The Van Wert County Agricultural Society will hold its Annual Reorganizational Meeting on Saturday, November 9th 2024 at 8:00 am. 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 am and 11:30 am in the Buckeye Room, which is located in the Administration Building. Members will need their membership certificate or drivers license to vote.

The Board of Directors of the Van Wert County Agricultural Society are proposing to amend Article IV of the Constitution to add one (1) more Director bringing the total number of directors to 19. This would be a second At Large Seat, who may reside in any township, village, or the city of Van Wert. If passed, this seat would be filled by appointment decided by the current board of directors, for the current year 2025 and then the seat would appear on the ballot and be a part of the 2025 term that comes up for election on September 1, 2025. Any candidates interested in being appointed must contact the Fair Office and submit a form of interest no later than Friday November 22, 2024. 

Therefore Article IV would be amended from its current form:

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). 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 of Directors 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 2024 Annual Meeting

This society shall consist of nineteen (19) 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, two (2) 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 At-Large Director seat along with one (1) beginning with the 2025 cycle representing the 2nd At Large Directors 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 At Large Director would be filled by appointment to a term decided by the current Board of Directors until such time when the seat would naturally appear on the ballot as their term comes up for election beginning with the 2025 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 of Directors 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.