The Custer County Ag society board met for a regular meeting on Thursday night on the Custer County fairgrounds in Broken Bow. All members were present.
The Custer County Ag Society approved the return of a demolition derby to the fairgrounds this summer at Thursday night’s meeting. A motion was made to hold the derby on Saturday June 21st, pending a contract being signed between the Broken Bow Chamber, the fair board and the contractor bringing the derby to the fairgrounds.
Board member Desirei Cook stated a derby could be a good continuation of the excitement last year’s tractor pull generated.
“.. and ultimately the goal is that whatever the costs are to both parties, that we work together as a team so we can make this successful so that it at least breaks even, if not makes some money. But the goal is just to obviously make another event that the community has been asking for,” said Cook.
Financial concerns were raised as well, with a commitment already having been made for a tractor pull for this year in addition to the cost of arena dirt work to prepare for the derby which was not included in derby cost estimates.
“I’m very much in favor of bringing in a second auto event but knowing that the tractor pull cost us between eleven and fifteen thousand dollars last year and we’ve already voted to do that again this year.. and we pretty much broke even last year with the tractor pull. I guess just looking at our general fund currently and knowing that we are constantly asking for donations from the community, I have concerns about spending eleven to fifteen thousand dollars on a tractor pull and nine to ten thousand dollars on a demo derby in the same year,” explained board secretary Blair Ryan.
Discussions continued surrounding the concern of having two events in the same year that require considerable dirt work in front of the grandstands among so many events that require a level, compacted rodeo arena. The suggestion of having the demo derby on the west end of the fairgrounds on a different patch of ground was generally welcomed with nods of approval.
The motion carried with five voting “yes” and three voting “no”. When the contract is signed preparations will be made to hold the derby south of the arena at the west end of the fairgrounds. The total cost of the derby is projected at $18,000, a 50/50 collaboration between the Ag Society and Chamber.
Cardoza- No
Cook- Yes
Cooksley- Yes
Horn- Yes
Lamb- Yes
Lambrecht- Yes
Ryan- No
Winters- No
In other fair board news, members were informed that 27 tables have been sold for the Winter Ball, taking place on January 18th. The board was given a schedule for the event, which will include a silent auction and a live auction to cap the ball that evening. A plea for volunteers to help tear down the tables and chairs the next morning (Sun. January 19th) at 10am also was made.
Additionally, the board heard from a representative for Industrial Tower West. Teresa Sweigart said a conditional use permit has been approved to move a Viaero Wireless tower a few feet back of it’s current location. They are asking for another easement for $4500. The fair board tabled the item until the new tower location is marked so that they can assure that there are no conflicts with fairgrounds operations.
Board member Mark Cardoza requested that more information be added to the events listed on their Facebook page and website, with hopes of increased attendance and public knowledge. He also brought up a desire to look toward building or purchasing equipment to better maintain fairground roads. No decision was made on either subject.
The board voted unanimously to change their by-laws to correctly reflect their fiscal year, which has been executed for some time as July 1 through June 30. The by-laws had stated the fiscal year to be January 1 through December 31 incorrectly for an unknown amount of time.
The meeting adjourned at 8:28pm. The next regular meeting of the Ag Society is Thursday, February 13.
