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Cloverdale Rodeo & Exhibition Association yet to finalize all board positions

Spielmacher not sure Rodeo Association will hire new GM
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The Cloverdale Rodeo office is seen in the Alice McKay building on the Cloverdale Fairgrounds in 2021. Four new members were elected to the Rodeo Board after the AGM Oct. 17. (Photo: Malin Jordan)

The Cloverdale Rodeo & Exhibition Association held its first board meeting with its new directors Oct. 21.

And while the board executive is elected immediately after the AGM ends, the first regular meeting is usually where the other directors’ positions are finalized.

“We decided to temporarily delay this,” said new Rodeo Association president Gerry Spielmacher. “We did this because we have four new people on the board. We went over the positions and everyone agreed to give each position some thought and consider where they felt they would fit in best.”

Spielmacher said the board didn’t want anyone to jump into a position right away only for that person to end up feeling overwhelmed or out of sorts.

“We want everyone to feel comfortable.”

SEE ALSO: Shannon Claypool out as president of Rodeo Association

SEE ALSO: Cloverdale Rodeo Association says City of Surrey owes it north of $400,000

He also said there may also be an additional board member appointed from Tourism Surrey.

Spielmacher said he’s excited to get working with the new board. He said he’s also hopeful about the future of the Rodeo and looks forward to completing negotiations with the City, so the board can focus on hosting an event in 2022.

“The biggest thing right now is negotiations with (the City of Surrey),” he said. “When that’s completed, we’ll know where we’re at.”

He said the one looming problem is that COVID is still about, which casts the fate of the 2022 Rodeo into doubt.

Spielmacher said the board is not sure how they’ll proceed yet because if they set Rodeo planning in full motion and the Rodeo can’t go ahead, then they could potentially lose a lot of money.

“Who knows what will be happening in May? What kind of event, if any, will we be able to have?”

Spielmacher also said, with the City taking control of the Fairgrounds, he’s not sure the Association will be hiring a new GM afterall.

“We might hire an event coordinator. It might be a full-time event coordinator. It might be on a contract basis. I just don’t know. Right now, I’m not sure what form that position would take.



editor@cloverdalereporter.com

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Malin Jordan

About the Author: Malin Jordan

Malin is the editor of the Cloverdale Reporter.
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