Chemung County Ag Society outlines fiscal reforms, barn upgrades and five-day fair plan

Kevin Adams, president of the Chemung County Agricultural Society, told the Chemung County Legislature that the fair organization has adopted new bylaws, tightened financial controls and undertaken multiple fairground repair projects as it prepares to run a five‑day fair from Tuesday, July 29, through Saturday, Aug. 2.

Adams said the society began 2024 with roughly $47,000 in assets and more than $54,000 in liabilities, including about $40,000 on a line of credit and a roughly $14,000 workers’ compensation bill. He said the board has reduced the workers’ compensation liability to $1,800 and cleared much of the outstanding credit‑card debt while introducing named fiscal rules, a bookkeeping contract and a separation of treasurer and bookkeeper duties. “It was a hell of a hole we had to climb out of,” Adams said.

The nut of the presentation was that the Ag Society is moving from informal, largely cash operations to formalized, auditable practices. Adams and presenter Mark Watts described new bylaws adopted March 11, 2025, a whistleblower policy, procurement and petty‑cash policies, a payroll system, cashless point‑of‑sale via Square, and the hiring of a bookkeeper, Cindy Mastrantonio, to manage daily financial operations while the treasurer focuses on policy enforcement.

Those governance changes were framed as prerequisites for winning and properly spending public and private support. Adams thanked the county for distributing American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds and some room‑tax dollars to the fair and said the Ag Society has secured a state grant stream used for agricultural programming and track improvements. He said a state grant category the society has used is available only to the Ag Society and that the board expects roughly $96,000 from a state grant cycle this year.

Adams and Watts listed completed and planned capital work funded by grants, ARP dollars and in‑kind labor. Recent projects included repairing manure pits and a horse ring, adding rock and drainage at Gate 1 to improve infield parking access, rebuilding an old building to sell beer and host vendors, installing a solar light at Gate 5 (a $7,500 grant), and regrading and widening the harness track to the required width for harness racing. The dairy barn is under renovation with concrete scheduled to be poured by July 18, Adams said.

The presenters described a mix of volunteer labor and contracted work. They said some tasks previously done informally—such as stall cleaning by teens paid in cash—have been converted to proper contractor relationships that meet IRS definitions and are covered by payroll and workers’ compensation. Adams said the society established formal job descriptions and hiring procedures so seasonal staff and show crews are on the books and compliant with payroll and tax requirements.

On admissions and revenue, Adams said the society is encouraging online sales and moving to a largely cashless operation. He said ticket pricing has been standardized (Adams stated a $15 admission figure) and that online purchasing will be promoted at gates via QR codes offering lower prices than gate purchases. He estimated the 2024 fair cost at about $238,000 to stage and said the society’s contracted horse shows and events from Jan. 1 to June 10 grossed $47,650 with a net of $25,092 during that period.

Adams outlined community partnerships and programming the society is pursuing: shared equipment and reciprocal help with Troy, Steuben County and Towaoc fairs; partnerships with Elmira City School District summer programs to bring roughly 700 children to the fair during morning sessions; 4‑H and youth club projects, including a $600 paint fund for the 4‑H rabbit club; and proposed fall events such as a Fall Fest and craft show on Oct. 18.

Several operational issues drew questions from legislators and committee members. Adams and Watts said the fair has 34 powered camping sites available for RVs and campers; New York State health regulations now require 10 feet of separation (including awnings), which reduces effective capacity and has prompted creative use of the infield. The county currently charges $34 per camping hook‑up, and the society collects the county fee and remits it to the county. Adams said larger modern RVs reduce per‑unit campground revenue because they occupy multiple physical spots but pay a single fee.

The Ag Society is exploring additional funding sources, including state Water Quality Improvement Program (WQIP) grants and other state funding streams; Adams and legislative staff also mentioned past ARP awards and room‑tax funds as material inputs to this year’s program. Adams said the society will publish meeting minutes and fiscal policies on chemungcountyfair.com (hosted on the county site after the fair’s native site lacked secure protocols) and intends to post audits once available.

Votes at a glance

Several standing committees handled routine resolutions later in the same meeting; the Legislature recorded approvals without extended debate. The following items were approved (motion and second recorded where the transcript provides them):

- Buildings & Grounds: Resolution declaring various county‑owned property surplus — approved (motion made; vote recorded as “Aye,” tally not specified). [transcript segment cited below]

- Buildings & Grounds: Resolution awarding bid to a contractor on behalf of the Department of Buildings & Grounds — approved (mover named as Palmer in the motion request; second not specified; tally not specified).

