When the bureaucratic harassment towards the re-location of the Lindsay Exhibition in the City of Kawartha Lakes became unbearable, exhibition president Wendy Fagan called action man Joe Hickson.

Within hours, tractors circled council chambers in Lindsay. Some councillors began arguing the tractors were a fire hazard. But anxiety soon gave way to a bigger fear.

"It (the farmers’ presence) was quite intimidating," says Fagan. "All those big bodies (in council chambers) with their arms folded."

The mayor looked down at his audience and quipped, "So this is what it’s like to sit at Queen’s Park."

"Joe went way beyond the call of duty," said Fagan. But then, it was "a do or die situation."

There had been no end to the bureaucratic harassment. It had lasted so long that the Lindsay Exhibition was about to lose its Superbuild grant for over $1 million and close its doors. "We’ve gone right to the wire," Fagan said.

The fair board had to post a bond valued at well over $1 million and pay a huge development fee. When Hickson and the boys showed up, council lightened the load.

"We were treated like a regular development and it didn’t make sense," Fagan said. "We had already put more than $1 million into development. We didn’t have much money. We weren’t a WalMart."

The council meeting was a success. "We feel we reached an agreement we can live with," Fagan said.

As for Joe Hickson, even when he’s celebrated, he’s controversial. The folks in Lindsay held an appreciation night, a surprise party and open house in his honour.