Tri-State swap meet canceled

There will be no swapping or selling in May.

Jay County Fair Board president Brian Aker reported Thursday the Tri-State Gas Engine and Tractor Association Spring Swap and Sell Meet has been canceled because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Tri-State president Chris Englehardt confirmed the cancellation this morning.

The organization had been in contact with Jay County Health Department environmentalist and administrator Heath Butz, Englehardt said. While Butz didn’t make the direct recommending canceling the swap and sell meet, which was slated for May 13 through 16, he advised those dates might be on the edge of when stay-at-home orders could be lifted.

“He felt that we would be right at the turning point and there would be a lot of out of town people coming in,” said Englehardt. “We just felt that since Jay County has such low numbers, just to keep our members and our community safe, we felt it was best to cancel this event.”

The Tri-State board has not met since February, having canceled its March and April meetings during the pandemic. Members came to a mutual decision via email, Englehardt said.

“We’re all in this together,” he added.

Englehardt said the financial impact of canceling the event will be minimal, partially because there are not a lot of up-front expenses.

“We’ll get along just fine without having the swap meet,” he said.