Coshocton County Agricultural Society Constitution

Article I – TITLE

Section 1. This Society shall be known as the Coshocton County Agricultural Society Inc.

Article II- OBJECTIVE

Section 1. The objective of this Society shall be to promote and encourage Agriculture, Home Arts, Horticulture, and Industry, Science and the raising of better livestock; to encourage school and junior fair exhibits, and all educational features which help to build a better community.

Article Ill – MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Any American Citizen of Coshocton County, Ohio, over 18 years of age may become a member of the Coshocton County Agricultural Society by having his or her name and street address recorded with the Secretary and by paying the established price set by the directors into the treasury in any year. No person shall pay for or secure a membership for anyone other than himself. Memberships shall be placed on sale at least two weeks before old memberships expire on November 30 of each year and shall remain on sale till day before fair. Notice of the days, hours, when memberships can be purchased shall be announced in the annual premium list and on website and social media.

Section 2. Memberships may be purchased at the Secretary’s Office during regular scheduled office hours. Starting the2nd Monday in November and Membership sales close the day prior to the opening of the fair.

Section 3. Membership certificates shall bear dates (day and year memberships begin and day and year memberships terminate) denoting period of membership in the society.

Section 4. A printed certificate of membership shall be issued to each member who pays the required fee, and such certificate shall be issued from a book in which duplicate stubs of the same are properly filled out and preserved. All such certificates shall be numbered consecutively. No membership certificates shall be issued to corporations, organizations, partnerships, or firms. Only that person whose name appears upon the membership certificate shall be considered a member of the Agricultural Society and shall have a right to vote at the annual election of directors of the society or hold office.

Section 5. By complying with the above rules, the purchaser of the membership is entitled to make an exhibit at the fair of as many articles as he may desire without further payment except in the livestock, agriculture displays and Grange entries.

Article IV – BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 1. The Board of Directors shall consist of 21 members, who shall be elected for a term of three years and the terms so arranged that the terms of one-third of the members shall expire annually. This will become a three-year process where one new member will be appointed by the Board of Directors at the January meeting in 2023, 2024, 2025.

Section 2. The casting of votes for directors by proxies is not to be permitted.

Section 3. Any vacancy caused by death, resignation, removal from office or other causes, may be filled by the Board until the next annual election, when a director shall be elected for the unexpired term. Section 4. If any member of the Board of Directors misses three consecutive regular meetings, the Board may declare his position vacant and name a successor to serve until the next annual election, when a director shall be elected for the unexpired term.

Section 5. BCI Background check:Beginning in 2024, any member of the Coshocton Agriculture Society Inc. who desires to declare their candidacy for the office of Director of the Society, must provide a BCI background check to the Secretary before obtaining a petition. They must also attend a minimum of two monthly Board meetings in the current year before running for said position.

If you have not lived in Ohio for the last five consecutive years, you are required to complete both a BCI (Ohio) and FBI (National) background check.

Section 6: Removal and suspension from Board of Directors – Any board member engaging in disorderly behavior (drunken, verbally, abusive, or violent) at any Fair related activity may be reprimanded and/or removed from the board, following a recommendation of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee will allow said individual 15 minutes at the following Board meeting to present their defense on their behalf. The full board will then vote to uphold, amend, or deny the decision of the Executive Committee.

Article V – ELECTION

Section 1. The annual election of the board of directors shall be held at the Fair Ground from 1 to 5 p.m. on the first Saturday in November of each year.

Section 2. The said election shall be by ballot. Ballots must be clearly marked; otherwise, the name will not be counted.

Section 3. Members of the Society must declare their candidacy for the office of Director of the Society by filing with the Secretary of the Society, a petition signed by 10 or more members of the Society, at least 14 days before the annual election of directors is held. Only regularly nominated candidates who have met the filing requirements and have been members for at least the current and previous year, will be eligible for election as a director.

