Ponoka County’s return to Ag Event board expected
Ponoka County will likely return its support to the Ponoka Ag Event Centre.
“I would think so,” said county councillor George Verheire, an ag centre society board member.
“I think it will get all ironed out in the long run.”
The issue of equal representation on the centre’s board was discussed at a board meeting Monday.
Earlier the county withdrew snowplowing, manure disposal and gravelling services as well as some machinery after the board declined to change its membership.
The Ponoka Stampede Association and Ponoka Agricultural Society with three directors each outnumber the county and Town of Ponoka’s single position each.
One community member at large is also a director.
“We’re willing to work with everybody to try to resolve these problems,” said Verheire.
Board president Terry Jones, a Stampede association representative, said though equal representation “hasn’t been decided as of yet,” the matter will be addressed.
“As a non-profit society, we’d have to change our bylaws.”
Agricultural society president Sherry Gummow said “the county can do what it wants because it’s a municipality and we can do what we want because we’re a private non-profit.”
“We have staff in place and it’s business as usual at the building. We have a very busy year ahead of us.”
Jones said the four groups were “very positive to try to make the centre the best in Western Canada.
“We’re just going to get what it takes done to move forward.”
rfiedler@reddeeradvocate.com
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