By JULIE CARLE
BG Independent News
The Wood County Fair Board adopted a budget policy to provide adequate financial planning for the Wood County Agricultural Society.
After the agricultural society’s annual Christmas party Thursday night, attended by about 100 members, the board approved a new budget policy to ensure budgeted non-emergency expenses are handled properly and consistently.
According to the approved policy, each year at the November board meeting, the budget committee will present a working budget for discussion and adoption. Prior to the November meeting, department chairs will be asked to submit a budget request form by the October meeting.
Because the budget is considered a working budget, Paul Perry, second vice president, said, the budget gives guidance to committees to recommend the expenditure of funds to the governing board for all events, projects or shows that use board funds.
Any expense by a department, committee or associated third party purchase over $500, requires approval by a majority vote of the governing board regardless of the budget. The proposal originally suggested purchases over $100 should be managed. Fair Board Director Steve Speck suggested the proposed $100 amount was “not realistic.” An amended amount of $500 was approved.
The policy states that directors are authorized to make purchases with Wood County Agricultural Society funds after the funds are approved by the board, including expenses for premiums, judges and operating supplies that are part of the approved working budget. All other expenses require a majority vote of the board.
Additionally, committee chairs are allowed to negotiate contracts with companies or individuals for service’ however the proposed contracts, quotes or project plans must have majority approval before the contracts are signed. The pending contracts will be presented to the board in the bills for approval. Once approved, the contract may be signed by the committee chair or turned into the office to be signed by the president, fair manager or secretary.
If purchases are made or contracts signed without the board’s approval, the financial responsibility falls to the person who made the person or signed the unapproved contract.
The board also approved changes to four sections of its constitution and by-laws. The changes include making the board secretary an elected position instead of appointed and removing the secretary’s job description out of the constitution. Also updated were policies for appointing someone to the board and committees’ policies.
Dave Schultz, president of the Northwestern Ohio Tractor Pullers Association, presented the Wood County Agricultural Society with an appreciation award.
“We’ve made great strides with them, meeting with them monthly and working together,” said Fair Board President John Nissen.
He also praised the Junior Fair Board, the 4-H Committee and the Wood County Fair Foundation.
Wood County Fair Foundation update
Steve Speck, president of the foundation, reported the Pratt Pavilion hosted 27 events in 2023, including 17 public events and 10 private events. The public events included gun shows, a Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce spotlight, a circus, gem show, the return of Shipshewana after a hiatus of a few years, Ohio Jobs Job Fair and a job fair of the Toledo Home Builders Association. Many of the events are rebooked in 2024 and multiple-year contracts for several of the events.
The 10 other events were for meetings and family gatherings. “People who use the building love it,” he said.
The loan balance for the building, which cost $2.2 million to build in 2017-18 is $1.2 million. Of the balance, State Bank has $890,000 and the Wood County Commissioners have $330,000. Annual payments are $137,000, 117,500 for the bank and $19,500 to the commissioners.
Income from building rentals totaled $88,000 and other income was $12,000, with $8,000 coming from foundation members handling concessions for some of the events. “Julie Allen coordinates the concessions. I can’t thank her enough,” Speck said.
He also thanked the community for supporting the building. “We look forward to getting the building paid off and gifting it to the Agricultural Society.”
Nissen announced that the Wood County Commissioners approved appropriations totaling $87,200 for 2024 to support the junior fair coordinator position, asphalt work and other fairgrounds upgrades.
During the agricultural society’s annual Christmas party, Paul Perry, second vice president, mentioned the Dec. 9 tragic deaths of Jacob Hahn and Savannah McMillen. They were involved in the fair as participants and Jacob had worked as a maintenance staff for a couple of years. Perry asked for thoughts, prayers and donations to show support for the families and the nine-month-old child who survives. Nearly $800 was raised and the fair board agreed to take the total to an even $1,000.
