Report to review MN State Fair security effort this year and into future

Sep. 28—With this year's Minnesota State Fair now a memory, the focus for Ramsey County board commissioners now turns to a review of the security effort that was led by the county sheriff's office and what role it will play — if any — in the future.

Last month, prior to signing off on joint powers agreements between the county and the Minnesota State Agricultural Society, commissioners added a requirement that the county manager would convene stakeholders to review an after-action report about security at the Fairgrounds this year and discuss next steps.

The county's two contracts with the Agricultural Society only covered this year's 12-day Fair and the other for non-Fair dates through 2021.

Security at the Fairgrounds in Falcon Heights became an issue when the Fair this past spring decided to disband its decades-long police department and instead turn to an outside agency to provide security. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety recommended that the sheriff's office take the lead.

At Tuesday's board workshop meeting, Deputy County Manager of Safety and Justice Scott Williams said county staff are still compiling financial information from the Fair, such as payroll data and sheriff department expenses. The report, which will also include staffing levels and crime statistics, is expected to be presented formally to the board in early November.

Commissioners gave backing to Chairwoman Toni Carter's recommendation to reaffirm with Gov. Tim Walz's office that state officials, including representatives from the Department of Public Safety, Department of Administration and Minnesota State Agricultural Society, are going to be part of the discussion.

"Otherwise, you know, with Ramsey County taking on that responsibility to have this discussion, by default we are saying we are going to be the future," she said. "You know, we played a very big role. But it is a statewide responsibility."

The Minnesota State Fair is a public corporation and a quasi-state agency, as defined by state law. The Fair is governed by the Minnesota State Agricultural Society, which in addition to financing the annual nearly two-week event is responsible for the maintenance of the state-owned, 322-acre Fairgrounds.

Liability was a big concern for commissioners prior to signing off on the contracts, and Walz assured them in a July 26 letter that the state's Department of Administration was working with the Agricultural Society to secure an insurance policy and that it would include the county as insured and "mitigate risk for Ramsey County taxpayers."

Walz said the county's work in developing a security agreement on short notice was "admirable and appreciated."

"The State Fair is an event of statewide importance," Walz wrote.