IRON MOUNTAIN — Part-time staffing to support Dickinson County Fair operations will be on the agenda for new county commissioners in 2025 after the fair board voted 6-5 Monday to recommend John Degenaer Jr. for a vacant secretary-office manager position.

The fair board’s action came during a special meeting that was called after the current county board was unable to reach a decision Thursday on creating a fair manager position that would be in addition to the secretary’s post.

With about 50 people in attendance, the fair board voted by secret ballot during a chaotic hour-long session that included questions about whether the meeting had been properly posted.

Degenaer, a longtime fair board president, will be leaving both the fair board and county board in the new year. He had stated his intention to apply for the fair manager position but a proposed one-year contract at $500 per month failed Thursday in a 2-2 county board vote with Degenaer abstaining.

Earlier, the county board had approved a job description for a fair manager but without setting a salary or other contract terms. The fair manager position was proposed with the understanding that the fair secretary would have a reduced role.

The secretary position was posted this past month but drew no applicants. Duties are currently handled by Ashley Edwards, a fair board member who said she doesn’t plan to remain in the role.

The 6-5 decision came after fair board member Tom Bedard offered a motion to recommend Degenaer for the secretary’s job, which would be under the supervision of the county controller’s office.

The fair board has 13 members. One member was absent and Degenaer abstained. Rob Barkle, fair board vice president, chaired the meeting in place of Degenaer.

Uncertainties remain, including terms of a contract, whether the fair board’s recommendation will be deemed valid, whether county officials accept it and even whether Degenaer takes the position.

Although it was not a joint meeting, four county board members were present Monday — Degenaer and Commissioner Ann Martin as members of the fair board and commissioners Barbara Kramer and Joe Stevens as audience participants.

Stevens, who will be the only returning county board member in 2025, said he believes the secretary-office manager position is “absolutely needed” and Degenaer is “the right guy for the job.”

Four new county board members will be seated at an organizational meeting Thursday and two commissioners will be named to the fair board in place of Martin and Degenaer.

The county board’s first regular meeting of the new year will likely be Jan. 13.