Vermont Legislature SmartTranscripts:

[Speaker 0]: Good morning, it's 10:15, Agriculture. I'm gonna spend some time with the Vermont Fairfield Days Association. We have a room full of, beautiful people, so, we are going to listen to whatever they'd like to call us today. And good after or good morning, sir. Thank you. The floor is yours.

[Bob Allen (Past President, Vermont Fairs Association)]: Tell us who you are. Thank you. I'm Bob Allen. I am not affiliated with any of the directorships of any of the fairs. However, I am a past president of the Vermont Fair Association. That's why I'm affiliated for Jackie here today. Oh. She takes some to some committees, I take some to other committees, so we have time to sit down for a minute. I want to thank you for your time. Yep. First and foremost, we know how busy the folks are, and trying to get everything taken care of here in the next few weeks. We really want to have a little bit of a discussion about what the fairs have done, the monies that you have given us over this past year. And also, I have handed out an economic impact that compares right to Vermont. There's one word in there that's spelled, and it's intentional, so see if you read it all the way through. It's not intentional, but that's Jack Wilson, my little joke to start. I have with me five fairs, Robert Plunkett from Mont State Fair in Rutland, Cindy Cahart from Addison County, Randy Beamer and friends from Memorial County, Chris Vance from Caledonia County, and Sarah Knowle from Franklin County, who is starting back up again this year after one year hiatus. They have found some land, a lease out in Franklin County, and she'll tell you more about that, so I'm not gonna regret to steal anything from them. But, anyway, they are gonna have a parade this year, and we're pleased to have Sarah Seneca represent. And with that, I'm gonna get out of here and let the parade tell you what they've been doing, Something is worth it. Right?

[Speaker 0]: Where is budget? It's the budget.

[Bob Allen (Past President, Vermont Fairs Association)]: Found it already. Oh, where is budget? Anyhow, who wants to start? Randy or Chris or Robert?

[Robert Plunkett (Vermont State Fair, Rutland)]: I guess I'll go first.

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Member)]: Go ahead. Everybody's looking at me, so just like Well,

[Robert Plunkett (Vermont State Fair, Rutland)]: thank you senators for having us here today. Again, I'm Robert Convin representing the Vermont State Fair. And first off, as we always do, say thank you. Thank you for including us in the budget. The stipend funds and the capital grants funds are really instrumental in allowing us to accomplish many things. My board, for example, this year, just to tell you a brief story, looked at me when I presented my budget and they saw that our porta potty line item was zero. And I said, there's no way that's right. We spend, you know, a few thousand dollars on porta potties a year. And I said, no. With our capital grant money, we were able to build the last restaurant, and we don't have to rent porta potties anymore. So and also, I mean, looking at environmental impact, that's environmental impact. You have you don't have all of the pumping and all the stuff that has to happen and it goes straight to the city sewer treatment plant. So that's nice too. So that's just a practical example of what we've been able to do in Rutland to help alleviate an issue. So we appreciate that. Looking forward, we are required to do some work on our grandstand from the Division of Fire Safety. They want some aisles wide and some handrails added, which is going to be a headache, but it's something that they told us we have to do. So our capital grants money going forward is gonna be dedicated to meet their at least a portion of it dedicated to meet their requirement of basically for the next eight years, I think it works out to we have to do an aisle a year to get in compliance finally. They're being gracious and they're working with us over time so that we don't have to do it all at once, but it's something we have to do. We also are looking to, we lost a machine shed a few years ago that had to be torn down, unfortunately due to lack of maintenance. And this year, part of our grant money will be a seat to get that rebuilt during this time. So we're currently working with engineering and getting all that taken care of so that we can get it back. It's already in the footprint for all of our water stuff, which we can talk about for a second as well. We're looking to get that rebuilt before we lose that ability to do so. We always get the question, what about the three acre? Right? So the three acre rule, thank you for again going to bat for us. We did get our grant secured and our engineer is going to be starting when the snow melts doing the engineering work. We still face significant barriers, would say. Our site continues to just be a struggle. The size of the site, the grades and the slopes do not conducibly yield to a collection point that everything can run to. Being that we also have infrastructure dating back to the late 1800s, We've been told to be prepared to essentially have to replace all the infrastructure when we start digging that, the electrical lines, the water lines, the sewer lines, and it's just going to be a massive, massive undertaking. We really aren't here to talk about that yet because until engineering is done, we don't know the ins and outs.

