbell said. "This is something that would be hitting close to home for everyone."

Campbell will work with officials of the horsepulling association to see if they could either reduce their premiums returned to them, due to the lack of state funding coming in, or some other agreements. In addition, officials of the county 4-H program have agreed to work with the association as well on their funding mechanisms.

ÒI feel that if you cut premiums down to $2 or even $1 that the kids wonÕt go there to show,Ó attendee Amanda McKinnon said. ÒA lot of the kids go to the fair just to get their premium money.Ó

ÒThere are only a couple of families who get a a really large check. We may lose a couple families,Ó Campbell said. ÒBut I think the families will come regardless and I donÕt really think it will be that big of an issue.Ó Campbell said people who have been coming have been coming forever and doubted they would stop due to the lack of premiums. ÒBeing the optimist I am, I think we can leave the premiums in the book with the statement the money may not be available,Ó board president Teresa Cole said.

Campbell said the statement has been in the fair premium book, which lists the amounts paid and the different classes, in the past, but it never was used until now.