The Aberdeen City Council on Oct. 20 approved an agreement with Brown County to voluntarily annex the Brown County Fairgrounds into the city’s municipal boundary while leaving administrative control and some authorities with the county.

City Attorney Ron Weager told the council the annexation ordinance and the agreement together “provide the framework” for the arrangement, under which a new municipal taxing district would subject sales on the fairgrounds to municipal taxes and the revenues traceable to the fairgrounds would be remitted back to the county in exchange for the county’s continued exercise of primary jurisdiction and responsibility for services there.

Weager said the agreement preserves the county’s historical control: “the county will continue to exercise exclusive jurisdiction over the Fairgrounds property,” and the county agreed that it “would not permit off sale of alcoholic beverages from the fairgrounds and would not permit any video lottery machine safe at the fairgrounds.” He added the county would remain the issuer of alcohol licenses for the site.

Why it matters: Council members and staff framed the arrangement as a revenue-sharing and jurisdictional compromise that allows the city to tax transactions that occur on the fairgrounds while avoiding direct municipal service obligations such as street maintenance, water or sanitation on that property. The council voted unanimously to approve the annexation agreement, following a previously unanimous 5–0 vote by the Brown County Commission on Oct. 14.

Key details and board discussion: Weager said the city would not be required to provide the typical municipal services to the fairgrounds and described mutual-aid arrangements that would remain in place for emergency response. He also said the agreement contains mutual termination language and a county de-annexation mechanism: “there is language in the agreement that allows the county to, at any point it decides to, de-annex” and that the de-annexation process would allow the county about one year and would require the city’s consent under the agreement.

Council members asked for tax and timing clarifications. One member asked whether a 2% city tax applied to the area; Weager deferred to the city’s finance staff and said that city staff would follow up. Weager later estimated a timetable for collection: after ordinance publication and subsequent procedural steps, taxable transactions tied to the annexation could begin roughly April 1, 2026.

Vote and next steps: Councilman Ward moved to approve the fairgrounds annexation agreement and Councilman Ekonger seconded. The roll call vote was 8–0 in favor. Weager said the ordinance becomes effective 20 days after publication and that signatures and publication would be finalized so the county could initiate its petition to annex. The county previously authorized signature on the agreement and the county’s fair board recommended approval.

Ending note: City staff said the procedural next steps are publication of the ordinance, signature of the agreement, and the county’s petition process; staff estimated the first taxable transactions under the new arrangement would start in spring 2026.