Brett Osborn talks with the Faribault County Fair Board during their annual meeting, discussing when the go kart races could be held at the Golden Spike Speedway during the week of the fair in 2022. No exact decision was made during the annual meeting.

The Faribault County Fair Board, and the Faribault County Agricultural Society, both held their annual meetings last Monday night, Nov. 8, at the Ag Center in Blue Earth.

In fact, the Ag Society held their annual meeting first, last Monday night, and then it was followed by the annual meeting of the fair board.

Both entities looked back on the 2021 fair, as well as looked ahead to the fair in 2022.

The treasurer’s report showed the fair had a net income of $4,347.57. However, that came after a contribution of $40,000 from the Faribault County Agricultural Society, the parent organization of the fair.

The 2021 fair had revenues of $135,082.77. Their costs totaled $79,469.07 and other expenses were $51,266.13. That left the net at the $4,347.57 amount.

Overall the Ag Society and fair board members reported things went well during the fair, and they had received some nice compliments on many of the events. They did discuss a few changes and new ideas for the next fair.

The Ag Society members elected, and re-elected, several members to the fair board. The Ag Society is made up of members who have paid a $5 membership fee. Many members are former fair board members, county commissioners and others with an interest in the County Fair.

The Ag Society is the group that selects the members of the fair board.

Rob Tvedten, Joe Stevermer, David Murray and Robin Stenzel were re-elected to the fair board during the Ag Society annual meeting. Their re-election should have happened in 2020 but that year’s annual meeting was canceled due to COVID.

Current fair board members Milo Goltz and Milt Steele were re-elected to the fair board as part of Monday’s Ag Society’s annual meeting and were the board members whose terms were up in 2021.

Three new members were also elected to the fair board by the Ag Society on Monday night. Those were Peggy Olson, Tim Beyer and Blair Wagner. They fill spots that have been open for some time.

Other business at the Ag Society’s annual meeting included a proposal by Ag Society member Yvonne Cory to the Society members that the Gold Building at the fairgrounds be renamed the Johnson Building in honor of former fair board member Gary Johnson

Cory said Johnson had been on the fair board for 32 years, from 1974 to 2006, and had been chairman starting in 1999.

The members took a vote and approved the change in name. They also discussed putting up some type of information in the buildings which are named after people (Oldfather, Paschke) telling about that person.

During the annual meeting of the fair board, there was also an election, this one for board officers for the coming year.

Marlin Prange was re-elected president, Tvedten and Stevermer were re-elected co-vice presidents, Stenzel was re-elected secretary and David Murray was re-elected treasurer.

The re-election of Stevermer was the only contested race, with Justin Dahl also nominated to the position.

In other business at the annual meeting of the fair board, members discussed the go kart races with organizer Brett Osborn, and the demolition derby with organizer Brandon Thomas.

When to have the two events was the main topic of conversation.

The board agreed to have the demolition derby on Saturday of the fair. They also voted to add two more classes of vehicles, which would add $2,700 to the cost of the derby. They also voted to budget $900 for trophies and to have Thomas take care of ordering them.

Osborn said he agreed with their decision to keep the derby on Saturday, and discussed different days for the go kart racing with the board.

This past fair the kart races were on Tuesday, the day before the fair officially opened. Also discussed was possibly Sunday afternoon or Friday night for the races.

No decision was made at the meeting.