Longtime fair leader fired

The Flathead County Fair Board has fired longtime Fair Manager Jay Scott and appointed board member Ted Dykstra Jr. as interim manager.

The board’s 3-1 vote on Thursday not to renew Scott’s contract follows concerns some board members had about Scott’s ability to properly manage the fairgrounds and an internal audit that showed security concerns and discrepancies in the way cash is handled.

In a related development, longtime Fair Board member Paul Atkinson quit after Scott was fired. Atkinson, the lone member who supported Scott, said Scott has been a loyal, dedicated employee who in the past had gotten “sterling” evaluations.

“If he’s got a problem in a certain area, then we should work with him,” Atkinson said.

Following the vote, Atkinson hastily left the meeting, saying as he walked out: “Tell them I quit, too, when you report to the commissioners.”

Dykstra, managing broker of Lambros Real Estate, said he realized the termination of Scott’s contract “is not an easy decision,” but pointed out that the county commissioners had tasked the board with being fiscally responsible and working to correct deficiencies brought to light by the recent audit.

“We need to base [this decision] on our heads rather than our hearts,” Dykstra stressed. “None of us have a vendetta against Jay.”

Scott will be paid through the end of April when his contract expires, but he was asked to turn in the keys to the fair office and his county vehicle immediately. Scott’s annual salary was $63,259.

The board’s decision cannot be appealed, county Human Resource Officer Raeann Campbell said. And because of the board’s autonomy, the commissioners are not required to take further action on the decision to terminate Scott.

Campbell said she expects the job opening to be posted next week; she will work with the Fair Board through the hiring process.

Scott said after the meeting that he was “shocked” by the decision.

“I put in 800 to 900 hours of overtime a year making sure we have a good fairgrounds,” Scott said. “In October [2009] they talked about giving me a five-year contract so I have no idea what has happened.”

Campbell said contracts for county department heads typically are for three years.

Even though the commissioners have no direct control over fairgrounds management, the fairgrounds constitutes a county department and the manager reports monthly to the commissioners.

In December, Scott told the commissioners he was mapping out a plan to bring in more revenue from the fairgrounds and discussed a five-year plan geared toward that goal.

But he also noted he didn’t have the time to spend on marketing the fairgrounds because his work load had increased with the addition of the Expo Building and Trade Center that were both constructed during his tenure as manager.

“We’ve never done a good spreadsheet on the profit and loss on building use,” Scott told the commissioners in December. “I feel we know what we do every day, but I’m not sure they [Fair Board members] know.”

Last month Scott told the board it would be tight making this year’s budget. About $650,000 is expected in annual revenue from the fairgrounds, but as of January the facility had brought in $607,700 and needs to earn close to $46,000 by June 30 to meet the budget.

Scott also said he has been working to find more event sponsors.

Joy Struble, a marketing and management consultant who was appointed to the Fair Board last month, made the motion to terminate Scott’s contract.

While she didn’t elaborate on her motion, it was clear throughout Thursday’s three-hour meeting that she had serious concerns about how fair entertainment and food-vendor issues were being dealt with by Scott.

Scott took over as fairgrounds manager when Janet Veidt retired in the mid-1990s. He was known for working 10- to 14-hour shifts and working tirelessly in the weeks leading up to the annual Northwest Montana Fair.

Cheryl Bergerson, a fair office assistant who was hired as a temporary employee, was teary-eyed in the parking lot following the meeting as she reflected on Scott’s termination. She lauded his work ethic and his character.

“He has a heart of gold,” she said.

 Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by e-mail at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com