GREENVILLE — The Darke County Senior Fair Board meeting this week introduced a new face with big plans. David Jay, recently hired as Head Caretaker, spoke publicly for the first time since stepping into the role — and he didn’t waste time making an impression.
With nearly three decades of supervisory experience in the manufacturing industry, Jay brings a strong background in safety, efficiency, and leadership. In addressing the board, he said he’s excited to be part of the team and looks forward to working closely with all members.
“I’ve been here a week, and I already see areas where we can make things run smoother,” Jay told the board during his remarks. His main goals are to improve communication, increase efficiency, and make sure everyone is on the same page.
Jay laid out several initiatives aimed at improving how caretaking and maintenance tasks are handled. One of the first changes he’s proposing is a color-coded work request system. Different colored sheets would indicate the urgency of tasks – for example, red for immediate needs, pink for jobs that should be done within the week, and other colors for lower-priority items.
“It’s a simple but effective way to organize our workload,” Jay explained that this system will help the caretakers respond faster, be more accountable, and ensure that nothing slips through the cracks.
He also encouraged better coordination between caretaking, maintenance, and the fair board, emphasizing the need to streamline operations and foster better teamwork.
“Safety, accountability, efficiency, and quality — those are the pillars I work by,” he said. “If we keep those in focus and stay in communication, we’ll see real progress.”
Jay closed by assuring the board that he plans to keep everyone informed and involved. “I just want to improve the flow of information,” he said. “This is a good start, and I’m confident we’ll see things continue to improve.”
The board members appeared receptive to Jay’s ideas, with several nodding in agreement as he spoke. As the fairgrounds gear up for upcoming events, it’s clear that David Jay is ready to roll up his sleeves and get to work.
Next the board had a member of the public address concerns over poor sound quality in the sheep barn. Andrew Wright, representing Chuck Wilcox and the Sheep Committee, addressed the board with a proposal for improvement.
Wright expressed frustration that announcements and judging commentary are difficult to hear in the current setup, calling the issue a long-standing problem during fair events. “Right now, it’s hard for exhibitors and spectators alike to follow what’s going on,” Wright told the board. He proposed launching a fundraiser to purchase new sound equipment, asking if the committee would be allowed to do so independently if board funding wasn’t available.
In response, board member Marla Werner noted that conversations had already taken place with Greg, the fairgrounds’ sound technician. She said Greg said he could add four additional speakers in the sheep barn and reposition the existing equipment to improve sound quality throughout the space.
Board member Heidi May expressed concern about the cost if the board were to take on the entire project themselves. “We just have to be cautious about pricing,” she said, acknowledging the board’s limited budget.
Wright clarified that if the Sheep Committee were to move forward on getting their own sound system, that it would be a temporary setup used only for their events, not a permanent installation.
Board members Craig Bowman and Marla Werner agreed that coordinating with Greg (the sound tech for the fairgrounds) would be a good first step, suggesting a collaborative approach might be the most effective way to solve the issue. Wright was advised to work directly with Greg and board member Apollo to determine the best solution going forward.
No final decision was made during the meeting, but the conversation reflected a willingness on both sides to work toward an improvement.
Next, board members discussed significant delays in producing the annual fair book, mainly caused by committee secretaries not turning in their updated pages on time. The issue has been ongoing, and board members emphasized the need for stronger accountability and clearer deadlines.
Board member Heidi May proposed that all Junior Fair changes be submitted by **November 1**, with support from Dave Singer, who seconded the motion. However, concerns were raised about the feasibility of this date—particularly for new committee secretaries still learning the process. Curtis Yount noted that the timeline would be difficult to meet, while Jayden Hicks pointed out that having updates by November would allow the Junior Fair Board to vote on them at its December meeting. Despite the discussion, the motion did not pass.
Marla acknowledged the need for a firm deadline and supported Heidi’s intent, but agreed that November 1 might be too early. She recalled that former fair secretary Judy used to send a letter in January stating that rule changes were due by a February date, suggesting the board could return to a similar system.
The board also addressed broader frustrations with the fair book process itself. Christoph Keller described it as time-consuming and difficult to manage. He suggested allowing committees to directly edit their sections once changes are approved, which would reduce errors and back-and-forth communication. This led to a discussion about potentially redesigning the fair book altogether.
Keller and Hicks shared ideas for modernizing the book, including a magazine-style format that could lower printing costs and adding QR codes throughout the fairgrounds for digital access. While some members were open to these ideas, they also stressed the importance of preserving the book’s traditional appearance, which has remained largely unchanged for decades and holds sentimental value for fairgoers.
The board also considered limiting each person to one physical copy of the book, with additional copies available for purchase as a cost-saving measure.
While no final decisions were made, the board agreed that both the timeline and overall production of the fair book need to be improved. Further discussions are expected to continue in the coming months.
Finally the board entered executive session for about 45 minutes. Once complete they voted to offer the Fair Manager position to an unnamed candidate. The motion passed and they hope to have the position filled by the June meeting. They also voted on a new policy requiring background checks for all current and future employees, including board members. Costs will be reimbursed if the employee passes; those who fail will be terminated immediately and not reimbursed. The motion passed.