[Speaker 0]: Was the grant that you had, was that the $50,000 that came from ANR to do that?

[Robert Plunkett (Vermont State Fair, Rutland)]: So we have that plus the portion city water pumps that you folks were able to secure on our behalf. So we are right around $170,000 is what's been allocated. The engineering study for us is estimated to cost anywhere from 150 to 200,000, but the engineer seems to be confident that what we were awarded is gonna cover it. It's the engineering cost.

[Speaker 0]: So we move it down, we move it to the next step, right?

[Robert Plunkett (Vermont State Fair, Rutland)]: That's gonna be the first thing.

[Bob Allen (Past President, Vermont Fairs Association)]: Thank you, sir. Has, and this would be, has the fair ever thought of selling that property and moving to a better location? Has that ever come across? Not that you want it because they're so historic, but-

[Robert Plunkett (Vermont State Fair, Rutland)]: Our deed and our process, because the property was donated and stipulates, it can never be sold. So that's one of the barriers we are in and that our infrastructure being in, I mean, I would hate to even estimate in this day and age, we probably have $50,000,000 worth of infrastructure between all the buildings and all of that and that's just spitballing. I don't I don't know what it really is but I mean it's millions and millions of dollars worth of infrastructure.

[Speaker 0]: The deed itself will keep you from doing that so. So

[Robert Plunkett (Vermont State Fair, Rutland)]: again, thank you for me. I don't if you have any questions for me, but that's kind of a quick overview. Again, appreciate you all.

[Speaker 0]: Just a thought. Just glad that some of the pressure of what we've built in the past and being not from that area, but being sympathetic to senators and the Rutland region and all of the state of Vermont, I'm glad to see that some of the pressures seem to be subsided a little bit as far as, not that there's not any less urgency, but it was looking pretty dire there for a while. It was. Glad that some of that softened.

[Robert Plunkett (Vermont State Fair, Rutland)]: Thank you. And yes, thank you again for the funds and for the work you did to take some of that pressure off last year. It's much appreciated. Thank you.

[Randy Mead (Field Days President)]: Thank you. Thank you.

