FAIRBOARD

Leadership for the Fair

The Alpena County Fair Board helps guide and support the fair each year through planning, leadership, and continued dedication to the community. Their work helps preserve long-standing fair traditions while supporting the events, programs, and operations that make the fair possible.

The Fair Board plays an important role in overseeing the direction and success of the Alpena County Fair. Through year-round planning and coordination, board members help ensure the fair remains a welcoming place for exhibitors, fairgoers, volunteers, vendors, and supporters.

Fair Board Involvement May Include

• Fair planning and oversight
• Event coordination
• Fairgrounds support
• Policy and operational guidance
• Community partnerships
• Support for exhibitors, vendors, and volunteers

Board members serve with a shared commitment to preserving the Alpena County Fair as a valued local tradition. Their leadership helps strengthen the fair’s role in celebrating agriculture, participation, and community pride.

Recognize the individuals who help lead the fair. Board member names, officer roles, and contact information may be added here to help visitors learn more about the people supporting the fair.

Alpena County Fair Society BY-LAWS

Mission Statement: 
The purpose of the Alpena County Fair Society is to provide a safe, desirable learning atmosphere to raise awareness of educational projects with Community participation of youth and adults in Alpena County and surrounding Northeast Michigan Counties.

(Article I)

Organized under Act 80 of P.A. of 1855 (see 10216-10227) CL 1929, updated November 6, 2025..  The Alpena County Fair Society, its Board of Directors, and its Executive Board will follow Robert’s Rules of Order. This Fair Society will adhere to the Non-Profit Accountability Standards and all other Business Policies as approved by the Board of Directors as a whole.

The Governing Board will be composed of 12 persons from the Membership Body of the Alpena County Fair Society as a result of that body’s election. Whose terms of 3 years will be staggered so that equal numbers of terms expire at the end of each fiscal year of the Alpena County Fair Society. 

Membership

Any person who is interested in the purpose of this Agricultural Society, and who is eighteen years of age or older may become a member of this association upon the payment of an annual membership fee of $5.00. Only members who have been enrolled at least 30 days prior to the annual meeting of the Alpena County Fair Society are entitled to vote. Each member shall be entitled to one vote on each question submitted during the Annual Meeting or a Special Meeting. Memberships are not transferable. No person shall be denied membership based on race, sex, creed, color, or nationality; the Alpena County Fair Society is an equal opportunity society.

The Alpena County Fair Society reserves the right to recognize certain individuals that have gone above and beyond to serve the Society. Honorary Members (Gold Card/Silver Card Members) are exempt from having to pay the annual membership fee of $5.00.  The Honorary Members will be afforded the same rights as a full dues-paying members. 

Becoming A Member of the Society

The Alpena County Fair Society will run an ad on multiple social media platforms for anyone interested in becoming a member of the society. At a minimum the ad will consist of the following, the membership fee, the last day memberships will be taken, the Board of Directors, and whom to contact should they wish to become a member of the Alpena County Fair Society. 

Annual - Special Meetings or Emergency Meetings

The annual meeting of the society shall be held at such a place as may be designated by the executive board and stated in the notice of the meeting in the County of Alpena, on the first Thursday in November each year. One of the purposes of this annual meeting will be the election of Directors. Written, printed, or emailed notice of the annual meeting, or any special meeting of the members, shall be provided by the Secretary to each member at his/her last known address. 

Special meetings of the Alpena County Fair Society membership may be called at any time by the President of the Alpena County Fair Society, they may also be called by the Secretary Manager with the written request of three Directors. A 10-day notice must be provided to the Alpena County Fair Society Membership for any such meeting. 

An emergency meeting is appropriate when immediate action is required to protect the organization and there isn’t enough time to wait for a regular meeting. 

Typical qualifying situations include:

1.  Threats to safety or property

Structural fail of property owned
2.  Legal or financial risk

Imminent lawsuit or legal deadline

Risk of losing funding, grants, or insurance coverage

Vendor cancellations that jeopardize the fair

3.  Operational crises

Sudden loss of key service (power, water, livestock facilities, etc)

Weather or disaster impacts requiring immediate response

What does not usually qualify as an emergency meeting:

1.  Wanting to move faster on a project, alternatives may exist

2.  Routine business decisions

3.  Planning discussions or long-term strategy

4.  Risk of invalid decisions and limited participation

Quorum

A quorum for the transaction of business at any Alpena County Fair Society Meeting shall consist of not less than 20% of the members unless the nature of the business to be transacted requires a different quorum as specified in the laws of the State of Michigan.

Order of Business

The order of business for an Alpena County Fair Society Meeting will be as follows:

1. Roll Call of Directors
2. Pledge
3. Reading of Notice
4. Reading of Minutes of the last meeting
5. Report of Treasurer
6. Report of the President
7. Report of the Secretary Manager
8. Election of Directors   
9. Transaction of other business as listed in the notice
10. New Business
11. Adjournment

This order of business may vary providing it has been agreed upon by the majority of the Board of Directors.

(Article II)

Board of Directors

Becoming a Director of the Alpena County Fair Society

Any person interested in becoming a director of the Alpena County Fair Society can do so as long as they have met the following requirements:

• Write a letter of interest to the Alpena County Fair Society Board of Directors forty days before a meeting of the Alpena County Fair Society Membership.
• Met all the requirements in Article I
• They must reside in the Alpena Public School District. This requirement can be waived by a 2/3rd vote of the Board of Directors on an as-needed basis. (11/2/23)
• They must be willing to commit the time necessary to filling this position (IE: attention and involvement in the annual county fair, work sessions, meetings, special events, etc.)
• They must become an Alpena County Fair Society Member for one year, and attend 6 monthly meetings over the course of said year. 
• Previous experience will be considered. Above said requirement can be waived by a 2/3rd vote of the Board of Directors on an as-need basis.
• If a current Board of Director should resign from their position/term upon approval by the board, they would be eligible to rerun for any available seat at the following year’s election. 
• Only one Fair Board Member per immediate family may serve on the Board. 

