By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com
The 2016 Crawford County Fair has all of its ducks in a row for grandstand entertainment after Wednesday’s Senior Fair Board meeting. Board members filled the last open slot by approving the return of Fair Jam.
Fair Jam will make its return to the Crawford County Fair after missing a year. The Christian music concert will return on Monday of fair week, which is July 18.
Opening night Sunday will feature the annual demolition derby, Tuesday will feature KOI drag racing, Wednesday and Thursday will be harness racing, Friday’s entertainment will be the OSTPA tractor pull, and Saturday will be truck pulls.
The move to add Fair Jam to the list of entertainment came after the representative for Fair Jam, Katie Smith, spoke to the Fair Board about returning with similar numbers to past contracts with the Fair Board.
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The Fair Board swore in members Wednesday. Roger Auck, Don Auck, Terry Leonhart, Mo Ressallat, Rebecca Starner, Shawn Rowlinson, Gary Billings, and Tim Hamman were swore in for their term as Fair Board members.
Along with new terms for Fair Board members, the Fair Board also voted in new officers Wednesday night. Blaine Rowlinson edged Roger Auck for the Fair Board president position. Auck received the nod for the Fair Board vice president position. Auck edged out Jaimie Sherk, 11-9, after a re-vote was made when the two had a 10-10 tie.
Rebecca Starner was approved as secretary to the Crawford County Fair Board. Starner’s salary of $18,000 was approved 11-10. Tom Laughbaum was elected as treasurer. Laughbaum’s salary of $7,000 was approved 15-5.
The Fair Board approved membership fees remaining at $25. There was discussion of raising the cost of membership and allowing admission into the grandstand for events at the fair to be free, however that discussion died without a second motion.
The Crawford County Fair Board approved signing the new lease with the Crawford County Commissioners, 14-5.
It was announced at the Fair Board meeting that the poultry exhibition ban in Ohio has been extended until April 1, 2016, due to last year’s outbreak of avian flu.