Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Fair Board elects officers for 2006

A special meeting of the Nevada County Fair Board was called for Tuesday, Oct. 4, to discuss the fair pageant.

The meeting was called for 7 p.m., but the Board officers met at 6:30 to elect officers. The election of officers is done every October. Rebecca Holley was named President, with Clark Crellin getting the job as vice president. Tara Carlton will be the secretary, with Myla Crellin being named as the fairs general manager. The Board held off electing a treasurer as the person interested in the position wasnt at the meeting.

It was agreed to elect a treasurer at the November meeting.

Clark Crellin gave the Board some good news, saying he found a carnival for next years fair. He talked with the amusement company at the Southwest Arkansas District Livestock Show and Rodeo and learned it splits up its rides and games, sending them to smaller fairs until its time for the larger ones, such as the district fair, the Four States Fair and any state fairs it may go to.

Part of the company, he said, could be at Prescott next year. This could mean bigger and better rides, though those attending the fair shouldnt be expecting any state fair spectacular caliber rides.

Holley, prior to the special meeting, said there were problems with the pageant, with one of them being the judges were all from Hope. Ordinarily, pageant judges arent obtained from neighboring counties to prevent them from possibly knowing the contestants.

She told the Board parents called her asking for the removal of Lisa McClure as pageant director until the situation could be straightened out. She called the meeting tonight, Holley said.

Rumors were spread about the crowns and titles going to be stripped from the winners. These rumors, Holley said, are unfounded, and all girls who were crowned queen will retain their title until next years fair.

The pageant director shouldnt get the judges, Holley said, nor should she have any contact with them until pageant time.

Brandi Karlovec, who ran the talent show, said she was stepping down and wouldnt be doing it next year. She explained buying trophies for everyone in the show so each member of the two groups would have something to take home. The entry fee, she said, covered most of the cost of the trophies and the Board was out about $20 for them.

None of us (the Board) knew anything about it, Holley said, except there were two entries and 14 trophies.

At this time the special meeting began, with the first question being whether McClure was fired as pageant director or not. Technically, once the pageant ended, so did McClures role as director, as the Board appoints the pageant director in January of each year.

Holley did say McClure was removed until the problem is solved, and the Board will wait until January to make a final decision.

Lorelei Morrow asked the judges to explain the score sheets.

Suzy Powell, one of the judges, said that issue should have been addressed right after the pageant.

Morrow said the contestants didnt get the score sheets until the next day, and that McClure had told the parents they were to have no contact with the judges.

Powell did admit having babysat Jessica Honeas brother, but said she had no idea Honea would be in the pageant until the interview. Honea was crowned Nevada County Fair Queen.

She also said it was a difficult decision to make because the girls had been in pageants before. However, this was Maria Tutors first pageant, as such. Tutor was the first runner up.

Several people were on hand to support McClure and request she be kept on as pageant director.

The Board let it be known this decision would be made at its January meeting.