North Idaho Fair Board and Foundation

North Idaho Fair Board of Directors

Zach Bane
Dave Fair
Gerald Johnson, Vice-Chair
Karleen Meyer
Dave Nussear
Arlene Pischner, Secretary
Linda Rider, Chair

Kootenai County Board of Commissioners

Todd Tondee, Chair
Jai Nelson
Dan Green

ABOUT THE FAIR BOARD

The North Idaho Fairboard is comprised of 7 people who bring a variety of skills, talents and career experiences together for one common purpose: The success and continuation of the North Idaho Fair & Rodeo and the Kootenai County Fairgrounds.

The Board meets monthly on a regular basis to decide policy and make sound, knowledgeable decisions about the Fairgrounds and the business of the Fair. The board acts in an advisory capacity to the Kootenai County Board of Commissioners. Members and alternates are appointed by the County Commissioners and serve 4-year terms, without pay. Terms are renewable, at the will of the Commissioners.

The Fairboard is dedicated to preserving the rich agrarian history of the area, protecting the facilities and the family-friendly events that the community has come to love and appreciate, and exploring future uses of the grounds and buildings.

The Fairboard assists the general manager in setting the annual budget and making decisions on personnel, facility improvements, safety issues, building rentals and fair entertainment. A priority of the Board is to continually review and revise its Master Plan to ensure that the Fair and fairgrounds always reflect the educational and entertainment needs and interests of a vibrant, growing community.

Agenda for the next meeting of the North Idaho Fairboard

NORTH IDAHO FAIR & RODEO FOUNDATION

2005 has a special significance in the history of the North Idaho Fair & Rodeo. In July, the Internal Revenue Service officially authorized the establishment of the North Idaho Fair & Rodeo Foundation, Inc., as a 501(c)(3) organization. That designation fulfilled a long-time dream of the Fair management and Fairboard to establish an avenue for financing some major fairgrounds improvements and programs that would not be possible through normal funding sources.

The Foundation enables Fair patrons to support the Fair’s programs and facilities through tax-deductible monetary gifts, annual pledges, or to remember the Fairgrounds in their estate planning. It also provides a means to solicit and receive grants from private foundations that may share the Foundation’s values.

The Foundation is governed by a 15-member Board of Directors, all dedicated to preserving the Fair and the Fairgrounds in perpetuity, serving staggered three-year terms. The Foundation is separate from the Fairboard but both provide liaisons to each other’s meetings to keep the lines of communication and cooperation open.

The Foundation is working closely with the Fairboard’s Master Planning Committee to explore facility needs and funding sources that could advance the ways in which the Fairgrounds can serve the educational and entertainment needs of the community. The Foundation also conducts educational community outreach programs and presentations to further enlighten the community as to the economic value and benefit of the Fair and the Fairgrounds within the Kootenai County area and to preserve the culture and tradition of agribusiness in our heritage.

Donations can be mailed to the Fair Foundation at 6376 N. 17th Street, Dalton Gardens, ID 83815.