County Commission discusses fair worker's background checks

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - The Minnehaha County Commission today discussed options in the wake of last week’s arrest of two, Sioux Empire Fair carnival workers on felony drug charges.

     Chairman Gerald Beninga says he received an email from Sioux Falls Mayor Mike Huether expressing concern over background checks of Fair workers.

     Commission legal counsel Kersten Kappmeyer says the fairgrounds are not considered playgrounds, youth centers or parks.  He says designating the W.H. Lyon fairgrounds as those types of areas for excluding offenders would be best done by the South Dakota Legislature.             

     Kappmeyer says Pierre could add fairgrounds to the statutes governing sex offenders and drugfree zones.

    He says it’s difficult for the Commission to tackle the issue alone