Community wants to help put on the Big Horn County Fair

More than 35 people came to the Big Horn County Fair Board meeting March 18. The group made it clear they were there to support and help the fair.

Board members Tracy Haley, Tim Allen and Rebecca Bates gave the group an update.    Bates further explained that there are only three board members left from the original seven. This means there was not a quorum so nothing could be voted on. 

PUBLIC COMMENTS

Bates asked each person that wanted to speak during public comments to state their name. Tracy Schatz asked if the county was wanting to take the fair away and pull funding. Bates responded that the commissioners have not said they were doing away with fair. There are budget cuts to the fair like every department in the county. The board does not know their budget yet for this year, but the time to work on the budget year starting July 1 is at hand.

Schatz was concerned she heard a company from outside the county would be chosen to run the fair. Bates explained that the fair manager had resigned in October. The commissioners indicated they wanted to discuss the position including whether it should be full or part time. The fair board and commission have met three times and have discussed a new job description. Both were going to come up with a job description.

In February, Bates presented the idea of the management of the fair as a contract labor job, noting, “It would be a package deal. Someone would get paid to put on the fair. It is not an outsource thing. It would be someone in the community. Our concern was how are we going to pull it off. There are three of us and we work full time.” She added that the cost of that labor contract would be less than hiring a fair manager and the cost might be more in line with the budget. The county would not have to pay benefits. 

The board is still working on a job description for the contract job for this year’s fair.  They understand that fair is coming up quickly. Jennifer Triplett told the board she is good with writing job descriptions and would help with it. Later in the meeting she expressed she would do whatever was needed to get fair done. 

Amy Hatch asked the board if they were still planning to have some of the ranch horse classes this year. If so, she would like to provide rules and descriptions for this year. Bates asked Hatch to send them to Haley. 

BOARD CONFIGURATION

Cammy Griffin asked where the other fair board members were. She was told they had resigned. In 2025 the board ran with just four members, which did provide a quorum. In February 2026 another board member resigned. The county has not received a formal resignation letter from that individual but is currently advertising.  Bates had some applications for the board with her. She encouraged those in attendance to take one or to get on the county web site to apply. Audience member Katrina Zeller noted she had turned in an application for the board last year. 

FAIRS THROUGHOUT WYOMING

Several people in the audience said fairs throughout Wyoming are also without fair managers and are facing budget cuts, as well. Pam Flitner wondered if it was feasible for Washakie and Big Horn counties to hire one fair manager to run the fairs. Dan VanderPloeg asked if there had been any discussion about combining those two fairs. 

He added that Hot Springs is going through the same thing.

Flitner also asked for clarification on the bylaws regarding number of board members. Haley explained that the bylaws do say there are seven members, noting, “We can’t change our bylaws because we don’t have a quorum.”

BUDGET

Budget was on the agenda to discuss at this meeting. Bates noted without a commissioner at the meeting there was no way to discuss the budget with one that night. Tony Harrison said he would like to address the budget. He asked how much money is left in the 2025-26 budget for the fair manager job. Haley told the group that the county had taken all the money that was earmarked for the fair and divided it three ways. There is a budget for fair, fair management and fair maintenance.

“In October or November, the county decided that maintenance was going to absorb the county maintenance because there was always some heartburn on how the resources within the county maintenance budget was being used outside of the fairgrounds,” Haley said. She believes there was about $33,000 left in the fair manager salary budget.

Harrison wondered why that money wasn’t being used to hire a manager.  Allen said that is not a question for the board. He suggested Harrison goes to the commissioners to ask them. The fair manager works for the county, not the board. This board helps guide the manager. Haley added that the board does decide how to spend the money if the fair board manager provides it correctly, but they are more like an advisory board. 

There was a question about if the fair went over budget. Haley’s response was that if the fair did go over the budget there is no way for the board to track it. 

“We don’t have an expense revenue budget,” she said. “We don’t have expenses that were refreshed by revenues we brought in. If we go over, we go over, but they are not offset by any of the money that we bring in. The budget is an expense only budget.”

Becky Perkins asked what the fair budget was. Haley told the group the fair total budget was $120,019. She listed the line items. Haley read from income from vendor fees, camping, beer garden, gate fees and the like. It totaled just over $40,000. There was some question on how small the income for camping was. Haley wondered if it was because the fees were paid before July 1. Advertising revenue was $36,400. She added that the board had been told there was about $7,000 in the checking account that needed to be put back in the general fund.

Kirbi Miller asked about starting a group like the Friends of the Fair to raise money that could help pay for things without having to go through the county.

From the audience, Joe Bridges addressed the board and the room. He is on the Wyoming State Fair Board. He explained, “The way government agencies work is you have to turn money back into every county. Every money that is raised has to go back to the government agency that board is assigned to. Doesn’t matter if it is at the state or county level. It is up to up to the governing body of that government to decide if the budget is to include the money that comes in or if that is a separate general fund.” 

He continued that boards are given X number of monies to run off. No matter how much money is brought in, that goes toward the total budget. For example, if the budget is $200,000 and $80,000 is brought in as revenue, then the county makes up the difference. This is how the State Fair Board is run. The first money accessed to pay expenses is from the revenue pot of money.

“Now the point I want to make with you guys, that was informational only. If you are looking to fund the fair, you’re going to run into a hard wall with the county commissioners to get them to change how this works. This is how it is across the state. You would have to come up with a foundation that could go out and raise funds for specific functions.” 

That is what the state fair did a few years ago.

“There was no way we were going to get certain projects through the state legislature,” Bridges said. He also noted that when state fair lost its fair manager, they outsourced the job that year and it was one of the best things they did.

FAIR EVENTS

Bates noted that some of the larger events like the rodeo will stay, but they are looking at scaling back items such as the free stage. Money has been paid to some of the entertainers and for the sound system. Several volunteers said they would help find stage acts that would perform for free. There will be no laser show. Tammy Twitchell suggested a 4-H talent show. Haley said the fair is for the kids. That comes with expenses such as judges and premiums. The events are what brings in money.  

VanderPloeg said that some of the problem is that the community does not support the fair. There is less foot traffic. “We are a dying enterprise,” he said. “We have to become undeniable.”

Gretchen Gasvoda, UW Extension, said, “It is going to take everyone to bring this together. We have to find some carrot to bring senior citizens and adults to the fair. That is who used to come to the fair.” 

 Other suggestions were a car show, big tractors/equipment show, antique tractor show, art class, a strong man contest, arm wrestling, rock club, fly fishing lessons for kids and dress a pet.  Tim Campton agreed that there needs to be more than just the animals to get the community involved. From last year he really liked the hidden duck adventure.

HOW CAN WE HELP

 Pam Flitner asked the board what help and support they need to make the fair happen. She also asked if the FFA advisors came to the fair board meetings. She was told not regularly. She believes they should. The fair is an event that brings the county together.

Several people suggested calling the commissioners. Emily Dalin noted that if people call, they need to be informed callers. Complaining about rumors that aren’t accurate is not helpful. Flitner suggested that the public ask the commissioners the same things. Those things are to hire a fair manager and to fill the board. Perkins believes there should be questions to the county about the legality of the fair board not being a governing board. Haley said there is no requirement to have a fair board. She added when she spoke to Commissioner Dave Neves, he told her the county does not have a desire to do away with the board.

   Most of the people in the audience wrote down their name and phone number. They were also asked to put down if they would help put together an event.  The emails of the fair board members are on the county website. Volunteers may reach out to them.