BROKEN BOW – The Custer County Ag Society held their August meeting on Thursday, the 11 on the fairgrounds in the midst of the county fair’s settling dust.
Monthly bills were approved, and committee reports were heard. Troy Walz of the Custer County Extension Office presented impressive numbers from the previous week’s livestock auction. “The total auction was $361,032.89. That was up $47,000 from last year.”
Walz went on to itemize specific numbers of livestock, numbers of no lesser magnitude. “We had 84 cattle go through the ring, 39 sheep, 68 hogs, and 17 goats. We had an excellent auction.”
The 4-H Council presented its post-fair report; new windows and floors are expected to be installed in the 4-H building, and the format for recognition in November will change. “We’ve decided to do a different platform on that. It’s going to be held on a Sunday afternoon, with kind of a cookies and coffee setting instead of the Friday night deal.”
Old business kept the 2022 Custer County Fair square in spotlight; the Ag Society regrouped after the hectic and successful week. After proposing shuffling the times and dates of the horse and dog shows, the Ag Society thanked the fair’s volunteers and put the wheels in motion for an annual fairground cleaning day , which may occur sometime this fall.
In new business, the committee entered an executive session in order to discuss bonuses for fairground employees during the fair, which were promptly and unanimously approved.
The Ag Society then moved to submit a claim regarding the damage from the July 17 storm. President Kent Nelson elaborated on the extent of the damage.
“Building 1’s got a really nice skylight now, it was $35,000 and change in damage. The hog barn’s roof was totaled, the actual cash value on it was $55,397.11. Barn 5 lost a door, actual cash value of that was $2,329.67, and Barn 7 lost some tin and the ridge cap, and the actual cash value of that was $1,362.90.”
The committee voted unanimously to accept a claim payment of $94,514.01 minus deductible for the repairs.
Tentative dates were set for next year’s Custer County Fair: July 28 to August 3, set to coincide with the time frame of the 2022 fair.
A decision on the potential return of a demolition derby to the fairgrounds was tabled until further coordination between the Ag Society and the Broken Bow Chamber of Commerce could commence; the issue is expected to be discussed further at the Ag Society’s next meeting.
That meeting will occur on September 7 at 6:30 p.m., a half hour early to allot proper time for the Ag Society’s budget hearing.