Section 4. The term of office of the retiring Directors shall expire and that of the Directors-elect shall begin on December 1 of each year or until their successors are elected and qualified.

Section 5. The Secretary shall give notice of Directors’ election for three weeks prior to holding thereof, in at least one newspaper of general circulation in the county and/or on website and social media Said announcements shall be made no earlier than six weeks and no later than two weeks before the annual election of directors. Section 6. Petitions shall be obtained from the secretary of the Society.

Section 7. A list of the membership of the Society is available for inspection at the secretary’s office upon the request of any resident of the county.

Section 8. The President shall appoint three judges and two clerks who are members of the Society, but are not candidates for election, to conduct the election of directors and declare the results thereof. Candidates may witness the count either personally or by proxy. The judges of elections shall have the membership roll and verify the rights of all persons to vote before issuing ballots. Voting must be done in accordance with the election laws of the State of Ohio. The clerks of election shall register the names of all persons voting and tally the count, one copy of which Register, and tally sheet shall be placed on file with the secretary of the Society, the other copy shall be mailed to the Department of Agriculture of Ohio, within 10 days after the said election. Poll books and tally sheets shall be supplied by the Department of Agriculture of Ohio.

Section 9. A majority of the board of directors or any group of 25 citizens of legal voting age in the county concerned may petition the Department of Agriculture to supervise their annual election of directors. Said petition must be filed at least 14 days before the election and shall state the reason for such request and be signed with the names and addresses of the persons making such request. Said petition, when filed with the Director of Agriculture, may cause an investigation to be made and if deemed necessary and proper, he shall assign one or more representatives of the Department of Agriculture to supervise election. In case any election results in a tie vote, the election shall be determined by the flip of a coin.

Article VI – ANNUAL MEETING OF MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. The annual meeting of the members of the Society shall meet 2nd Monday of November each year following adjournment of the regularly scheduled meeting of directors which begins at 7:30 p.m. Section 2. The officers and directors of the society shall make reports to the membership of the Society concerning the past Fair and make recommendations for the betterment of future Fairs. The members shall be given opportunity to make suggestions and recommendations for the improvement of the Society or it’s Fair. Such other business may be presented as may be prescribed by this constitution or as may be deemed proper by the Board of Directors.

Article VIII – AMENDMENTS

Section 1. Amendments to the constitution or by-laws may be proposed by:

A majority of the Board of Directors at a scheduled meeting voting in favor of placing an amendment on the ballot; or
Filing a petition with the Secretary of the Society at least 14 days prior to the annual election of the Board of Directors. Said petition must set forth the proposed amendment and be signed by not less than 25 members.

Section 2. If an amendment is proposed, it shall be submitted to the membership of the Society at the annual election of the Board of Directors, or at the Annual Meeting of the Membership of the Society. Section 3. When more than one amendment shall be submitted at the same time, they shall be so submitted as to enable the members to vote on each amendment separately.

Section 4. If the majority of the membership voting on proposed amendment shall adopt such amendment, it shall become a part of the constitution or by-laws.

Article IX – COMPENSATION

Section 1. The compensation of the President and the other Board members shall be fixed by the Board in accordance with the rules of the Ohio Department of Agriculture.

Section 2. Directors, other than the Secretary or Treasurer, shall receive an amount to coincide with the rules of the Department of Agriculture, and mileage at state rate as of January 1 of current year to and from his residence in attending each meeting of the Society. No allowance shall be made to exceed 12 meetings each year, nor shall any funds accumulations, profits or property of the society, or any portion or part thereof, be in any manner except as above used, expended, delivered to or for, the individual benefit of any member or officer of the Board of Directors, or any other person or persons, as a shared gift or dividend in the proceeds or property of the Society. The Board of Directors may appropriate such funds as may be deemed reasonable to cover actual expenses of them and duly authorized representatives of the Society in furthering the interest of the Society and in attending State Conventions and such other meetings deemed in the interest of the fair.