Directors

The Board of Directors shall consist of twelve members. The Board of Directors will be elected from the membership of the Alpena County Fair Society, providing they meet the requirements in Article I. If the need merits, the Board of Directors shall have the power to appoint an Alpena County Fair Society member to a vacant seat on the Board of Directors, as long as all requirements listed below in vacancies have been met. Directors whose term has expired shall be open for election at the Annual Meeting of the Alpena County Fair Society. The Board of Directors must also consist of the following Officers:

1. President
2. Vice-President
3. Secretary
4. Treasurer
5. Secretary Manager

These Officers as a whole body shall be known as the Executive Board for the Alpena County Fair Society Board of Directors. 

The Board of Directors has the authority to appoint, direct, and set standards for a Junior Fair Board that has no voting rights.

Addition of Trustee/Associate Member 

• Appointed by the Fair Board, Board of Directors
• Trustee/Associate Member is a non-voting member
• Trustee/Associate Member will be covered by the Alpena County Fair Board’s Insurance while volunteering during Alpena County Fair activities

Terms of Office

Directors are elected to a term of three years. Four Directors are elected each year. Outgoing Directors are qualified for re-election. 

Executive Board

The Board of Directors for the Alpena County Fair Society shall have the power to elect an Executive Board that will consist of the following offices:

1. President
2. Vice-President
3. Secretary
4. Treasurer
5. Secretary Manager

Any person that is elected to the position of President, Treasurer, or Secretary Manager must have been on the Board of Directors for a period of one year before they can hold that office. This requirement can be waived by a 2/3 vote of the Board of Directors on an as-needed basis. The Executive Board shall act for the board in the interim between regular Board of Directors meetings. A report of any Executive Board Meeting shall be made at the following regular meeting for the Board of 

Directors; however, no official business can be conducted at the Executive Board Meeting. All records of the Executive Board Meeting will be attached to the preceding regular meeting minutes. 

Term Limits for President and Vice President positions.

The President and Vice President shall be limited to a 4-year term of office.   A minimum of 2 years between previously held position is required before running again for the same position. 

Vacancies

Vacancies on the Board of Directors shall be filled by appointment by the remaining Directors within the confines of the previously stated conditions. The new Director appointed shall hold that position during the unexpired portion of the term. In the event a vacant position occurs that position must be filled within 60 days. If it is not filled within 60 days, then that position is held open until an Alpena County Fair Society Meeting. If the vacancy occurs after the annual Alpena County Fair, then that position is held open until the Alpena County Fair Society Annual Meeting, during which time the Alpena County Fair Society Membership will fill the vacant seat.

In the event an elected director so chooses to resign, that said director will not be eligible to seek a future term as a director until the term they resigned from has expired and they have waited an additional 3-year penalty.

Regular Monthly Meeting

The Board of Directors shall hold regular meetings at least eleven months of the year. The Board of Directors can hold Bi-Weekly meetings leading up to the Annual Alpena County Fair. The meeting is to be held in the County of Alpena, with place, and time to be designated by the Executive Board during their Re-Organizational meeting proceeding the Alpena County Fair Society Annual Meeting.  The date and time of the regular meeting must be consistent for each month.

Re-Organizational Meeting of the Board of Directors

The Re-Organizational Meeting for the Board of Directors shall be called by the standing President of the Board during the past year. The order of business shall be as follows:

1. Roll Call 
2. Pledge
3. Secretary Report
4. Treasurer Report
5. Reading of By-Laws Pertaining to the Board of Directors
6. Election of New Officers
7. Public Comment
8. Old Business
9. New Business
10. Adjournment

Quorum

The quorum of the Board of Directors shall be one more than half of the Board of Directors.

Duties of the Board of Directors

The Board of Directors shall conduct the business affairs of the Alpena County Fair Society between meetings of the membership. They shall show adequate records of all transactions, and in general perform such services as are usual in similar organizations. They shall have the authority to delegate to the Executive Board such power as the Board of 

Directors deem appropriate. The Board of Directors shall arrange certain committees including but not limited to the following:

• Finance Committee
• By-Law Committee
• Personnel Committee
• Building & Grounds Committee
• Entertainment
• Policy & Procedures

Committees may consist of the following at a minimum: 

• At least one Alpena County Fair Board Member or Trustee, which will be appointed by the Fair Board.
• 1 Member of the Alpena Fair Society   
• Committee Members are required to attend a minimum of one Board Meeting each quarter. (11/2/23)                  

Disciplinary Action

A Director may be removed by the Board of Directors by a 2/3rd vote and will not be eligible to run for three years, providing that one of the following applies. 

• The Director to be removed has missed three consecutive, regularly scheduled monthly meetings without just reason or written notice. In-person attendance is required. (11/2/23)
• The Director to be removed has shown just reason that they do not want to cooperate in conjunction with the Board of Directors as a whole or has shown aggressive behavior that is not appropriate for a setting such as this.

(Article III)

Dissolution

Upon the dissolution of the corporation at any time for any reason, any remaining assets or money in the treasury shall be donated to the Alpena County 4-H Program to be used for ground improvements.