THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, September 13, 1995 TAG: 9509120077
SECTION: ISLE OF WIGHT CITIZEN PAGE: 09 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LINDA MCNATT, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ISLE OF WIGHT LENGTH: Long : 103 lines
When the county fair committee went looking for somebody to handle finances, a man who had handled a budget of several million dollars for years just happened to be available.
``I think I missed a meeting somewhere, and I got nominated,'' former school Superintendent Vito Morlino said, chuckling.
This year he is responsible for a budget of about $89,000, much less than when he was charged with running the county's public schools. But to him, the job is no less important.
``I've been with this fair committee since the very beginning,'' Morlino said, ``and I think the fair is just great.''
One of his first jobs this year was to make certain that hard feelings left over from last year - when the fair committee and the Sheriff's Department disagreed over the cost of security - were smoothed over.
The disagreement left a cloud over fair finances in 1994. It erupted between the fair and the Sheriff's Department after Sheriff Charlie Phelps presented the committee with a bill for his department's services.
Phelps charged for his deputies' and dispatchers' time at costs he said at the time he thought were fair. But the committee disagreed, and the matter went to the County Board of Supervisors. Even the supervisors, however, were unable to settle the dispute.
Eventually, the cost of fair security was absorbed by Phelp's department.
This year, the fair and the sheriff got together and planned better, Morlino said. The fair will be charged only for officers who stay at the sight overnight. About $2,500 has been budgeted for security. Otherwise, deputies will be assigned fair duty during their regular shifts.
Phelps says he agreed to the arrangement because he wants to support the fair and to see it succeed as much as anybody else.
``We will be totally involved in the fair, and security will be up to standards. The Sheriff's Department will be there in usual numbers.''
The county's first fair in more than 50 years started in 1994 with $10,000 in seed money provided by the county. It was less financially successful than had been hoped. But in 1994, Morlino said, fair organizers had nothing to sell but a concept and a dream.
``It's difficult to sell something when you don't know what you've got,'' he said. ``This year we could tell sponsors, `Look, we actually had 25,000 to 30,000 people out there. It is a really nice event.' ''
That positive attitude and organizational success last year has sold sponsors this year to the tune of $22,000 in corporate sponsorships. Local companies like Smithfield Foods, Gwaltney and Union Camp are supporting the fair.
Sponsors seem to be sold on the idea. Now it's up to the fair committee to pull off another successful event this year.
Increased attendance should help build the fair's financial support, and the parking fee has been increased to $3 per carload. Still, with the idea of continuing to make the fair available to the general public, there is no admission charge to the fairgrounds. ILLUSTRATION: Graphic
FAIR CHAIRMEN
Alan Nogiec, fair manager
Lud Creef, logistics
Laura Gregory, livestock
Evelyn Chandler, midway
Dr. Vito Morlino, budget/finance
W.B. ``Sonny'' Owen, exhibit/demo
Audrey Christenson, commercial/non-commercial
Gordan ``Stan'' Murrell Jr., entertainment
Larry and Mary Lee Willis, concessions
Tom Stanfield, communications
Connie Hassell, sponsorship
Bob Goerger, food/grains
Teresa Gregus, publicity
Debra Weir, arts/crafts
Dorothy Tew, horticulture
CORPORATE SPONSORS
Smithfield Foods
Gwaltney
Smithfield Packing
Smithfield Lean Generation Pork
Norfolk Southern Corp.
Smithfield Medical Center
Union Camp Corp.
Riverside Health System
Commonwealth Cotton Gin
Walters Grain & Supply
The Times
WLQM Radio
Insight Communications
Prime Media Productions
Budweiser
Patron sponsors
Franklin Equipment
Coastal Chemical Corp.
Carrsville Farmers
Blythe Food Mart
G&G Farm Service
Suffolk Cotton Gin
by CNB