Board hires Brewer as fair manager in secret vote

The Great Northern Fair Board March 22 voted to hire Dave Brewer of Havre to be the new fairgrounds manager.

Fair board member Tyler Smith, who chaired the board's hiring committee, said the final decision was made through a vote conducted by email.

Paul McCann, chair of the fair board, said though a publicized board meeting was not held to vote on the candidate, he believes the board followed proper hiring procedure.

The Hill County Commissioners were not available for comment before print deadline today.

Brewer said he was one of six applicants for the post that was later narrowed to Brewer and two others by the hiring committee.

McCann said all board members were later presented with information about the final three candidates and were able to visit with them and ask questions before voting.  

McCann said Brewer has the experience needed to do the job.

"With his experiences through life, he seems to have the skill set needed for that position." McCann said.

Brewer, who has a Bachelors of Science in business, said he has a resume that includes managing businesses including retail stores, working at events and fairs, working at concession stands in Montana and Washington, working in construction and chairing the Havre City Government Study Commission.

"I may not be an expert, but I am a jack-of-all-trades, and if I don't know how to do something, I know who to call to get it done," Brewer said.

The position, which has seen high turnover in recent years, has been open for four months. Longtime fairgrounds manager and Havre Mayor Tim Solomon resigned in February 2015 after the board voted to change the requirements of the position.

Solomon was replaced by Mike Sharp. Sharp submitted his resignation in October 2015 following a confrontational public meeting of the fair board.

Bob Horne was then hired in March 2016 but resigned in November.

Brewer said he does not want to focus on the past..

"I have nothing to say about what has happened in the past," he said. "I wasn't involved, I wasn't part of it. I can't change what was."

In addition to maintenance and landscaping duties, the manager also plays a role in helping organize the annual Great Northern Fair.

Brewer, though, said the plans for this year's fair have already been made.

"All I am going to be able to do is shepherd it through this year and hopefully turn a lot of stuff around," Brewer said.

Brewer said that he has several ideas that could help improve the fairgrounds.

Unlike his two most recent predecessors, Brewer will not be living in the house on the fairgrounds. Instead, Brewer said, the fairgrounds office should be moved from its current facility to the house.

He said moving the office to the house would place it in a more visible location and make it easier for people to come in and get information or for campers to check in.

Brewer said he wants to make better use of the fairgrounds website that is being revamped and start a Facebook page for the fairgrounds to be more accessible to the public.

For now, Brewer said, he is talking with fair board members and county officials about the duties of his new position and what needs to be improved at the fairgrounds.

"Basically, I am just kind of getting my feet wet, getting some input from them on things that they've seen or things they have had concerns about," he said. "I've got a lot to learn."