GOSHEN COUNTY – Torrington resident Sharlet Duffy and Huntley resident Coy Coulson were interviewed and appointed by Goshen County Commissioners Chairman Michael McNamee, Vice Chair Justin Burkart and Commissioner Aaron Walsh during its regularly scheduled meeting for two open positions on the Goshen County Fair Board.

Duffy was appointed to a two-year term, taking over for McNamee, who stepped down after becoming a county commissioner; Coulson was appointed to a five-year term.

The following were questions asked from commissioners with Duffy and Coulson’s responses as well as some background information Duffy and Coulson provided to the board.

Sharlet Duffy

Duffy grew up in Lusk and first fell in love with Torrington when she attended Eastern Wyoming College (EWC). She finished her education at EWU and then left to complete her education at the University of Wyoming (UW). Upon finishing her degree at UW, Duffy said, “I graduated and moved straight back to Goshen County.”

Duffy explained to commissioners she also participated in 4-H as a kid and now has her own children participating in 4-H in Goshen County.

“We’ve just always been interested in the fairgrounds and keeping it as a community place that is well maintained,” Duffy explained to commissioners. “I went to a board meeting for the fair board and saw there was an opening to get people to volunteer for this type of position – so I thought, why not.”

Question: What is one thing you would change about the fair?

Answer: “I don’t know if it would be possible, because Goshen County has both FFA (Future Farmers of America) and 4-H – among other things, activities and clubs,” Duffy explained. “But, the Niobrara County fair schedule is way simpler.”

“There’s a beef day, there’s a swine day, there’s a sheep day and then there’s not a lot of overlapping events so kids are able to do as many projects as they want,” Duffy further explained. “No 4-H clubs do the fair parade because they’re busy getting ready for the show (and events).”

“I think trying to figure out a schedule that works better for the kids, so they can do the fair parade with the FFA clubs as 4-H clubs, is probably what I would like to first try to change.”

Duffy told commissioners the county could potentially get a lot more community participation and buy-in if changes were made to the fair schedule to include all groups and organizations in the fun, non show, competition or auction events.

Question: Talk about one particular passion you have with or about the fair?

Answer: Duffy said streamlining events and adding online bookings for the fairgrounds throughout the year is one of her passions to help grow the fairgrounds into a thriving community meeting place.

“I was thinking about this the other day,” Duffy said. “I think the online booking for the pavilion is wonderful – it’s so much easier than it used to be to book and go right in.”

“I think it’s a struggle because to book the other facilities (at the fairgrounds), like the Rendezvous Center – which I know is harder because of the kitchen – because it’s sometimes difficult to get a hold of the (right people) for the booking.”

Duffy explained how difficult it was to schedule a recent pancake super event because a response to utilize the facility came a month later. She further explained it would be her passion to streamline booking the various facilities for community events so that the fairgrounds continued to thrive.

Question: List one thing you dislike about the fair?

Answer: “This is also kind of silly,” Duffy began to explain. “The parking – especially during the fair – it drives me crazy and I don’t know how you would fix that necessarily.”

Duffy offered a number of solutions she has personally thought about as it relates to correcting the parking headaches at the fairgrounds, but said as a board member she would work with other board members to find appropriate solutions.

Special question from McName: How would you promote the Goshen County Fair to residents who don’t know what the fair is about?

Answer: “I feel like a lot of town kids or town families don’t necessarily know everything that’s going on at the fair,” Duffy stated. “Like the indoor stuff or even the events.”

Adding, “I think doing more advertising like, ‘Hey, there’s stuff for town kids to do, like rockets,’ and you know the different products would help increase the knowledge of these things and would help.”

Duffy said mass mailers with more specific information regarding events, activities or shows for all ages and various activities for in-town or out of town residents could also help.

Coy Coulson

Coulson and his family moved to Goshen County in 2012 and first moved his family to a farm in Huntley.

“As far as interest in the County Fair – growing up, the county fair was the biggest county fair in the state,” Coulson said. “It was just something I always really enjoyed, I really liked it – I love our county fair here. It’s where the families come together, the communities come together.”

“I’ve always liked the idea of giving back,” Coulson explained. “I’ve been put in a position where now I’m able to help and to give back.”

Coulson explained his background in budgetary requirements, public meetings, facilities management and other skills he has learned in his trade better helps him be suited to give back to Goshen County in the role as a board member.

“I also have two kids that are very active in 4-H and they like going to the fairgrounds for events that are there,” Coulson further explained. “I just want to help put these things on and I like bringing the community together because – as we know sometimes – people sometimes divide off. But at the fair, you don’t see that.”

Question: What is one thing you would change about the fair?

Answer: “There’s a couple of things that I’ve heard recently about things that have changed,” Coulson explained. “One thing I think I would change a little bit is maybe some scheduling things.”

Adding, “I think some of the events can be a lot bigger because there’s a lot of things people can’t do because they can’t get off during the middle of the week to go do things, so scheduling is a great way to control that.”

Coulson explained how some family-friendly fun activities are often missed by those who cannot make it to the fair due to work, like the ranch rodeo, and how attendance is poor due to the scheduling and timing of this particular event, as well as other events.

“If we’re able to rearrange some of that so more people can attend, I think it is the first thing we can do to improve the fair experience,” Coulson said.

Question: Talk about one particular passion you have with or about the fair?

Answer: “That’s a tough question,” Coulson said. “I’m passionate about the fairgrounds buildings.”

“I’m passionate about what it represents as an opportunity for kids to go out and do things,” Coulson explained. “For the place to be a meeting place – for people to come together – for the events that can be held there. Even as people book weddings there and things like that, as it’s a hub of the community.”

Coulson said he’d like to see small improvements made around the fairgrounds to keep it a community attraction and meeting place.

Question: List one thing you dislike about the fair?

Answer: “The first thing that comes to mind is the parking,” Coulson stated. “The site fills up pretty darn quickly and even back around the practice field – it gets pretty dicy.”

Coulson said he didn’t know immediately how to fix the parking concerns, but said if selected as a board member he would be open to hearing studies or hearing from experts in the county that have better ideas to improve the parking at the fairgrounds. He also stated he would like to see designated parking spots for older members of the community so “grandma and grandpa can enjoy the fair while the youngsters park in the back 40 and walk in.”

Special question from McName: How would you promote the Goshen County Fair to residents who don’t know what the fair is about?

Answer: Coulson explained to McNamee and the rest of the board, he would like to try and get more events for all residents “whether it’s activities for kids in-town who aren’t as into the different animal events, or maybe more difficult events for the older kids to get the teenage group in. But definitely, I think we need to add events for, like I said, grandmas and grandpas who want to come enjoy the fair as part of the community.”

Ultimately, Coulson said he wants the fair to be open and inviting for all residents from all walks of life and age so that it is a community meeting place and heart of the community.

The commissioners interviewed both Duffy and Coulson individually with the other out of the room with a series of questions. They then brought both applicants in to discuss what they liked about the responses to the questions they asked.

McNamee told both Duffy and Coulson he was impressed with their responses and looked forward to working with them as they sought ways to improve the fair.

Commissioners voted to appoint Duffy as the replacement of McNamee, who stepped down upon becoming county commissioner, in a 2-year term; they also voted to appoint Coulson in the current, vacant 5-year term position. 

Duffy and Coulson thanked the commissioners and both promised to work hard at cultivating a community-oriented fairgrounds and fair for all county residents.

Additionally, commissioners appointed Gary Kercheler to the Goshen County Predator Board; he was not available for an interview.