Section 3. The Treasurer, Secretary and Concession Manager may be members of the Board and may receive compensation for their services. The Executive Committee must be members of the Board and may receive compensation for their services. The Society, during the week of its fair, may include meals for directors, officers, and judges at the expense of the fair.

Section 4. The delegate to represent the society at the annual meeting with the Director of Agriculture as provided in Section 901.06 Revised Code of Ohio shall be required to present a properly executed certificate, signed by the president of the society, setting forth that he has been regularly selected as delegate and is duly authorized to represent his society; otherwise, he will not receive official recognition. A rollcall shall be made at the annual meeting to determine attendance and to recognize delegates.

Section 5. Any Director who has served on the Board for at least10 years shall be given a Lifetime Admission Ticket for member and spouse at retirement.

Article X – BONDS

Section 1. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to post a surety bond in an amount required by the board, guaranteeing the faithful discharge of his and the Secretary’s duties.

Article XI – FAIR DATES

Section 1. On or before the last day of October of each year, the society shall submit to the director of agriculture, for his approval, the dates the society desires to have its next annual fair.

Article XII – The Board of Directors of the Society may authorize the sale of intoxicating beverages at fairground events and receive revenue from the sales.

BY-LAWS Coshocton County Agricultural Society

Article I – QUORUM

Section 1. A majority of elected directors must be present to constitute a quorum.

Article II – MEETINGS

Section 1. There shall be regular meetings of the Board of Directors on the third Monday of every month except for 2nd Monday in November for Annual Meeting

Section 2. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be conducted, when necessary, at the call of the President or at the call of the Secretary. Section 3. Written notice of special meetings of the Board of Directors shall be sent to each director by mail or electronic mail. The notice needs to specify the purpose of the meeting.

Article III- ORDER OF BUSINESS

Section 1. The order of business shall be:

Roll Call
Approval, and adoption of minutes
Bills and accounts
Report of committees
Report of officers
Unfinished business
New business
Adjournment

Section 2. The order of business may be temporarily suspended at any meeting by a majority vote.

Article IV – DUTIES OF OFFICERS

Section 1. It shall be the duty of the President to preside at the sessions of the Board, to assign the Superintendent to the different departments, to sign or attest the records of the same. He may cast the deciding vote in case of tie but shall not hold a negative or veto upon the acts of the Board. He shall have power to call special meetings of the Board when he shall deem it necessary to the interests of the Society. He shall see that all By Laws and regulations of the Society are duly enforced and exercise a general superintendence of the same.

Section 2. It shall be the duty of the First Vice President to perform all the duties pertaining to the office of the President, during the absence, resignation, or disability of the President. The Second Vice-President will act during absence of the President and First Vice-President. Section 3. It shall be the duty of the Secretary to keep a record of the proceedings and of the receipts and revenues of the Society as reported by the Treasurer, and a record of all the disbursements of the same; to make and to keep a complete list of all members of the Society; and to make a full and complete list of all articles entered and exhibited at the fair, and to perform such other duties as generally pertain to the office of Secretary. Section 4. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to collect and keep all of the funds and revenues of the Society that may accrue during his term of office, and report the same to the Secretary to pay no money from the treasury of the Society, except from an order drawn by the Secretary and countersigned or attested to by the President; to present to the Board at each meeting an exhibit of all receipts and expenditures of the Society, said exhibit to be countersigned by the Secretary; to maintain an office at the fairgrounds during the annual exhibition of the Society. The treasurer will file with the Director of Agriculture, and publish in the local newspaper, an annual financial report.

Section 5. It shall be the duty of the Executive Committee to employ ordischarge the keeper of the grounds and have a general oversight of the fairgrounds.

Section 6. The Board of Directors may enact such Rules and Regulations for conducting business of the Society, which does not conflict with the Constitution or by-laws, regulations of Ohio Department of Agriculture, or laws of the State of Ohio.

54 COSHOCTON COUNTY FAIR PREMIUM BOOK 2024