SWEETWATER COUNTY – Members of the Sweetwater County Events Complex will be in Farson-Eden Thursday to discuss changes at the complex.
Complex staff will be meeting at the Farson-Eden Community Center at 6:30 p.m. to discuss changes for the upcoming fair including superintendent restructure, schedule changes and the new online volunteer program.
At the Sweetwater County Fair Board meeting Tuesday night, several members of the 4-H community raised concerns about the restructuring. A petition to keep BJ Flor as a superintendent was also presented to the board.
A letter was sent to current superintendents telling them they would need to reapply for the superintendent positions. This letter resulted in many long-time superintendents stepping away. While the 4-H community felt these folks were fired, the complex said that was never its intention.
At the meeting, staff stated that they wanted someone who would be more in charge of the shows at the fair. Supervisors would stay on to help with specific species and other important aspects that happen during the fair.
Director Larry Lloyd said that with increased participation and an increased demand during fair week on the facility, changes have to be made. Future Farmers of America will be participating in the fair this year, and the Boys Scouts and Girl Scouts have also asked the complex for space at the fair.
Lloyd said it was never their intention to replace anyone. Their hope was they all would stay and help because of their experience and knowledge with 4-H and how everything is ran.
“We don’t want them to go anywhere,” Lloyd said of the superintendents. “But things do change.”
The board was going to take action on the superintendent positions on Tuesday night but tabled the action. After hearing the discussion and listening to everyone, Board Chairman Kent McCann said the complex “dropped the ball” by not talking to these people before the letter was sent out.
“I think this is going to hurt us down the road,” McCann said, explaining several people have told him personally they would never help the complex again after this situation.
The Chairman felt it would be good to step back, reach out to these folks and see if something could be worked out. Board member Roger Torgersen agreed.
Looking at the overall situation, communication between the two groups continues to be an issue. This issue comes after it appeared steps had been taken forward with the previous discussion about changing the fair from one to two weeks.
Complex staff first started discussing reconstructing the superintendent positions at the February board meeting. That was pointed out by board member Jodee Burnett and both she and Lloyd said they never see anyone at the board meetings until something happens that impacts 4-H.
Several 4-H members said they would be more than willing to come to meetings if they knew when 4-H issues were going to be discussed. New board member Janet Hartford explained she has been on the board about six months now, and 4-H is discussed at every meeting.
The complex agreed to send copies of the agenda and other information before every meeting to those who wanted it. It was requested they leave contact information with the complex. Both sides again discussed having liaisons from each board attend both meetings. Even Sweetwater County Commissioner, and liaison to the Events Complex, Reid West felt maybe he needed to take more of a lead role to make sure these issues between the two groups are finally resolved.