[Bob Allen (Past President, Vermont Fairs Association)]: Good Thank

[Chris Vanness (Caledonia County Fair)]: morning. Chris Vanness with Caledonia County Fair. I apologize. I left my pictures in house ag earlier. That's all good. Nothing to share, but I'm sure that I could speak to it. Again, as was mentioned, I do want to thank you again for the support of the stipend and the capital grant clarification, I think, you know, but we all participate in the funds that are given equally. No fair gets more than another fair, which I think is great. We're just sharing you the stipend money that we get each year, which is 12,000 to $15,000 is very helpful. Our premiums last year were 71,000 So that is just to participants, horse pulling cattle folks, rabbits, you name it, flow off. Just as an example, capital grants, I've spoke to this in the past, but I'll speak to it again. It's near and dear to my heart, speaking of dire circumstances, it was mentioned earlier, to share with you this little Caledonia record from 1993, since when our grandstand arsons burned down the grandstand in Caledonia County Fair. I was not involved with the fair at that juncture, but I would tell you that we were basically on the verge of you know, going out of business and being another statistic of a fair no longer operating in the state of Vermont because we had no midway, we had no grandstand, and we had no money. So, know, Caledonia County Fair was basically in 1993 pretty much belly up. It was due to the grace of the state and you folks in supporting and a grant to help build the grandstand and then subsequently the capital grants that have drastically changed our infrastructure from what once was a decaying kind of going out buildings to what stands today, and no disrespect to my counterparts here today, but I would consider Caledonia County Fair one of the show places in the state of Vermont. That's just me. Looking on bias. I'll tell you that. Speaking of capital grants, so I've talked about this in the past. The capital grants, I believe, is critically important and is very, very beneficial, mainly because it really, it forces all of the fairs to get creative and think about what is it that they want to do for a project each and every year. And again, without that push, without that little bit of a heading in the right direction, I would just fear that we would take the path of a lot of folks that just go by the wayside. Because of Capital Grant Life, that's something that we actively pursue. And we really look at it as seed money. Again, the capital grant provides us around $35,000 a year. That $35,000 a year once upon a time went much further, is not so much anymore. But the $35,000 is like I said, is an opportunity for us to get a project started, for us to go out and solicit local communities, businesses, and go about that. I would just share that I mentioned this last year, but last year in 2025, we completed the expansion of the Lawrence Arena. The Lawrence Arena, we put 14 feet on each side, moving spectators outside, moving a small animal barn on the other side, and the judges, which once upon a time were inside the show ring as well, move those outside. I would just tell you that, you know, by all accounts, Caledonia County Fair has one of the largest show rings in New England. And again, we are doing those because we, again, pulled the New England Holstein show out in New Hampshire a few years ago. They're extremely pleased, have not yet seen our upgrades. But again, they have signed up to stay three more years. That's beneficial. But just for fun, in talking about capital grants, the entire Lawrence Arena was was built in 2002 for $56,000. And last in the last year, the the extensions, the 14 feet that I'm talking about, the sheds that we put on each side cost us a $120,000. So, again, those, you know, those projects, you know, are expensive. But, they're important to continue to drive, you know, people wanting to come in the community, you know, the fair. The last thing that I'd share that, again, just for information point, is that big things going on or something going on this year at fair in addition to the capital grants that we want to start this year. But we are working with the University of Vermont and putting up a weather station in Lindenville, Vermont, basically because after the massive flooding that we had experienced over two or three storms, UVM came to us with the proposition of just saying, look. We don't have good forecasting in this area. There's you know, because of the mountains and stuff, there's no way for us to understand what's going on over here, and we would love to put up this 30 foot weather tower. Again, we started the process last year. We went through the town to get approval, and in the spring we will construct a weather tower that will be monitoring river heights and all sorts of things. But again, that's something that we provided to them at no charge. And so that again, supporting the community, we just thought it was

[Speaker 0]: an important thing to do. So I just share that bullet. Worth it. I want to have a little personal note to that. Another company that I own, we spent a lot of time at the fair this year and it was quite a pleasure to be there. The efficiencies of how that's ran. But I think that you missed one valuable point of talking about all the participants that make you successful, and I think it's you guys. And I think a lot of people in this room could say that. I think Dick Lawrence would be very proud about what he would have seen going on in Louisville and what you guys have built and you're absolutely fine. Be correct. I won't go on the limit, tell you that you're the best player, but I do have some but I do have some input as far as with that and we we as far as being there with my radio stations and doing what we can do to help promote it. It's a very easy event to be part of and we're appreciative of all what you folks have done very much so. Well, thank you. Thanks, Chris. Excuse me. Feel free to move that desk to sit there.

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Member)]: Oh, okay. Okay. All three. Now

[Cindy Kay Hart (Addison County Fair & Field Days)]: I get all the best here, right?

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Member)]: You have a question? No. No. I miss named you.

[Cindy Kay Hart (Addison County Fair & Field Days)]: I'm Cindy Kay Hart from the Addison District. And I first wanna thank you for all you guys did for the street. We are set. We re permitted, we re engineered, and we've gotten our grant money so far, and we're all set to build it. It's like

[Speaker 0]: The chair of this last committee, Bobby Starr and myself, and fairness, Chris Bray. Spent a lot of time with Julie Moore of A Those and are some tense discussions that we had, but I'm glad that we were able to get that forward because I think it opened up the door for a bit more unease and permitting. And I think it started a very great discussion about how important the fairs were to the community. We thank you for being able to pass along the great news.

