- County Fair controversy escalates in Hillsdale, with Thursday's Fair Board meeting moved to the County Sheriff's Office.
- It's been weeks since a conservative group was expelled from the Hillsdale County Fair over a sharply-worded flyer and poster about County Clerk Abe Dane.
- Group members and others wishing to become Fair members were told by Sheriff's Deputies that Thursday's Fair Board meeting was a closed one.
- Several individuals say their applications to become Fair members are being rejected.
The County Fair remains a tense subject here in Hillsdale — weeks after a conservative political group was expelled from the Fair over a sharply-worded flyer and poster. Members of that group and others tried to attend a County Fair Board meeting Thursday night… but were not allowed in.
The Fair Board of Directors met Thursday evening — not at the usual Fairgrounds, but at the Hillsdale County Sheriff's Office.
A Sheriff's Deputy told a group of Hillsdale neighbors who wanted to attend: "Just so you guys are aware: I spoke with the Fair Board, all right? They said that this is not a public meeting. This is for the Fair Board only."
WATCH TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED:
Mark Nichols was one of the individuals who wanted to attend. He says a number of people he knows have tried to join the Fair as members — a process that normally only takes a 10-dollar fee.
Nichols says:
"The goal would be, as members, to have a vote on who's on the Board, and some of our people might run for the Board."
But Nichols says the applications are being rejected. He says every rejection letter he's seen cites violations of the Fair's Code of Conduct.
"They're accusing members of the Hillsdale Conservatives — and even people who aren't members of the Hillsdale Conservatives — that have tried to join the Fair, of violating these codes of conduct."
Members of the group showed me their rejection letters. Nichols says their attempts to get clarification have hit a wall.
Regarding the meeting itself — I reached out to Fair Board President, Hillsdale Undersheriff Nathan Lambright, about the ongoing issue. His response read, in part:
"Last night's meeting was a Board of Directors meeting, not a membership meeting, which is held once a year in December."
Fair staff did not respond to my request for comment.
CHECK OUT OUR PREVIOUS COVERAGE OF THE CONTROVERSY HERE.
Want more FOX 47 News? Here's how you download our Roku app
You can also see the latest news from across our mid-Michigan neighborhoods by liking us on Facebook or following us on X.
