Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Revenues from the 2002 Kosciusko County 4-H and Community Fair were down slightly from last year, the fair board was told Monday.
Scheduling, hot weather and the July 4 holiday may have contributed to the difference, said fair board president Paul Kuhn.
Though the final expense figures aren't in yet, he said, the fair made $6,164 less than last year - the total revenue for 2002 was $245,509.84, and for 2001 was $251,674.50.
Kuhn also said fair week will go back to its original schedule - the first whole week in July, which for 2003 will be July 7 to 12.
Mid-America Shows will continue to provide the midway rides and games.
Jim Smelser, of the Back to the Days of Koscziusko task force, told the board the organization has moved a log house to the fairgrounds. The house will not be constructed until after the Back to the Days event next month.
The organization also hopes to build a frontier village on the fairgrounds and is researching the period to find an authentic village to model it after.
The log house and, later, the frontier village will be built inside the west gate of the fairgrounds, north of the campgrounds. It will be coordinated with the Echoes of the Past exhibit of antique tractors.
Kuhn and Tim Plummer, vice president of the fair board, said the board will retain ownership of the proposed frontier village buildings, with a provision in the contract that ownership revert to the Back to the Days organization if the fairgrounds ownership should change.
The board also refused a proposal by the U.S. Trotting Association to hold horse races at the fairgrounds.
Plummer said the fair association would be required, at the least, to renovate the track, build stables and hire employees just for the horse races.
"My opinion is that the expense to us would way outweigh any benefit that we would get," Plummer said.
The board agreed and voted to turn down the proposal, but may revisit it in the future.
Members of the board are: Roy Bradbury, Elliott Enders, Dan Hampton, Dawn Harris, Brent Hoffman, Paul Kuhn, Mike Loher, Tim Plummer, Frank Rhoades, Tim Sammons, Jerry Secrist, Joe Secrist and Raymond Truex.
