Alaska State Fair Board

Alaska State Fair Board of Directors

Boardroom on the Fairgrounds

May 10, 2007

 

 

President John Harkey called the meeting to order at 7:02 pm.  Present: directors Mari Jo Parks, Peter Probasco, Debby Retherford, Bonnie Quill, Bruce Bush, and Charlie Willis; member Larry Longenecker; presenter Randy Hobbs, and recorder Donna Tate.  General manager Ray Ritari was absent due to illness.

 

Probasco/Quill/MCU: To accept the minutes as amended and the consent agenda.  The minutes were amended correcting the due date for City of Palmer’s response to our CUP brief which should read April 11.

 

Randy Hobbs, President of Hobbs Industries and Vice-President of Tiqun Energy, Inc. presented his answers to the list of questions previously given him by Ritari concerning the possibility of locating a gas-fired co-generation plant on the Fair property.  Additional questions were asked by the directors for further clarification.  Ritari will be asked to investigate how the Fair’s non-profit status would be affected if a working relationship is established with Hobbs Industries.

 

 

Treasurer Bush gave the financial report, which showed total assets of $4,662,961.15, total current liabilities of $39,782.69, long-term liabilities of $615,780.65, and total equity of $4,007,397.81, as of April 30, 2007.  Included in the assets was $635,845.48 in the general checking account and $10,079.89 in cds.  Bush noted an increase in utilities and salaries over the previous year.  He has some questions about Bookkeeper Mason’s methods used when generating the financial statements.  It was decided to ask her to attend a board session to give an explanation of such. 

 

Probasco/Parks/MCU:  To approve the financial report for April 30, 2007.

 

Action Items

 

Orion Dome:  Negotiations continue for selling the salvage from the Orion Dome. 

 

Parks/Willis/MC 5-1 (Bush abstained):  To accept the board travel policy as presented.

 

Conditional Use Permit:  A public hearing for this issue is to later be determined by the City.  It was decided it would be beneficial to invite reputable proponents of the multi-use arena activities to speak at the CUP public hearing.

 

Member Comments

 

There were no member comments.

 

Board Comments

 

Probasco said he would be attending the June and July board meeting via teleconference.  He will give the office a different email address and a phone number where he will be.  Parks leaves for vacation but will regularly check her email for board correspondence.  Bush said he favors the gravel pit area for any development opportunities with Hobbs Industries.  Retherford says it appears that, though once the Fair seemed to be partners with the local government, we now must fight for the Fair’s long-term future.  Quill plans to attend the National Scenic Byway conference later in May hoping to learn more about available grants and visitor centers.  Her workplace now has a website link on which any community organization having an event can advertise their function.  She also said she felt it would be proactive for the Fair, before the next election of City Council, to coordinate a candidate forum to make known the issues important to the Fair.  Harkey agreed with Quill’s suggestion.  He said he also wonders what means we will have to use to keep local government cooperation. 

 

Quill/Willis/MCU: To adjourn.

 

The meeting adjourned at 8:40 pm