SCC4H Exec Board meeting
2001 Dec 04
7:30 Opening salutes led by Dan Chitwood, VP
Presentation by Art Troyer, CEO of Fair Management Corp. (FMC)
The Santa Clara County Fair in 2002 will be open to the public from Friday, 2 August to Sunday,
4 August.
4-H and FFA will start earlier in the week (Tuesday or Wednesday - as yet to be determined) with registration, weigh-ins, shows, etc. for their livestock and small animal exhibits. There will be vouchers for exhibitors, family and friends for the early opening, before the Friday public opening.
The reason for the shortened fair is financial. Art then gave some history of the financial problems:
Art has told the County Board of Supervisors that FMC does not have the money necessary to run the typical 10 day fair this year.
The County Board of Supervisors has its own problems with money, and may not be able to subsidize the fair as they have in the past.
Satellite wagering at the fairgrounds helped to pay the bills.
FMC made money on interim events, but consistently lost money on county fair.
Since its creation in 1996(?), FMC has lost over $1.5 M on the Fair
There is $360K in debt to fire marshal and sheriff still on the books from last year's fair.
Middle of the week days were dead days at the Fair, but the "meter" was still running on wages and utilities.
Some of the past events that will not be held this year include senior livestock.
There will be junior livestock shows, with judges supplied by FMC, and the Auction.
There will be vouchers for exhibitors, family and friends for early opening, before the Friday public opening.
2002 Fair will have music concert, hopefully a fireworks show.
Art hopes to attract arts and crafts vendors, rather than the hodge-podge of vendors from the past.
Art was trying to get the firefighters to have their chili cook-off at the fair this year.
Not many of the carnival rides will be invited back in 2002.
Up-scale culinary exhibit is planned in the Pavilion. They will have cook-ware for sale, food samples.
Economic Research Associates (ERA) is doing an in-depth study of the problems with the Fair here in Santa Clara County.
Most of the successful county fairs in the state have horse race wagering.
ERA has come to the conclusion that there is very little reason for the north county residents to come to the fairgrounds. The fairgrounds were run down and not an inviting place to visit. Hopefully renovation will help change that.
South county also does not participate in the county, either. Most of the other successful counties have about 25% of residents of the county into their fairs. SCC is at 10%, which includes paid and unpaid.
Supervisor Don Gage wants to find a site in the south county area for an old-fashioned fairgrounds.
Art was scheduled to be in front of the County board of supervisors later in December, but that may be canceled. The County board of supervisors may let the FMC control the operation of the fair entirely, rather than deal with it in the public forum of the County Board of Supervisors meetings.
Answers for the questions from our little meeting:
Sheet 1
Questions/Concerns
1. Fair or no fair?
A: Yes, there will be a 2002 Fair
2. Will there be time to move in/set up?
A: more than the three days of the public fair
3. Can the Dog show be moved to carnival area? (if no carnival) (away from other animals)?
A: grassy area being added, maybe that would be an area where it could happen.
4. Can we still have food booth?
A: Yes
5. Will there be a charge for exhibitor credentials? How much?
A: Probably, but don't know how much yet.
6. Will there be facilities for overnight trailers - hookups, etc.
A: Parking - yes, but must be self-sustained - no hookups.
7. Can 4-H be in charge of horse show?
A: Yes. It may not happen if 4-H doesn't do it.
9. How much input will 4-H have in planning the schedule?
A: Meet with the FMC staff to plan it out.
11. Will there be premium money? How is it acquired? How is it paid out?
A: Probably, but no details yet.
13. Will exhibits be open to independents?
A: only if they help out.
sheet 2
what we need to do:
- sell fair to our own people
- involve publicity/marketing
- look at awards/incentives (simplify?)
- encourage entries
- be involved with fair entry book
- train project leaders on how to include fair as goal for project
- keep 4-H program in public view
- explore possibility of face to face judging
- encourage adult participation in small animal & still exhibits
- recognize and consistently appreciate volunteers
- grants or sponsorships for awards?
8:00 Question/Answers: re. county fair
Lonnie- culinary exhibitor idea - "A Taste of San Jose" idea, or combining Fair with some other festival.
Art- ERA has not yet found a model of a fair that would work. Has tried that in the past with other festival organizers, and they wanted to keep their festival separate.
4-H Exec Board - Dates are set?
Art- first weekend in August (3rd thru 5th)
4-H Exec Board Do we have to use Coke in the Food Booth?
