ROBERT PIERCE
• Leader & Times
The Seward County Five State Fair Board now has a complete membership.
Tuesday, commissioners approved 13 applications for the fair board, including seven appointed by the commission and six from the fair association, for one, two and three-year terms
This came after a membership drive hosted earlier this month by the lone members of the board at the time, Mary Rose and Mike Amerin.
Those appointed by the commission include:
One-year terms
• Carmelita Goossen
• Cheryl Collins
• Patricia Fierro
Two-year terms
• Terry Tanking
• Kim Tanking
Three-year terms
• Cameron Randle
• Stone Stafford
Those appointed by the association include:
One-year term
• Sheryl Ray
Two-year terms
• Amanda DeVellen
• Erin Atchely
Three-year terms
• KayLonni Bradley
• Judy Stuckey
• Cassandra Martinez
Prior to the approving the appointments, commissioners unanimously approved a change to the fair association’s bylaws to increase the number of members from 11 to 15.
“In Article IV, it says on the first part of the current bylaws, the number of directors shall be 11, six from the association membership and five appointed by the Board of County Commissioners,” Rose said. “It says the K-State Research and Extension agents, Seward County maintenance director and the Seward County Activity Center director shall serve as non-voting board members in addition to the 11 directors.”
Rose read the recommendation for the change to Article IV.
“‘The number of directors shall be 15, eight from the association membership and seven appointed by the Board of County Commissioners,’” she said. “The association shall strive to have each county commission district represented. A majority must be Seward County residents. A majority of the whole number of board of directors shall constitute a quorum. The K-State Research and Extension agents, Seward County liaison, Seward County Activity Center director shall serve as non-voting members in addition to the 15 directors.”
Rose said in past years, the board did consist of 15 members, but due to a lack of quorum and interest in the board, the number was decreased to 11.
“In the membership, we will gather enough people who are willing to bring their talents and their dedication to the community to put on the fair,” she said.
Rose said she felt the Feb. 8 membership drive was quite successful.
“We had 28 people show up, and we went over several things about the fair,” she said. “They knew what they were doing before they got involved or wanted to get involved. We weren’t blindsiding them. They understood what the task entails.”
The 13 appointed members will join Amerin and Rose to comprise the new board. Rose said technology will ensure a quorum will be present at most, if not all meetings.
“We are implementing Zoom, and we are implementing phone call ins,” she said. “With that, we’ll always have a quorum even if somebody’s on the road or has to do something.”
