The Proposed Constitutional Amendments and the Open Directors Seat to be filled

The Van Wert County Agricultural Society will hold its Annual Reorganizational Meeting on Saturday, November 13, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. The meeting will be held in the EMR Meeting Room in the Administration Building. The following proposed constitutional changes and Amendments will be voted on. Anyone who holds a Membership Certificate (ticket) may vote between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. in the Buckeye Room, which is located in the Administration Building. Members will need their Membership Certificate (ticket) or Driver’s License to vote. In addition, there is currently an open seat on the Board of Directors to be filled by appointment. Details of how the seat will be filled are on page 2 of this release..

Amendment #1

The Board of Directors of the Van Wert County Agricultural Society is proposing to amend Article IV of the Constitution to add three (3) more Directors, bringing the total to 18. One each would represent the Northern Tier of Townships (Tully, Union, Hoaglin, and Jackson), one the Central Tier (Harrison, Pleasant, Ridge and Washington) and one the Southern Tier (Willshire, Liberty, York, and Jennings). If passed, all 3 Seats would be filled by appointment to a term decided by the current Board of Directors until such time when all 3 Seats would naturally appear on the ballot as their term comes up for election. Therefore Article IV would be amended from its current form:

 

Article IV

This society shall consist of fifteen (15) Directors; one (1) from each of the twelve (12) townships in the county, but not a resident of the villages of said townships, one (1) from within the corporation limits of the City of Van Wert, residents of which may not run for Director of townships within the city limits, (1) Director to represent all the incorporated villages of the county and residents of the City of Delphos who reside in Van Wert County, and one(1) to be an At-Large Director, who may reside in any township, village, or the City of Van Wert commencing with the 2015 City of Van Wert position becoming the new At-Large Director seat.  When a resident of the township, village or city does not seek re-election or no one runs for Director of the township, village or city, the Van Wert County Fair Board may appoint a Director-At-Large to represent the township, village or city where a vacancy is declared until the next election of Directors which is held at the Fair each year.  If no one runs for that particular area, the Director-At-Large may be reappointed.  When the term for the township, village or city becomes a full three year term and no one declares for the said Directorship of the township, village or city by Friday at 5:00pm before the first day of the Van Wert County Fair, any member of the Society may take a petition to run for the position of Director-At-Large for the said township, village or city for the full three year term.  An individual may only run for one Directorship position per year.  The position will be voted on by the Fair membership at the election of Directors that is held each year during the Fair between the hours of 11:00am and 7:00pm the last full day of the Fair.  One third (1/3) of the Directors will be elected each year for a three (3) year term.  Only bona fide members of the Society are entitled to vote.  This elected Director and any other newly elected Directors will assume the duties of their position at the Annual Meeting of the membership to be held on the second Saturday in November following their election. The Board of Directors shall elect, by ballot, a President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer, who shall hold office for one (1) year, and until their successors are duly elected.  The President and Vice President shall be Directors and the Secretary and Treasurer may be Directors.

To read as follows if this amendment is passed by the Membership at its 2021 Annual Meeting

Article IV

This society shall consist of eighteen (18) Directors; one (1) from each of the twelve (12) townships in the county, but not a resident of the villages of said townships, one (1) from within the corporation limits of the City of Van Wert, residents of which may not run for Director of townships within the city limits, (1) Director to represent all the incorporated villages of the county and residents of the City of Delphos who reside in Van Wert County, one(1) to be an At-Large Director, who may reside in any township, village, or the City of Van Wert commencing with the 2015 City of Van Wert position becoming the new At-Large Director seat and one (1) from the Northern Tier of Townships (Tully, Union, Hoaglin, Jackson) , one (1) from the Central Tier (Harrison, Pleasant, Ridge, Washington) and one (1) from the Southern Tier (Willshire, Liberty, York, Jennings). The new Regional Directors would be filled by appointment to a term decided by the current Board of Directors until such time when all 3 Seats would naturally appear on the ballot as their term comes up for election beginning with the 2022 election cycle. When a resident of the township, village or city does not seek re-election or no one runs for Director of the township, village or city, the Van Wert County Fair Board may appoint a Director-At-Large to represent the township, village or city where a vacancy is declared until the next election of Directors which is held at the Fair each year.  If no one runs for that particular area, the Director-At-Large may be reappointed.  When the term for the township, village or city becomes a full three year term and no one declares for the said Directorship of the township, village or city by Friday at 5:00pm before the first day of the Van Wert County Fair, any member of the Society may take a petition to run for the position of Director-At-Large for the said township, village or city for the full three year term.  An individual may only run for one Directorship position per year.  The position will be voted on by the Fair membership at the election of Directors that is held each year during the Fair between the hours of 11:00am and 7:00pm the last full day of the Fair.  One third (1/3) of the Directors will be elected each year for a three (3) year term.  Only bona fide members of the Society are entitled to vote.  This elected Director and any other newly elected Directors will assume the duties of their position at the Annual Meeting of the membership to be held on the second Saturday in November following their election. The Board of Directors shall elect, by ballot, a President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer, who shall hold office for one (1) year, and until their successors are duly elected.  The President and Vice President shall be Directors and the Secretary and Treasurer may be Directors.

Amendment #2

The Van Wert County Board of Directors is proposing that Article XVIII be amended from:

Article XVIII

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

1. Purchase a membership certificate for the membership year in which candidate is seeking election.
2. Complete 20 hours of voluntary service to the society, in the fiscal year in which candidate is seeking election.
3. Attend 3 regular monthly board meetings of the society, during the fiscal year in which candidate is seeking election.
4. State on petition the specific board position for which candidate is seeking election.
5. Collect ten (10) or more signatures from members of the society, from the area for which board position represents.

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 2017 election and each election thereafter.

To read as follows:

Article XVIII

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

1. Purchase a membership certificate for the membership year in which candidate is seeking election.
2. Complete 10 hours of voluntary service to the society, in the fiscal year in which candidate is seeking election.
3. Attend 1 regular monthly board meeting of the society, during the fiscal year in which candidate is seeking election.
4. State on petition the specific board position for which candidate is seeking election.
5. Collect ten (10) or more signatures from members of the society, from the area for which board position represents.

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.

There is an open Directors Seat to be filled

In addition, there is currently an open seat on the Board of Directors of the Van Wert County Agricultural Society in Tully Township, Van Wert County, Ohio. Per Article IV of the Van Wert County Agricultural Societies Constitution, this seat is now a Director at Large and is to be filled by appointment of the Van Wert County Agricultural Society Board of Directors. Any current member of the Van Wert County Agricultural Society may apply for the open seat. While being a resident of Tully Township is NOT a requirement, residency in Tully Township would be given preference. Anyone who is interested is asked to contact the Fair office to confirm their qualifications for appointment on or before 11/10/2021. The names of those interested will then be reviewed by the Board of Directors and a decision on the appointment would be announced in the near future.