Effective: April 12, 2021
Latest Legislation: House Bill 665 - 133rd General Assembly
(A) A county agricultural society is created when both of the following occur:
(1) Thirty or more persons who are residents of the same county adopt a constitution and bylaws governing the society.
(2) The residents described in division (A) of this section elect a board of directors in accordance with section 1711.08 of the Revised Code.
(B) A county agricultural society created under this section shall operate in accordance with this chapter and the rules adopted by the director of agriculture.
(C) A county agricultural society shall consist solely of members who are residents of the county in which the society is organized.
(D)(1) A member of a county agricultural society shall pay an annual membership fee in an amount fixed by each society or its board of directors. The member shall pay the fee to the society's secretary or treasurer as the society's bylaws direct.
(2) A county agricultural society shall issue a printed certificate of membership to each member who pays the required fee. The society shall issue the certificates from a book in which duplicate stubs of the certificates are properly filled out. The society shall keep each stub for not less than five years after the date on which the corresponding certificate is issued. The society shall ensure that all certificates are numbered consecutively.
(E) No person shall pay for or secure more than one membership. No person shall secure a membership for any other person.
(F) A society shall keep a list of the members of the society in the office of the society secretary. The society shall make the list available for public inspection upon request.
(G)(1) The county auditor of the county in which a county agricultural society has been created shall request the county treasurer to transfer sixteen hundred dollars to the society each year. The county treasurer shall transfer the money if all of the following have occurred:
(a) The society has held an annual exhibition in accordance with sections 1711.04 and 1711.05 of the Revised Code.
(b) The society has made a report to the director of agriculture in accordance with section 1711.06 of the Revised Code.
(c) The director of agriculture presents a certificate to the county auditor indicating that the society has complied with the applicable laws of this state and the applicable rules adopted by the director.
(2) The county auditor shall not transfer an amount under division (C)(1) of this section that exceeds the amount paid in regular class premiums by the county agricultural society under section 1711.04 of the Revised Code.