Colfax denies request for Northern Show Circuit to use fairgrounds
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By LeAnn R. Ralph
COLFAX — The Colfax Village Board has denied a request from the Northern Show Circuit to use the Colfax Fairgrounds in May.
At the last meeting in March, the village board postponed action on the request because there was no one at the meeting representing the Colfax FFA Alumni or the Northern Show Circuit, although the FFA Alumni had expressed concerns to village officials prior to the meeting, said Scott Gunnufson, village president, at the April 12 meeting.
According to information included in the village board packet from John Bazille, president of the Northern Show Circuit, “The Northern Show Circuit is a small group of show parents working to make opportunities for showing quality animals. We started this group in the fall of 2016 for all youth to participate in. We are a non-profit group relying on donations and commission from our show to continue next year. Each year, we try to host a show for the local beef, sheep and goat exhibitors to exhibit at.”
The return address for donations included in the village board packet for the Northern Show Circuit is in Baldwin.
Steve Ackerlund, president of the Colfax FFA Alumni, and Mark Schaffner, also representing the Colfax FFA Alumni, attended the April 12 meeting.
No one from the Northern Show Circuit attended the meeting, even though Lynn Niggemann, village administrator-clerk-treasurer, had asked that a representative be there.
The proposed event for the Northern Show Circuit would be just a month before the Colfax Free Fair, Ackerlund said.
The main concern is if something were damaged in the barns, would there be time to repair it before the Colfax fair? Another concern would be whether any contagious diseases could transmitted to the Colfax fairgrounds that could affect the animals of youth exhibitors showing at the Colfax Free Fair, he said.
Since the Northern Show Circuit was asking for donations to support the event, village board members expressed the concern at the March meeting that asking local businesses and other individuals to contribute a month before the Colfax fair could put a damper on donations to support the Colfax fair.
The Colfax FFA Alumni are not in favor because of the possibility of transmittable diseases and because of possible adverse affects on the Colfax fair, said Gary Stene, village trustee.
Ackerlund agreed that Stene had correctly outlined the concerns.
“We want no negative effects on our fair,” he said.
Several village board members acknowledged they would like the youth exhibitors from the Northern Show Circuit to have the opportunity to show their animals, but more importantly, they did not want to cause any problems for the Colfax Free Fair.
The Colfax Village Board unanimously approved a motion to deny the request from the Northern Show Circuit to use the Colfax Fairgrounds May 22.
In addition to Gunnufson and Stene voting in favor of the motion, Village Trustees Margaret Burcham, Carey Davis, Mark Halpin, Anne Jenson and Logan Michels voted “yes.”
Ackerlund also noted that members of the Colfax FFA Alumni are planning a “tractor fest” at the Colfax Fairgrounds on August 14.
All together, between 60 and 70 tractors will be expected at the event, and it will be something to take the place of the Colfax FFA Alumni Farm Toy Show that was unable to be held in February because of the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.
Posters for the tractor fest will be made up in time for the Colfax Free Fair to start to promote the event, Ackerlund said.