Board prepares for upcoming county fair

PLAINS – Fair board members were busy checking things off their list and making sure everything is ready for the quickly approaching Sanders County Fair.

In their meeting on Wednesday, July 23, the Sanders County Fair Board along with Fair Manager Mike Hashisaki, listed a number of changes undergoing at the grounds to prepare the space for the large event.

After a quick Fourth of July update, Hashisaki said the renovation to the cashier’s office was well underway. The building was extended by eight feet and now includes an overhang with a walk in front of it. New windows line the cashier’s office, four of which will be utilized to sell tickets, while one is where the cashier will sit and the final one will be for payouts for open class premium money. The building is currently still undergoing the final phases of completion.

Along with the new addition, the telephone company rewired the office, ensuring it would last the fairgrounds an additional 20-25 years of growth, Hashisaki said.  

Thompson River Lumber donated wood to help complete the project. To give back to TRL for their donation, the fair donated five demo derby bucking shoot seats and will be placing a sign on the building stating the lumber was donated by TRL.

Upgrades to the water system have also been taking place at the fairgrounds, although the project will not be completed by fair time. The well system is getting an upgrade to help keep up with increasing demand.

Due to a delay in receiving the pump, and because the contractor the fair is using is booked solid, the project will be slightly delayed.

The grounds are also undergoing an electrical upgrade. Not only is the electric in the cashier’s office being upgraded, but also new lights are being hooked up for the demo staging area. The pig and sheep barn are also scheduled to see an electrical upgrade.

The fairgrounds will look slightly different to fair-goers this year as the previous home of the long horns will be moved to make room for paying vendors.

“I wanted to make money off the space where the long horns have been for two years,” Hashisaki said.

Chairman of the fair board Chris McGuigan brought up the fair’s contract policy.

“As the board, we need some guidelines for our fair manager to protect the county and to protect us as a board,” McGuigan said. “Right now we don’t have a limit on what we can bid.”

McGuigan asked the board to think about a limit that would fit and work for the fair.  He also asked the board to look into whether or not contractors should be required to do a scope of work contract. The contract is known as a division of work in the completion of a project and typically breaks out specific tasks with deadlines.

Vice chairman Bruce Icenoggle said it was important to look at the issue, but he wants to ensure the process does not become burdensome for the contractors.

Hashisaki agreed with Icenoggle.

“I don’t want to impede our local contractors to the point where they can’t do it,” Hashisaki said.

Upgrades to the arena were also discussed. Sanders County Commissioner Carol Brooker said the dirt in the arena was very hard and it was burdensome for the road crew to work on.

“I talked to the road crew the other day and what they suggested would be to take some of it out and bring 20 loads of sand in,” Brooker said.

The project would be expensive, but she said it needed to be done to make the arena more usable.

Hashisaki had the idea to use sand from another area in the fairgrounds in order to save some money.

According to Hashisaki, there are old cottonwood stumps on the grounds surrounded by pure sand.

The sand from around the stumps could be moved to fill the arena, while the arena dirt could be put into the hole from the stumps, in essence swapping the materials out.

“It might work out so it doesn’t cost anything, but the time to pull the stumps,” Hashisaki explained.

The sand would need to be tested, but everyone agreed that was a good way to go.

Hashisaki closed the meeting by telling the board a few projects have been trimmed in order to save some money. The grand stand was going to have new trimming, however, now a smaller portion will be trimmed to help reduce cost.

Fair Secretary Ruth Hamilton stated fair ticket sales were moving along and she hoped they would pick up once informational posters were distributed throughout the surrounding areas.

The fair board also made a motion that the fair commission would be happy to negotiate for a future stand down at the fairgrounds, as long as a new facilitator was in charge.

The board’s next meeting will be on Wednesday, Aug. 20, just a few days before the Sanders County Fair.