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ARDEN HILLS SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL DECEMBER 6, 2021 3 <br /> <br />B. Contract Cities Letter Discussion <br /> <br />City Administrator Perrault stated he had provided a letter to the Council for review that is <br />being circulated amongst the contract cities regarding the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office <br />(RCSO) contract for the State Fair. He explained that previously Sheriff Fletcher had notified the <br />City of Falcon Heights that the RCSO would be ending its contract with Falcon Heights and <br />would no longer provide policing services unless Falcon Heights contributed more money toward <br />hiring additional deputies for the State Fair. This would mean that in 2023 Falcon Heights would <br />have to find new police services. <br /> <br />City Administrator Perrault discussed how State Fair policing could affect the Sheriff’s <br />contract with Falcon Heights, and the possible ripple effect of Falcon Heights not being part of the <br />contract cities anymore. <br /> <br />Councilmember Holmes asked for clarification about the articles published in the Star Tribune <br />and Pioneer Press. <br /> <br />City Administrator Perrault stated that a story was released a couple of hours before this <br />Council meeting about the State Fair hiring a Police Chief. He indicated that this person <br />happened to be a Ramsey County Sheriff Commander, but would be performing the State Fair <br />Police Chief duties separately from the RCSO and on his own time, so there would be no <br />affiliation between the State Fair and Ramsey County. He went on to explain how the State Fair <br />police coverage generally functions each year. <br /> <br />City Administrator Perrault noted there was no mention of this letter from the contract cities in <br />the newspaper articles, even though the letter is public. He also noted the cities of Shoreview and <br />Little Canada have already signed the letter and that the additional contract cities were expected to <br />sign it within the coming days. He said the letter effectively requests that the Ramsey County <br />Board reconsider its decision and that they provide police coverage to the State Fair due to the <br />financial impact to the contract cities. <br /> <br />A discussion ensued regarding the letter from the contract cities and the charts contained therein. <br /> <br />Mayor Grant commented that this could be a snowball that rolls downhill and the contract cities <br />may decide that they need to do something different. <br /> <br />Councilmember Holden stated that on top of the current upcoming 2.5% increase from the <br />Sheriff’s Department and considering this additional possible increase for Arden Hills of 4.5%, <br />the City could be looking at a total increase of nearly 8%. <br /> <br />Councilmember Holmes asked why Ramsey County does not want its Sheriff’s Department to <br />police the State Fair. <br /> <br />City Administrator Perrault stated that politics and liability could possibly <br />be the main reasons for the County’s decision. <br /> <br />A discussion ensued about the articles published by the Star Tribune and Pioneer Press.