'Normal as possible' fair hopes expressed

The Quay County Fair board chairman expressed hope Monday to county commissioners it would hold an “as normal as possible fair” in August despite coronavirus restrictions, but a carnival would not be among its offerings.

Fair Chairman Justin Knight said during the commission’s meeting the board decided June 1 to cancel its contract with the carnival vendor because of uncertainty caused by the state’s current and indefinite ban on public gatherings.

Knight said the fair’s horse show also was canceled because of light participation in previous years. He said the rabbit show also was canceled and would be held virtually instead because of an epidemic in the domestic rabbit population — the second time in three years the rabbit show has been curtailed because of disease.

“Our desire is to have a normal fair, as normal as possible,” Knight said.

Knight also detailed possible alternate plans for the Aug. 12-15 fair, if needed.

One plan would have a three-day junior livestock show that includes 4-H and FFA exhibitors with no open exhibits and no vendors.

Another plan would have livestock exhibitors arriving and leaving the same day for their respective shows. Indoor 4-H and FFA exhibits would continue under a modified schedule. Knight said the board also is discussing a premium sale for the annual livestock auction.

County manager Richard Primrose said he received no direction during a recent meeting with other county managers and Secretary of Agriculture Jeff Witte on how long COVID-19 restrictions would last.

“We’ve got a lot of questions and no answers,” Primrose said.

Commissioner Mike Cherry said he would support any decision the fair board took.

Commissioner Sue Dowell said she appreciated the fair board’s commitment to giving the county’s youth an event in August.

“Our kids have been stripped of so much” because of the pandemic, she said. “If we can do this, I’m all for it.”

In other business:

• The commission approved a canvass of last week’s primary election. It included seven to eight provisional ballots. County Clerk Ellen White said most of those ballots were people who lost or chose not to use absentee ballots and voted in-person instead. One provisional ballot was disqualified because the voter hadn’t declared any party affiliation since 2004.

White said the primary election’s actual cost was from $25,000 to $30,000 because of more mailed absentee ballots, additional labor and personal protective equipment against COVID-19. The county is requesting a state reimbursement of about $17,000 for the election.

White also noted a glitch when voters update their driver’s licenses at Motor Vehicle Division offices that alter their voter registrations to unaffiliated. White said her office monitors such updates and ensure the changes don’t occur, but more heavily populated counties don’t have the manpower for that. She said county clerks across the state have complained about the MVD glitch for at least two years.

• The commission heard report from Quay County extension agents Jason Lamb and Susan Mikkelson about the January-to-March quarter. Though many activities were canceled because of coronavirus restrictions, Mikkelson talked about her financial-advice webinars that gained about 200 participants. She said she also is working with Union, Colfax and Harding counties on a diabetic cooking program. She said she put together shorter video clips for the Strong Seniors fitness program.

Lamb said through the pandemic forced him and other extension staff to work from home, he said he remained as busy as ever with Zoom videoconference meetings and emails that reached the 1,000 mark.

• County road superintendent Larry Moore said a contractor would seal 6.2 miles of Quay Road AD east of Tucumcari starting June 22. He said the work would require temporary shutdowns of the road.

• Sheriff Russell Shafer said deputies are patrolling more on Highways 469 and 392 because of increasing traffic to Ute Lake.

Commissioners also vocally gave their support to the sheriff and his department in wake of news that the City of Minneapolis would defund its police department because of brutality complaints there.