[Cindy Kay Hart (Addison County Fair & Field Days)]: Thank you. And Selena has been wonderful. Selena, one point I finally said, he asked this person and they asked that person and he said, she said. So we had a Zoom meeting with people from everywhere and from our board and everybody's questions. Our engineer was out there and all of us heard the same answers to the same questions and after that, it's been smooth sailing. So it hasn't been nerve wracking monthly meetings of what are we gonna do, what are we gonna do, what are we gonna do? So I feel very confident that by the end of this year, ours will be done, whether it's this spring or next fall, depends on the weather. Well, thanks. But yeah, it's wonderful. And our capital funds, our capital grants this year, we're building an antique house that Bill Rollo is building and it's gonna house our entities that are now held under a tent, and it's one more building that we don't have to rent tents for. That's our goal is to keep the infrastructure growing so we don't have to rent tents that are expensive and hard to get and get destroyed. We have winds. So, that one's been on the board for a little while, but we're finally building that. A year ago, I think after one of our big rains, we improved where the rides are placed, made that more stable instead of Addison County Clay to put their big rides on and pull out with huge crangles when they were done. And we've used it for septic. And like Chris said, it's seed money, so when you start a project, you're not starting with a $100 donation. You have something concrete that you can say, yes, we are going to do this, and work from there on it. How

[Speaker 0]: was your attendance this year?

[Cindy Kay Hart (Addison County Fair & Field Days)]: Very good. It was not quite the biggest year, but very close to the biggest. We had no, it didn't have to do with mother nature, the whole weather was wonderful. At one point our grounds man, Leonard Barrett, came in the office at like five in the afternoon and he says, I'm bored. Like it's okay, Leonard, that means things are good. If you're bored, things are good. So, it was actually a wonderful, wonderful year. Good.

[Bob Allen (Past President, Vermont Fairs Association)]: You didn't get rained out this year. Yeah, outstanding. Yeah, yes.

[Cindy Kay Hart (Addison County Fair & Field Days)]: Yes. Everything was full. I mean, COVID, we've had trouble and all the exhibits full and everything, but last year was the fullest it's ever been.

[Speaker 0]: Yeah. And I I even learned how to judge it,

[Bob Allen (Past President, Vermont Fairs Association)]: the cows. There you go. That's good. Yeah. Addison. So

[Robert Plunkett (Vermont State Fair, Rutland)]: we've got a guest judge that can make the circuit.

[Bob Allen (Past President, Vermont Fairs Association)]: I'm not sure how good

[Cindy Kay Hart (Addison County Fair & Field Days)]: it is.

[Bob Allen (Past President, Vermont Fairs Association)]: I just learned how

[Speaker 0]: they do it. I think it'd be better in judging a dividing contractor. Well, you, Cindy. It's been very good to hear the optimism coming from Addison. So thank you.

[Cindy Kay Hart (Addison County Fair & Field Days)]: Well, let me say, I can't thank you guys enough. It's been wonderful work.

[Speaker 0]: We can't thank you enough for building community and we appreciate that. We worked very hard in this committee to move Vermont forward, but to keep Vermont Vermont as well and keep the traditions alive. We will fight for the smallest person or the biggest person. And if it's anything to do with agriculture, you have friends in this room that believe the smallest things are the most important to the biggest thing. To have some optimism is very welcomed.

[Cindy Kay Hart (Addison County Fair & Field Days)]: Well, thank you.

[Randy Mead (Field Days President)]: Good morning. My name is Randy Mead. And Hi, guys. I am from Memorial Hermann, EOT. This is my first year involved as president of EO Days. I was elected president last year in October at our annual meeting. This is my fifth year being involved with the field days. Once again, can't express enough our deepest gratitude for the Capital Brands in Stutland. Last year, with the Capital brand, We upgraded our horse arena. We switched it from grass back to sand, make it more compatible for the horse people, much better area. We did some upgrades. We had, in fact, in one of our existing buildings, Carlo Hall, was in dire need of repair. So, basically, it was more or less a new structure. Metal structure was put up with the capital grant money last year. This year, with our capital grant money, we are putting overhead doors instead of sliding doors on our four h barn. We where we erected the new steel building for Harlow Hall, the center of the building where the old existing building was was asphalt. And this year, part of our money, we're gonna be removing that and have it like one complete concrete pad. I mean, it just makes it last longer. I mean, our, yeah, asphalt, it's kinda like, you know, when you are and we use that during our field base for vendors to be in, so that is upgrading it. We also replacing, at the moment, at our back area, it's like a sliding gate, steel gate, and it increases in the ground. It's wretched, I can't keep doing this. But we're gonna have the swinging doors gate, so easy access, that's basically our main access during the winter months. Also this year, I'm excited about, normally, since I've been involved, we pretty much did our field days, and then we rent out our buildings for weddings, things like that. This year, we're adding two more events. We're putting on a car show in August, and I had just basically thrown out Russ, what you're wrong. But I've gotta change that because some people are thinking, that sounds like they're gonna come here and go drag race. Basically, you have a vehicle you think is that's what we want. Just where it's community, everybody just come check out everybody's we're open, you know, having the food booth open and serve hot dog and things. And then in September, the September, we are hosting working dog trial competition, and they are very excited about that because at the moment, there is not many areas in Vermont where that is going on. I know Caledonia has the working dog trials, which is awesome because I went to a bunch of to see it. So I'm and they're very excited about being able to bring it back. And I also, too, want to thank, I mentioned this upstairs in the house, Cheryl Audette has been working in the cook shed. This is my great granddaughter, Jenna. For the past five years, I have been the animal barn. That was my baby. That little girl has been there every year with me all three days. The first year there, I've had people come up, you guys go over to the animal barn, and I'm thinking, oh, they just, boy, what's happening? There's this little girl over there this big, and she's got a huge load in her veil barrel, and she's had her out of I know. Okay. I know who that is. That's okay.

