GALLATIN COUNTY FAIR BOARD
OCTOBER 6, 2009 SPECIAL MEETING
Approved at the October 20, 2009 Meeting
This special meeting was called to order at 5:35pm by Chairman Brekke.
ATTENDANCE:
FAIR BOARD MEMBERS: Bob Brekke, Chris Budeski, Chuck Busta, Vickie Johnson, Jeff Wade, Dennis Farnham, Linda Warner
RESOURCE PEOPLE: Jim Cashell, Gallatin County Sheriff, Marty Kent, Bozeman City Police
FAIRGROUNDS STAFF: Sue Shockley, Manager
PURPOSE: Discussion regarding how law enforcement officers will be provided for events held at the Fairgrounds.
At the September 9th meeting of the Concert group there was a lengthy discussion about cost of law enforcement officers for events held here at the Fairgrounds. Both City Police Department’s Marty Kent and the Gallatin County Sheriff, Jim Cashell were in attendance, along with two promoters who hire and pay for the officers. The topic at that meeting was the fact that the Sheriff’s Office charges about $95/hour/officer and the City Police charge between $35 & $45/hour/officer. The promoters and other event coordinators would rather pay the City since they provide the same service at the cost. The Sheriff, however, feels that they should be hiring the Sheriff’s Officers since we are a County facility. After a lengthy and sometimes heated discussion, it was decided that those responsible for paying for the law enforcement people required by the Fairgrounds may hire either City or County. Marty Kent said he would take responsibility for lining up the officers. He felt
quite certain that he would be able to supply the required officers if given enough notice. If not, he would contact the Sheriff’s Office to see if they had officers that could work. That is how that was left.
At the September 17th Fair Board meeting Sheriff Cashell was in attendance and presented a plan for those events the Fairgrounds requires hired law enforcement officers. His plan was his office would supply all the law enforcement officers for those events and the charge would be the normal charge of $95/hour/officer. This item was not on the decision agenda for this meeting, so the Board set October 6 for a special Fair Board meeting to make a decision on this item. The Fair Board asked if the Sheriff could lower his rates and was told that the Finance Officer sets those rates each year and that they could not be changed.
At tonight’s meeting the Sheriff presented the Fair Board with a new proposal. He would like the Fair Board to pass a policy that all law enforcement officers are hired through his office. He has lowered his rates to $60/hour/officer. Our office or the event organizer would call Carolyn Robinson or Jeff Wade and they would arrange for the officers. If 2 officers were required, 1 would be County and the other City. Carolyn or Jeff would contact Marty Kent with the requests for City officers. The Sheriff felt that the Fairgrounds could include the charges on our rental agreement. We would charge $120 for two officers/hour. Marty Kent said that didn’t seem appropriate since he has set fees for his
officers’ services. The discussion that followed was that the best policy would be one that would make the Sheriff’s Office the contact point to get the officers scheduled. Each office (City and County) will bill the event organizer for their respective officers’ time. The Fairgrounds contract will state how many LE officers are required. The policy would include the statement that of the officers required will be supplied by the Sheriff and by the Bozeman PD.
Since this was not posted as a decision making meeting, the final decision will be made at the October 20, 2009 Fair Board meeting.
The meeting was adjourned at 6pm.
Respectfully Submitted
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