Dunn County Fair Board approves staffing help, porta‑potties and advertising contract; greenlights pursuit of rented stage

DUNN COUNTY — The Dunn County Fair Board on March 2 approved a set of operational moves intended to steady preparations for the upcoming fair, including payment of an overdue designer invoice, a $4,000 porta‑potty purchase, a short‑term hire to support the fair office and a new $4,000 advertising buy, and authorized staff to pursue rental quotes for a covered hydraulic stage with a spending cap of $15,000.

The meeting began with two presentations — one from a representative of the Dunn County Humane Society and another from Vinnie of Badgerland, the carnival operator — before staff and board turned to board business. Deb, the fair office staff member, asked the board to clarify past invoicing and payment timing for a contracted designer and reported that an earlier invoice had been delayed in county processing. After back‑and‑forth about invoice dates a board member moved that the invoice be paid so the matter could be closed; the motion was seconded and carried, with one member recorded as opposed in the meeting minutes (the minutes do not record a full roll‑call tally).

"She did all of the daily posting," Deb told the board when describing work the contractor completed and why the payment was requested. Board members said the county accounting practice for paying after the calendar year should be clarified so the situation does not repeat.

Porta‑potties and restroom coverage was the next operational vote. The board reviewed quotes and service arrangements and voted to authorize $4,000 to secure additional portable toilets and servicing for the fair. "Can I make a motion that we spend $4,000 for portaotties?" one member asked; the motion passed after a second and a voice vote.

Personnel and short‑term staffing were a focal point after Deb announced a planned resignation effective March 13 and enumerated several near‑term deadlines — including the state entertainment submission deadline (the last Friday in March). The board voted to bring Michael Norby (a local events/Chamber‑affiliated candidate) into the office help roster for the run‑up and week of the fair to assist with FairEntry and office duties; the motion passed.

Advertising: staff presented a Midwest Family Broadcasting proposal priced at $4,000 that includes a package of on‑air announcements, website placement and social promotion during a June promotional window. After comparing that package with previous iHeart buys and discussing which inventory is guaranteed during prime listening hours, a member moved to accept Midwest Family's package. The motion passed; board members asked staff to confirm deliverables in writing.

Stage and entertainment: the board debated whether to continue the current small free stage or to rent a covered hydraulic stage that can host a headline act and serve as a weekend focal point. Staff estimated a single‑night rental could run roughly $3,000–4,000 and a full‑weekend rental toward $10,000; the board approved pursuing the rental and set a cap of $15,000 to allow staff to secure written quotes and to seek sponsorships before final payment. A motion to proceed was amended to include the $15,000 cap and passed by voice vote.

Votes at a glance

- Designer invoice (contractor Sam) — Motion to pay overdue invoice: approved (one member recorded opposed; roll‑call not specified in minutes). - Porta‑potties — Authorized up to $4,000 for additional portable toilets and servicing: approved. - Temporary office help (Michael Norby) — Authorized bringing Michael in to assist with FairEntry and office work during the run‑up and fair week: approved. - Advertising (Midwest Family) — Approved purchasing the $4,000 Midwest Family package pending staff confirmation of deliverables: approved. - Stage rental — Authorized staff to pursue rental quotes and secure a covered hydraulic stage with a spending cap of $15,000: approved.

What happens next

Staff will verify Midwest Family deliverables in writing, confirm logistics for the additional porta‑potties (including distribution of wheelchair‑accessible units), finalize onboarding details for interim office help and solicit at least two written stage rental quotes as required for purchases above $5,000. Deb flagged the state entertainment submission deadline for the brochure and urged the board to ensure SharePoint and other logins are transferred before her March 13 departure.

Reporting note: direct quotes and vote outcomes in this article are taken from the March 2 meeting transcript and meeting minutes; where the minutes did not provide exact roll‑call tallies this article notes the outcome and records when a vote count was not specified.