Stark County Fairgrounds posted

[JustaShooter]

A co-worker of mine sent me a text letting me know that the Stark County Fairground is posted and included a picture of the sign:



I'm wondering if anyone might be able to help try to get them to take the signs down...

[Werz]

A co-worker of mine sent me a text letting me know that the Stark County Fairground is posted and included a picture of the sign:

[ image ]

I'm wondering if anyone might be able to help try to get them to take the signs down...

Sorry, but that pic is terribly suspicious. The fairground postings I have seen here are full color weather-resistant signs appropriate for posting at the fairgrounds entrance. Also note that they may post buildings within the fairgrounds. I don't know anything about your co-worker, but this may be something which you should inspect yourself.

[JustaShooter]

I do trust this co-worker, but If I can get out there I will check it out personally. We talked earlier today and I found out he volunteers as a ticket taker at the entrance of the fairgrounds, usually at the drive-in gate, so I asked him to check if it was posted and to let me know (he knows I have a CHL). I know about the county's ability to legally post buildings, but in this case it was the wording on the sign that got my attention: "IT IS ILLEGAL TO CARRY A FIREARM ... ANYWHERE ON THE FAIRGROUNDS"

[MyWifeSaidYes]

I agree that more investigation should be done.

Is it possible for your friend to get a picture with more context? Maybe zooming or stepping back so we can see where that sign is posted.

It looks like the sign is inside a building. Is that the ticket booth?

In any event, the wording does need corrected.

Even if there are no signs outdoors that a citizen would see, the wording would cause fair employees to give out bad information.

[NEO Carry]

Who runs Stark County Fair? What organization or entity actually runs it?

[JustaShooter]

I left (really) early for work and passed by the fairgrounds - I couldn't get close enought to the ticket stands at the main drive-in gate where my coworker was taking tickets last night since they had someone there that was only letting workers, etc. in the gate. But I did get close enough to a couple of other gates to get pictures.

As you can see in the 3rd picture at both gates, they have the same type of sign as my co-worker texted to me (although these were in plastic sleeves - I suspect the one my co-worker saw was protected from the weather enough they didn't feel it was necessary.) Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get close enough to get a picture where you can read the text.

Here's the first gate:







And the second:

[jburtonpdx]

its going to be the agricultural society argument...

[JustaShooter]

Sorry, but that pic is terribly suspicious. The fairground postings I have seen here are full color weather-resistant signs appropriate for posting at the fairgrounds entrance. Also note that they may post buildings within the fairgrounds. I don't know anything about your co-worker, but this may be something which you should inspect yourself.

Got a bit of clarification on this specific picture - it was on the inside of the ticket booth. When I asked him why he took a picure of that one, he said "it was the same as the one on the outside of the booth and since I was already in here taking tickets when I remembered you wanted pictures, it was easier than going back outside to take the picture."

Sorry about that, but hopefully my other pictures showing that the fair is indeed posted make up for it.

[BriKuz]

The Fair Board claims that they are REQUIRED by the Canton Police Department and Stark County Sheriff's Department to post...

Letter sent to Fair Board... will hit up the prosecutor next.

[BriKuz]

Letters sent to the Canton Law Director and the Stark County Prosecutor.

[Brian D.]

The Fair Board claims that they are REQUIRED by the Canton Police Department and Stark County Sheriff's Department to post...

*Sigh* Our work is never done, is it?

[JustaShooter]

By the way, lest I forget to do so, I want to say thank you to all of you who are willing and able to pursue these issues and get them resolved!

[BriKuz]

Phone reply from Fair Board: Contact Capt. George or Sgt. Oliver at Stark County Sheriff's Office. Captain George will be out of office for a week, Sargent Oliver was not available, but I left him a message. Mail got bounced from Canton Law Director, but it looks like this is all Sheriff's Office.

Also, office said the signs were correct, no firearms are allowed on the property, including parking lots.

[Werz]

Letters sent to the Canton Law Director and the Stark County Prosecutor.

You might mention that the City of Alliance Law Director is already familiar with OFCC members' willingness to press these issues, and they may want to ask him about that. They're all in the same county.

[BriKuz]

Per MWSY's request, here are the copies of the e-mails I sent...

Fair Board:

Some information that you may choose to pass to legal council and the fair board:

1) The constitution and laws of the State of Ohio establish the rights and privileges of the Stark County Agricultural Society, Stark County, Ohio, (the Society) as a body corporate and politic. The Society is a county agricultural society corporation formed under Chapter 1711 of the Ohio Revised Code.


2) Agricultural Societies are created under Ohio Revised Code 1711. This statute allows for a COUNTY or an INDEPENDENT Ag Society to be established.

3) When choosing to form as an INDEPENDENT organization, this does NOT make that organization a private entity. An Ag Society that manages a fairground or creates a fair board to do so, is a political subdivision of the state of Ohio. In other words, ALL Ag societies created under ORC 1711 are public entities. See Greene Cty. Agricultural Soc. v. Liming (2000), 89 Ohio St.3d 551. (http://www.sconet.state.oh.us/rod/docs/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... io-486.pdf)

4) As all public entities are subject to the General Laws of the state of Ohio, Ag Societies must comply with ORC 9.68 regarding rules and regulations concerning firearms.

5) Under Ohio law, an Ag Society or fair board may post a "No Guns" sign on any building that is not primarily a rest area, shelter, restroom or parking facility. An Ag Society may NOT post any open area.

6) ALL Ag Societies formed under ORC 1711 are bodies corporate and politic, and may sue and be sued. ORC 9.68 allows for a court to award costs and attorney fees should your organization be sued.

7) Lawsuits under ORC 9.68 are easily winnable, but not profitable.

Because the Ag Society is earning money (such as admission fees) while violating a state law, a plaintiff may have a valid reason to ask for punitive damages to be awarded. A reasonable amount to ask for might be an amount equal to the gate admission fees for the last seven years (since ORC 9.68 has been in effect).

I would ask the fair board and the Ag Society to IMMEDIATELY remove any and all signage that restricts the legal open carry or licensed concealed carry of firearms within the fairgrounds.

Please contact me when you have removed the signs, or with a reason for why you have not.

Thanks!

County Prosecutor:

This is a copy of the e-mail I sent to the Ag society. By phone, I was informed that the County Sheriff and City Police REQUIRED these illegal signs to be posted.

Some information that you may choose...

(Same Letter, just prefixed slightly differently)