St. Joseph Fair Board members survive recall effort, residents still angry

CENTREVILLE — Three members of the St. Joseph County Grange Fair Board survived a recall attempt.

Tony Hochstetler, Gary Clark and Tricia Ulsh were targeted for their part in the October firing of former fair manager Missi Tefft. During the Fair Association’s annual meeting Monday, Nov. 14, an anonymous paper vote was taken to determine the trio’s fate.

Though “yes” votes in favor of recall exceeded “no” votes, none received the minimum number of votes necessary to trigger the recall. Fair board President Keith Bower said the association is comprised of 274 members. For the recall to take effect, a minimum of 137 affirmative votes were required.

Vote totals were:

• Hoschstetler: 93-59 in favor of recall

• Clark: 89-69 in favor of recall

• Ulsh: 90-61 in favor of recall

The vote took place following lengthy conversation from association members on both sides of the issue. Former board member Ron Weston noted the fair’s lengthy history and its deep-rooted tradition in St. Joseph County for more than 170 years.

Specifically, Hochstetler, Clark and Ulsh acted contrary to bylaws and guidelines of the fair, Weston said. He alleged they started verbal altercations with Tefft and other board members, set a negative tone and harmed the fair's public image.

“These same board members were all heard criticizing the fair, other board members and the manager (while patronizing) local restaurants and stores, at other meetings and even at the fair itself,” he said. “All these incidents are a violation of the policy manual (by) not placing the fair above oneself and not being a good ambassador.”

He also alleged the closed session during which Tefft’s fate as fair manager was determined was conducted illegally and in violation of the Open Meetings Act, which requires public bodies to hold public meetings if a quorum of the board is present. In addition, any decisions or discussions on matters that could pertain to a decision must also be conducted in a public meeting.

In addition, Weston said none of the seven board members in support of the motion to fire Tefft gave a valid reason for their vote, nor did they present a plan for how the fair would move forward on a day-to-day basis without a manager in place.

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Ruth Cornwell, the fair’s executive secretary for decades, was fired in 2021. She noted the irony in that the same people who terminated her without merit are the same ones who have a problem with Hochstetler and Clark, specifically, for doing the same thing to Tefft.

“Now you guys are turning around and saying it was wrong for Missi … I’m not saying (what happened to Tefft) was right or wrong, but you have all committed the same thing,” Cornwell said. “So, I think it proves turnabout is fair play.”

Lifelong Centreville resident Wendy Guess said she has been a part of the fair for more than 40 years. She said the fair board and fair association need to return their focus to the fair itself and cut the drama.

“Ruth pretty much said what I was going to say, but for four years minus COVID, we done it to Ruth, we done it to Missi … there’s been a lot of hearsay, smirking — I just saw smirking while Ruth was talking — and it’s not right,” she said, the volume of her voice escalating as she continued. “This association is to take care of the fair, the fair board is to take care of the fair. What’s happened the last four years is bulls---. You grew up on this fair, I grew up on this fair … our parents didn’t act like this. Why are we?”

More:St. Joseph Fair board faces criticism after manager's firing

Mendon Township resident Jim Hart, a former fair board member, echoed that sentiment. He said the association and the board, especially, need to simply move forward, and let go of the episode involving Tefft and the board members who fired her.

Hart confessed he remains furious over Tefft’s dismissal and challenged those who voted to fire her to provide a legitimate reason in support of their rationale. Still, Hart shifted gears and said more time should be spent on keeping the fair as strong as it is, with less time on accusations and personal vendettas.

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“We need to get together, make it a good fair again and just get past this,” he said. “It does sound like we’re vengeful on two sides here and I don’t like that. Let’s just do it right for the fair.”

Tefft, a 54-year-old Nottawa resident, was promoted to manager in May 2021. The role was served by committee for the 2019 fair after longtime manager Bill Johnson was dismissed in October 2018.

Her annual salary was about $50,000.

The fair association is comprised of people who pay a $25 annual membership fee. They oversee the fair board, which makes almost all decisions related to every component of the annual, Centreville-based event.

In a separate matter Monday, incumbents Angie Mingus, Mindy Timm and Barb Weston were re-elected to the 15-member fair board. Newcomer Christina Yunker was also elected. They will serve a three-year term.

Also, a motion to begin the Fair Association Board’s annual meeting at 6 p.m. instead of 7 p.m. was approved. Next year’s annual association meeting will be Nov. 13.

This article originally appeared on Sturgis Journal: Three St. Joseph Fair Board members survive recall effort