[Bob Allen (Past President, Vermont Fairs Association)]: And and

[Randy Mead (Field Days President)]: just If you wanted to make her blush, you've succeeded. That's good. But that girl, she is an asset. And I mean, just think all of our people are volunteers, and there has been a great object and interest for people approaching me about, oh, thank you. Thank you. What can we do this year? And it's a I'm not sure. I'm sorry. Was laughing. I think that's it for me, unless you have questions.

[Speaker 0]: Well, think the hardest part of COVID is starting to really recover, which is community involvement again. It wasn't so much that people were afraid of getting back involved. It's just that when you take them out of their cycle for a couple years, it takes time for people to find what they did before valuable, but it also is dependent on what they're going to see. What we're hearing today from all of you is that you are offering something that people want to come back to. You know, you could say that you want to build community and then not do anything, or you can build community and then have people come and be a part of it. And that is why it's so easy to be part of these capital grants. We wish it was more. We've tried to raise it over time, but we're appreciative that you're appreciative. We're appreciative that you're I think this is the first time I'm going to speak for myself and the senators, other senators can certainly add their thoughts. First of all, it's really good to see everyone. Zoom has been helpful, but there's nothing that's any better than eyeball to eyeball. That's just the way that it is. So it's very good to see everyone. The second thing is, this is the first time that I've actually heard a lot of optimism from everyone. We all know that things can be better, but everything's not perfect. Thank you for bringing optimism into this room and telling us how good things are versus how they're not,

[Randy Mead (Field Days President)]: and I appreciate that. Well, thank you very much. Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Member)]: So welcome, everybody. I happen to sit on the advisory committee, too, for the grant applications, and Jackie's with me on that. Ticket's 35,000, and it's been fairly

[Cindy Kay Hart (Addison County Fair & Field Days)]: flat for a while. I don't know for

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Member)]: how many years, but to the chair's point, and you've got three members of the institution committee here, it would be nice at some point, probably this year, that that could get bumped to forty and forty five, because there's always, and I think it was mentioned before, you put a barn up for 52,000, and ten, twelve years later, it's doubled. So everything else is going up, and I wish we were able to do more. I'm really heartened to see Franklin's back in business. Yes. And the Vermont Farm Show will also be back next gen.

[Randy Mead (Field Days President)]: I did hear that. That is incredible.

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Member)]: It's a little later than It's

[Sen. Steven Heffernan (Clerk)]: going to be in April, still at Champlain Valley, and from what I understand, it's only gonna be one of the Miller buildings, not all of them like we had before. And it'll be more focused on farmer market type and farm stands. So they're really gonna be promoting the farm piece of it. So it'll be different. But as we were talking upstairs, they were asking Orleans when they're gonna move that bear back to August, and it has to do with carnival rides and all that. I said, Well, people are still asking me when are we moving the farm show back to Barrie? And we're like,

[Cindy Kay Hart (Addison County Fair & Field Days)]: Oh my god. Please know.

