The Bulkley Valley Agricultural and Industrial Association is focused on the fair after an April 26 special meeting led to the resignation of president Lindsay Heer and three other board members.
Since then, paid staff member Cindy Savage resigned and vice president Deanna Muir also stepped aside.
The BVAIA is the organization responsible for the management and operation of the annual Bulkley Valley Exhibition.
Current chair Gina DeHoog said the remaining board has appointed three new members: Jen Derbyshire, Jan McClary and Steve White to join existing board Ian Lawson, Charlie McClary, Anita Tomayer and DeHoog.
To fill the two remaining positions, the BVAIA board put out a call to their membership to find interested individuals.
“We’re working hard, trying to fill these positions,” DeHoog said. “And we want to involve our membership.”
With the resignation of Savage less than four months away from this year’s BVX, the BVAIA board thought it best to work with their existing staff to fill the demanding role.
“We decided it wouldn’t be wise to try to fill that position with a new person and try to retrain them so close to the exhibition so we’re using an acting coordinator,” DeHoog said.
So far, so good, Derbyshire said.
“Things are moving along really nicely and the meetings have been very positive,” she said. “We just need to roll up our sleeves and get it done.”
A priority of the new BVAIA board will be setting up an advisory committee with representation from every single user group so no one is left out of the future planning of the site.
DeHoog said the BVAIA board is now only interested in looking forward to find a way for all user groups to have a voice in the management of the Fall Fair grounds.
“When you’re trying to represent a number of diverse groups, you’re going to have disagreements where people feel like things aren’t going the way they should go but as long as there is communication, good things can come out of it.”
Now, less than three months from the 95th annual Bulkley Valley Exhibition, there’s already a lot to look forward to.
Building on the momentum started last year when the BVX hosted some big-name musical acts, Canadian country music star Aaron Pritchett is headlining the end-of-summer event with a show on Friday night. Juno-award-winning Toronto indie rock band July Talk plays Saturday.
As always, the admission price allows you to watch the performers.
And logger sports are back this year.
For more information, go to www.bvfair.ca.