Dunn County Fair Board approves wristbands, radios and higher judge pay; adds Facebook admin

The Dunn County Fair Board on Thursday approved several operational measures as it ramps up planning for the summer fair, including buying exhibitor wristbands, accepting donated radios, renting golf carts and raising pay for animal judges.

The board’s chair said vendors reported they had not received contracts previously circulated, prompting a review of vendor outreach. The group voted to purchase a 500‑band supply of snap-on exhibitor wristbands to reduce reuse and entry confusion. “These wristbands are the snap on like they use for fest… so they’re not coming off,” the Chair said, explaining the change in exhibitor identification practice.

Why it matters: The decisions are intended to reduce day-of operational friction (clear exhibitor ID, in-office radios and more on-site carts) and make the fair more competitive for judges, a key logistical element for animal shows.

Board actions and outcomes

- Facebook admin: Motion to make Michael (Mike Norby) an admin of the fair’s Facebook page was moved, seconded and approved; staff will coordinate access with Krista.

- Exhibitor wristbands: The board moved and approved procurement of wristbands (500 per pack pricing discussed at ~$9.78/pack); motion approved by voice vote.

- Radios: The board accepted a plan to acquire retired Motorola radios from county emergency management (programming and new batteries required); members approved proceeding so the fair can reduce rental costs.

- Judge pay increase: The board voted to implement higher judging rates in 2026 rather than waiting until 2027, setting most judging pay at $1.60 (per whatever local unit the board uses for judge compensation) and $2.50 for commercial-building judging; the board instructed staff to prepare checks in advance of the fair.

- Golf-cart rental and vendor contracts: The board approved rental of golf carts to ensure operational mobility, and authorized staff to pursue food‑vendor contracts (Hessler’s, Wicked Wings, Captain PJs and others) with placement and menu confirmations to follow.

What was discussed but not finalized

Board members debated banner sizes, sponsor benefits levels and the practicalities of moving power poles to open vendor space; they added a stage-banner package to the $5,000 sponsorship tier and directed staff to pursue banner and signage pricing.

The board also discussed a petting-zoo return request and entertainment options presented by an agent; both items will be resolved via follow up with vendors and service providers.

Next steps

The board will forward Ben Powers’ formal appointment paperwork to facilities for administrative finalization and follow up with vendors and contractors on contracts, radio programming, and stage/power logistics.