11-39-02. Fair association - County funding
1. A fair association may be organized in any county. The officers and directors must be
residents of the county or, if the association is to conduct a multicounty fair, residents
of one of the participating counties. The association may make written application to
the board of county commissioners for a grant to aid in the erection of buildings and
other improvements suitable to conduct the fair and to pay premiums and expenses
that may be awarded on fair exhibits. An application must include evidence that the
association is incorporated in this state as a nonprofit corporation, the names and
places of residence of all its officers and directors, and evidence of ownership or right
to use of sufficient real property in the county to conduct the fair.
2. The board of county commissioners may not provide county funding or official county
fair authorization under this chapter to more than one fair association or to any
association organized for profit.
3. If the board of county commissioners is satisfied the statements in the application are
true and the association intends in good faith to annually hold a fair within the county
for the exhibition of agricultural, livestock, horticultural, mining, mechanical, industrial,
and manufactured products of the county, and of those articles as are usually exhibited
at fairs, and other public displays of human art, industry, and skill, the board may
provide the association official county fair authorization and funding from revenues
derived from the county general fund levy authority. If the funding is approved, the
county treasurer shall pay to the secretary of the association, by the following July
thirty-first, the amount of funding approved and shall take the receipt of the association
for the payment.
4. Any amount received by the county fair association must be deposited by the
secretary of the association in a special fund.
5. To promote holding a county fair, the board of county commissioners may purchase or
lease in the name of the county not to exceed two hundred forty acres [97.12 hectares]
of real estate and construct buildings and improvements for the conduct of a county
fair. The board of county commissioners may issue bonds in the name of the county if
approved by electors of the county in accordance with sections 21-03-06 and 21-03-07
to purchase not to exceed two hundred forty acres [97.12 hectares], of real estate and
construct buildings and improvements for the conduct of a county fair.
6. Upon the board's own motion, the board of county commissioners may continue to
provide funding under this section after the first year's grant of aid.
7. The authority of this section may be used by a county to join in formation and funding
of a multicounty fair association under terms of an agreement with one or more other
counties.