Art- yes
4-H Exec Board - What about Senior Stills?
Art- They are not being excluded, but they have to help out much more than they have been to get in this coming year.
4-H Exec Board - if the seniors could be coordinated to help out with the juniors, maybe that would help get them involved.
4-H Exec Board - kids liked the water fight thing, and the jump off structure next to it. Hopes that it could be continued.
4-H Exec Board - Could there be dance exhibitions?
Art - not going to pay for stages for that sort of thing.
4-H Exec Board - Asking for our support - are we trying to do a fair to make money, are we going to market it.
Art- this last May's fair did not do well, but neither did the August fairs in the past. South county fair grounds may be more appropriate. The fair grounds will be cut up into parcels for development. The present fair grounds are going to become an urban exhibition area.
Art hopes livestock judges can come from within California.
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Next step is to get in touch with Eileen to help plan the schedule of events, and the logistics.
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Break for refreshments (brought by Lonnie - Thank You, Lonnie!!!)
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PS on the Fair - Judging with face to face meeting between entrant and Judge: provides much more learning experience.
Motion presented by Lonnie Toensfeldt - Move that SCC 4-H Club Council send a letter to the County Board of Supervisors stating that we support the three day fair. We want to see the fair continue.
Motion seconded by Bob Towle.
discussion - pretty much all in favor,
Motion passed unanimously
County Board of Supervisors underwrite the fair? - John H.
Question on other celebrations
People volunteered to be Workers for a stills judging committee
Bob Towle to set up meeting with Eileen.
8:30 Club visitation discussion; choose dates
time: limit 5 to 15 minutes
Club Visitation agenda
1. Introduction
2. What is the County Council?
Awareness of benefits, opportunities, at club, county and state level.
All members and leaders are part of County Council
Council makes decisions about the operation of 4-H at the county level
Council makes financial decisions
Council produces events and activities at the county level
Council disseminates information to each of the clubs through their reps to council
President Vicky Bosworth said "Ask not what your Council can do for you, but ask what you can do for your Council."
All Leaders - you are invited to the council meetings
We need to fill positions outlined in the bylaws
3. County fundraisers/club fundraisers
Right now, the food booth at SCC Fair is the only county-wide fundraiser available for all clubs to participate and make money.
4. New Fair Configuration - get sign-ups for areas for help.
5. May have new method of judging stills ... etc.
6. A List of opportunities and committees on the county council
7. Why get involved:
networking
meet new great people
have fun
help make this the best program ever.
Handouts?
signup sheets?
time limit - 15 minutes max
Visitation list:
Adams - TBD
Calaveras Hills - Towles on 6 Feb
Coyote Crest - Ronda Rastler on 31 Jan
El Sereno - Ronda Rastler on 16 Jan
Hilltop - Dan Chitwood on 14 Feb
Homesteaders - Tim Oey on ?
Los Gatos - Carol Jaques and John Haggerty on 4 Feb
Montgomery Hill - Dan Chitwood on 7 Jan
Pacheco Pass - Toensfeldts on 14 Feb
Paradise Valley - Wentzels on 5 Feb
Piedmont Acres - Towles on 5 Feb
Pleasant Acres - Vicky Bosworth on 4 Feb
Rolling Hills - John and Colleen Haggerty on 7 Feb
Rucker - TBD
San Martin - Toensfeldts on 10 Jan
Sunset - Wentzels on 17 Jan
Westwind - Carol on 18 Jan
Gary Lang to write an article for TT to advise about this activity of the Exec Board.
9:00 Other reports
Fe Moncloa - Food Safety is a 4-H policy in place: a person trained in Food Safety must supervise the preparation of any food sold to the public.
The CE Office will be closed from 24 Dec 2001 thru 2 Jan
Vicky - Are there existing templates for club websites?
Kevin - They exist on the State Computer corps web pages.
Vicky - 4-H tote bags that were donated to council could be given to volunteers as a "thanks" from Council.
Ronne - presentations by computer versus hand-drawn: A vote at NC Sectional may be coming up. What is the position of Santa Clara County 4-H Club Council?
Discussion: Presentations should be allowed with any method of delivery. It is the content of the presentation, not the delivery method, that is important. An option for ease of judging may be to judge electronic presentations seperately from other methods.
Rucker and Adams clubs are on for refreshments for January Council meeting.
9:30 adjourn