Ag Society schedules annual meeting

The Van Wert County Agricultural Society will hold its annual reorganizational meeting at 9 a.m. Saturday, November 14. The meeting will take place in the EMR Meeting Room located within the Administration Building on the Van Wert County Fairgrounds.

During the meeting, members will have the opportunity to vote on proposed constitutional changes and amendments, which are listed below. Voting will be conducted in the Buckeye Room of the Administration Building from 9-11:30 a.m. Any individual holding a Membership Certificate (ticket) is eligible to vote. Members must present either their Membership Certificate (ticket) or a valid driver’s license in order to cast their ballot.

Proposed Amendment #1 to Article XVIII of the Constitution. Article XVII currently states the following:

Each candidate for the office of director for The Van Wert County Agricultural Society must fulfill the following requirements to file a petition for such office:

A) Purchase a membership certificate for the membership year in which candidate is seeking election.

B) Complete 10 hours of voluntary service to the society, in the fiscal year in which candidate is seeking election.

C) Attend 1 regular monthly board meetings of the society, during the fiscal year in which candidate is seeking election.

D) State on petition the specific board position for which candidate is seeking election.

E) Collect ten (10) or more signatures from members of the society, from the area for which board position represents.

F)In the case that the ten required signatures from members of the Society from the area for which the board position represents, cannot be obtained due to circumstances such as a pandemic or other like causes, then the required number of signatures is changed to twenty of the membership as a whole. The requirement to limit it to the area being represented is waived for that election cycle only.

Any candidate not fulfilling the above listed requirements shall be ineligible for election as director. Items B and C, above, will become effective for candidates seeking election for the 2022 election and each election thereafter.

If the amendment is passed by the Membership at the 2026 Annual Meeting, Article XVIII will read as follows:

Each candidate for the office of director for The Van Wert County Agricultural Society must fulfill the following requirements to file a petition for such office

A) Purchase a membership certificate for the membership year in which candidate is seeking election.

B) Complete 10 hours of voluntary service to the society, in the fiscal year in which candidate is seeking election.

C) Attend 1 regular monthly board meetings of the society, during the fiscal year in which candidate is seeking election.

D) State on petition the specific board position for which candidate is seeking election.

E) Collect ten (10) or more signatures from members of the society, from the area for which board position represents.

F)In the case that the ten required signatures from members of the Society from the area for which the board position represents, cannot be obtained due to circumstances such as a pandemic or other like causes, then the required number of signatures is changed to twenty of the membership as a whole. The requirement to limit it to the area being represented is waived for that election cycle only.

G) Complete a background check.

Any candidate not fulfilling the above listed requirements shall be ineligible for election as director. Items B and C, above, will become effective for candidates seeking election for the 2022 election and each election thereafter. Item G, above, will become effective for candidates seeking election for the 2027 election and each election thereafter.

Proposed Amendment #2 to Article XIX of the Constitution. Article XIX currently states the following:

The Board may remove any director if: (a) The Director has failed to fulfill their duties during the annual fair without sufficient excuse or cause; or (b) The Director has failed to donate fifty hours of time minimum throughout the year, not including committee and departmental responsibilities, nor from four (4) days prior to and through the last day of the fair, and without sufficient excuse or cause; or (c) By order of a court, the Director has been found to be of unsound mind; or (d) By order of a court, the Director has been convicted of a felony; or (e) By order of a court, the Director has been convicted of theft; or (f) By order of a court, the Director has been convicted of a criminal offense involving moral turpitude; or (g) The Director has engaged in specific actions which cause or tend to cause the Society damage to its property or reputation, or which create potential legal liability on the part of the Society. The Director shall be issued a warning. Upon the second finding of the Executive Board of such conduct by a Board Member in violation, he/she shall appear before the Board of Directors to answer as to why the offending Board Member should not be expelled from the Board. After said hearing, should two-thirds (2/3) of the board vote to expel the offending Board Member, said offending

Board Member shall be forthwith expelled and the expelled Board Member’s position shall be filled by appointment.

If the amendment is passed by the Membership at the 2026 Annual Meeting, Article XVIII will read as follows:

The Board may deny any candidate or remove any director if: (a) The Director has failed to fulfill their duties during the annual fair without sufficient excuse or cause; or (b) The Director has failed to donate fifty hours of time minimum throughout the year, not including committee and departmental responsibilities, nor from four (4) days prior to and through the last day of the fair, and without sufficient excuse or cause; or (c) By order of a court, the Candidate/Director has been found to be of unsound mind; or (d) By order of a court, the Candidate/ Director has been convicted of a felony; or (e) By order of a court, the Candidate/Director has been convicted of theft; or (f) By order of a court, the Candidate/Director has been convicted of a criminal offense involving moral turpitude; or (g) The Candidate/Director has engaged in specific actions which cause or tend to cause the Society damage to its property or reputation, or which create potential legal liability on the part of the Society. The Director shall be issued a warning. Upon the second finding of the Executive Board of such conduct by a Board Member in violation, he/she shall appear before the Board of Directors to answer as to why the offending Board Member should not be expelled from the Board. After said hearing, should two-thirds (2/3) of the board vote to expel the offending Board Member, said offending Board Member shall be forthwith expelled and the expelled Board Member’s position shall be filled by appointment.

The Van Wert County Agricultural Society encourages all eligible members to participate in this important annual process and help shape the future of the organization.

For additional information about the annual reorganizational meeting or the proposed constitutional changes, contact the Van Wert County Fair Office at 419.238.9270 or email vanwertcountyfair@gmail.com.