When the control and management of a fairground is in a county agricultural society, and the board of county commissioners has appropriated an amount for the aid of the society as provided in section 1711.15 of the Revised Code, the society, with the consent of the board, may contract for the erection or repair of buildings or otherwise improve the fairground, to the extent that the payment for the improvement is provided by the board.

When the appropriation is made by the board, the county auditor shall place the proceeds in a special fund, designated the "county agricultural society fund," indicating the purpose for which it is available, provided that an appropriation of revenue from a tax levied by the board under division (L) of section 5739.09 of the Revised Code may be expended only for the purposes provided in the resolution levying that tax. On application of the treasurer of the society, the auditor shall issue an order for the amount of the appropriation to the treasurer of the society, if the society has secured the certificate required under section 1711.05 of the Revised Code, on the treasurer's filing with the auditor a bond in double the amount collected, with good and sufficient sureties approved by the auditor, conditioned for the satisfactory paying over and accounting of the funds for the purposes for which they were provided. The funds shall remain in the special fund in which they are placed by the auditor until they are applied for by the treasurer of the society and the bond is given, or until they are expended by the board for the purposes for which the fund was created. If the society ceases to exist or releases the fund as not required for the purposes for which the fund was created, the board may by resolution transfer the fund to the general fund of the county.

Amended by 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 64, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2015.

Effective Date: 09-03-1997 .