Fairgrounds board appointments withdrawn as county moves to voluntary model

The Status Advisory Board for the Cheyenne County Fairgrounds Foundation appeared before the Board of Commissioners because they discovered that an appointed board was unnecessary, as the foundation created falls under the umbrella of the Nebraska Community Foundation.

As part of this community foundation oversight, the board can be driven by volunteer participation.

The members of the foundation asked the Board of Commissioners to withdraw the appointments, made previously in September. The Board obliged with a three-to-zero vote.

The members of the foundation are still maintaining those positions, but will simply be regarded henceforth as volunteers. The Nebraska Community Foundation suggests that each fund advisory committee create their own bylaws and operating procedures, so the number of volunteers is to be determined.

Because of the alteration, the fund can be used for many things other than solely the fairgrounds. This gives the fund much more potential to improve the county.

“Someone from Potter, Lodgepole or Dalton could use this fund under our umbrella for Cheyenne County. So, it’s a Cheyenne County fund, not a Cheyenne County fair fund,” Ken McMillen said.

“In all senses, it is a foundation for the county,” Megan McGown said. “We just can’t call it that because we are underneath the Nebraska Community Foundation, but in all definitions, that’s what it is. It’s a foundation to benefit the county as a whole.”

The county agenda also included Cheyenne County Treasurer, Diane Scott, reporting the cost of last year’s distress warrants to the board.

Scott informed the board that 83 distress warrants were submitted to Sheriff John Jenson in the amount of $22,960.67. The board was not needed to approve anything pertaining to the warrants.