[Bob Allen (Past President, Vermont Fairs Association)]: I remember it in Barrie.

[Cindy Kay Hart (Addison County Fair & Field Days)]: Yeah, know. That was a tight So

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Member)]: anyway, it's great. Wish we had more to give you, but

[Randy Mead (Field Days President)]: We appreciate everything. I mean, like I said, it gives us a base and go from there. And, you know, my thought I mean, I've been involved, and, of course, I see what's so that was my vision, what we absolutely need, and then go from there. I think we're going to achieve our goals. Well, we'll give you a speaker.

[Sarah Noel (Secretary, Franklin County Field Days)]: If I have time, is there time?

[Cindy Kay Hart (Addison County Fair & Field Days)]: Yeah, well. Hello, everybody. Thank you. Thank you

[Sarah Noel (Secretary, Franklin County Field Days)]: for all that you do for the people and agriculture. I'm Sarah Noel. I am with the Franklin County Field Days. I am the secretary. I am fairly new. A lot of this is new to me, so please educate me and inform me. Yes, the Franklin County Field Days is back this year on a temporary site. We have a two year lease with a potential for a third, and in that timeframe, the goal is to find money to buy the land, because as you all know, we don't have land. State no longer lease to us, we do not have the availability of that property to utilize for the fair anymore. So our biggest hurdle is finding land and then finding the money to purchase land. We have looked and searched and searched. A lot of Franklin County is wet. A lot of Franklin County is conserved. There's not a lot of availability. So that means looking at land that costs a lot of money. Right now, we're looking at 2,400,000.0 for 47 acres.

[Cindy Kay Hart (Addison County Fair & Field Days)]: Seriously. I know. I know it

[Sarah Noel (Secretary, Franklin County Field Days)]: won't happen overnight, but I am optimistic that the community will rise up, because agriculture is extremely important, as you all know. So anything I can do to move the needle, find funding, please let me know what I have to do, who I have to contact. I am a volunteer, and this is only my sort of second job. I do have another job that I have to attend to at times, so I'll do what I can for agriculture in the community, but I need help. Can't do it all myself.

[Speaker 0]: I think this year your best bet is to buy Xeris Cropier because it is very, very tight. I know. Really is, And we get it because I'm going to tell you, as I had said in some of my comments about the optimism of, we had some pretty dark days with some of the fairs. Know Rutland was all of them, but I know Rutland was pretty scary and I know Addison, we were talking a lot about that. It's all been there. We're on better ground. So yeah, optimism and we just keep trying to move forward.

[Bob Allen (Past President, Vermont Fairs Association)]: Thank you very much. Thank you.

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Member)]: Well, you. Where in Franklin, where are they looking

[Bob Allen (Past President, Vermont Fairs Association)]: to purchase that property that it's

[Sarah Noel (Secretary, Franklin County Field Days)]: It is behind Tractor Supply, Total Home Center, off Exit 20.

[Bob Allen (Past President, Vermont Fairs Association)]: Oh, okay.

[Randy Mead (Field Days President)]: That makes sense.

[Sarah Noel (Secretary, Franklin County Field Days)]: Where the temporary site is. We are working with the landowners to put together a purchase and sales agreement. What's on the land now? It is Crockland, it is Hayland. Okay.

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Member)]: Have you talked to the land trust?

[Sarah Noel (Secretary, Franklin County Field Days)]: Yes, I have. They will not allow a fair to be run on land trusted land. They would help potentially conserve acres if we had purchased land where acres could then be conserved, but we can't purchase land that's already conserved. And that is due to a rule in their rule book and it would take an act of Congress to change it, was told. So yes, I have.

[Speaker 0]: Okay. Well, thank you. Appreciate it very much. Guys have a great rest of your day in

[Sen. Brian Collamore (Member)]: this building. Thank you.

[Speaker 0]: Thank you for coming to Montpelier. We appreciate seeing everyone. Thank

[Cindy Kay Hart (Addison County Fair & Field Days)]: you, Senator.

[Speaker 0]: Thank you very welcome.

[Sarah Noel (Secretary, Franklin County Field Days)]: Thank you, Dave. Yes.

[Cindy Kay Hart (Addison County Fair & Field Days)]: Thank you.