- Corrections/Probation: Resolution authorizing application for Alternatives to Incarceration funding from the NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services — approved (motion and second; tally not specified).

- Health & Human Services: Two resolutions — (1) agreements for training/consulting on behalf of the Department of Aging and Long Term Care; (2) a purchase agreement on behalf of the Department of Social Services — both approved (motions made and passed; tally not specified).

- Highway: Resolution awarding bid to Amstar of Western New York for Public Works and a supplemental agreement with Barton & Loguidice (Barton & Loguidice D.P.C.) — approved (motions made; tally not specified).

- Multi‑Services: Four resolutions adopted together — extending agreement with IdeaCraft for Planning/Elmira‑Chemung Transportation Council; purchase agreements for Elmira Sewer District with Lakeside Equipment Corporation and EJ USA Inc.; and change order number 4 to a JET Industries contract for the Chemung County Sewer District — all approved (motion and second; tally not specified).

(Committee minutes and recorded motions are part of the legislative record; the meeting transcript records approval by voice vote with “Aye” but does not supply roll‑call tallies.)

Why it matters

County‑owned fairgrounds are public assets; the Ag Society’s shift to formal fiscal controls, transparent publishing of minutes and fiscal policies, and the move away from informal cash handling are intended to reduce financial risk, comply with grant and ARP accounting requirements, and broaden programming that can drive vendor, sponsor and community participation. Planned capital repairs and a five‑day schedule for the fair have budgetary implications for county and society finances and for ratepayers where county funds or grants are involved.

Details and context

- Governance: Bylaws adopted 03/11/2025; policies added include whistleblower protection, harassment/discrimination policy, conflict‑of‑interest rules, procurement policy, petty cash and p‑card rules, deposit and payroll policies. Adams said a prior sheriff’s department investigation occurred but did not result in charges; that history informed the board’s emphasis on transparency.

- Fiscal picture: Adams reported approximately $47,000 in assets when the current board took over and previously higher liabilities; he said staff reduced a workers’ compensation liability to $1,800 and retired portions of the line‑of‑credit balance. The fair cost in 2024 was reported as about $238,000. Adams provided a year‑to‑date gross of $47,650 and net of $25,092 for horse shows and related events through June 10.

- Funding and grants: ARP funds and room‑tax money were cited as help; a state grant category (admissible only to the Ag Society) of about $96,000 was discussed; the society is pursuing additional state WQIP grant funding and other state rounds. Adams said some grants reimburse eligible expenses (for example, reimbursements tied to youth premiums and harness racing track expenditures), and others are restricted to Ag Society use.

- Facilities work: Projects listed include manure‑pit repairs, new surfacing and widening of the harness track, a dairy barn renovation with concrete scheduled the week of July 18, painting and structural repairs in several barns, installation of solar lighting at Gate 5, and rehabilitation of an unused building for beverage service and vendor operations.

- Operations and programming: The society has implemented card payments via Square, is moving toward a cashless fair layout, set online ticket pricing (Adams cited $15), and plans events beyond the main fair (Battle of the Bands preliminaries July 12 and July 19, a fall festival Oct. 18, and potential farmers’ markets and craft shows once barns are repaired). The Elmira City School District summer program will bring students to the fair for morning sessions.

- Camping and utilities: There are 34 powered camping sites reported; New York State health rules now require 10‑foot spacing (including awnings) between campers, reducing usable density. The county charges $34 per hookup; the society collects and remits that fee to the county.

Limitations and open items

- The meeting transcript records voice approvals for committee resolutions but does not include roll‑call tallies for votes; the article notes approvals and where a mover or seconder is named in the record but does not invent vote counts.

- Several items remain in development: the Ag Society said it will publish audits when available and is still finalizing contractor cost tracking and a full profit‑and‑loss by event line item. Adams said detailed financial dashboards and a chart of fees will be made available soon.

Ending

Adams asked the Legislature and the public to review chemungcountyfair.com for minutes, board membership, vendor and sponsor lists and policies. The fair is scheduled to run Tuesday, July 29, through Saturday, Aug. 2; the society said it will continue working with the county on facility repairs and grant administration.