Northern fairgrounds manager resigns Position open third time in two years

Great Northern Fairgrounds Manager Bob Horne abruptly resigned this week, leaving the position vacant for the second time in less than a year.

Hill County Commissioner Mark Peterson confirmed Thursday morning that Horne had resigned and would have 72 hours to change his mind.

“I really can’t say anything until that 72 hours has passed,” Peterson said.

Great Northern Fair board member Missy Boucher said she learned about Horne’s resignation in an email he sent out to all board members Wednesday. She said Horne did not reveal in the email why he resigned, Boucher said.

He was absent from Tuesday’s fair board meeting.

Horne could not be reached for comment.

Horne was hired in March to fill a position that has become one characterized by recent high turnover.

When the fair board altered some of the requirements of the position in early 2015, Havre Mayor Tim Solomon, who had been the fairgrounds manager since 2003, resigned.

Mike Sharp was hired that spring. Though Sharp was credited with bring new energy and enthusiasm to the position, the fair board voted to fire him during a closed unannounced meeting that fall.

At the time, the fair board and the county would not reveal why they decided to dismiss Sharp. They later rescinded the firing because it was done in a meeting that was not posted 48 hours in advance, therefore violating state open meetings laws.

Sharp resigned in October 2015 during the confrontational public meeting of the fair board where they rescinded the firing.

Bob Horne was hired last March to fill the position.

Horne, who grew up in Havre and described himself as someone who loves working with people, said he hoped to reinvigorate the fairgrounds. Among Horne’s ideas were exploring the possibility of holding a flea market on the grounds as well as increasing community involvement in the upkeep of the property.