Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Community Engagement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council weighs whether to continue weeklong presence at Berry County Fair
Summary
Councilors debated dropping or scaling back the village’s weeklong Berry County Fair booth, citing difficulty staffing weeklong slots, limited substantive engagement, and rising costs. Ideas included attending only the busiest day or switching to intentional engagement at farmers markets and Heritage Days.
Councilors on Aug. 26 debated whether Middleville should continue staffing a weeklong booth at the Berry County Fair, a practice the village has maintained for many years.
Mr. Soulsenberg, who placed the item on the agenda, said the traditional staffing model grew from long-standing arrangements but has become harder to sustain as more councilors work and cannot commit weeklong coverage. Several council members said they rarely had substantive policy conversations at the fair booth and suggested alternatives: staffing the fair for a single busy day, staging intentional outreach at the farmers market or Heritage Days, or developing a rotating topical schedule so each appearance has a clear purpose (for example, "Ask us about the bridge").
Councilors noted the fair board’s requirement that booth participants be present for the full week, which one member said changes the calculus and may make dropping the weeklong booth preferable. No immediate decision was made; members said they will revisit the question and notify other entities in the coming months. One councilor said he would solicit local feedback through Middleville social groups and bring the topic back for a decision.
Councilors emphasized the value of intentional, topic-focused outreach with banners and collateral—rather than generic giveaways—to improve constituent engagement. The council agreed to reconsider participation and planned to communicate a decision to partner entities soon.
