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Commission waives Beef Empire Days $2,500 carnival deposit, sets $50 daily carnival fee
Summary
After extended discussion about historical waivers and city costs, the Garden City Commission approved waiving a $2,500 carnival deposit for Beef Empire Days and established a $50-per-day carnival fee for May 16–25, 2025.
The City Commission voted on May 6 to waive the $2,500 carnival deposit previously charged for traveling carnivals and to set a $50 per-day carnival fee for Beef Empire Days, scheduled May 16–25, 2025.
Bonita McClure, executive director of Beef Empire Days, asked the commission for two waivers: the $2,500 carnival deposit and the $300 per-day carnival fee. McClure said the festival has operated in Garden City for decades and that carnival proceeds support the nonprofit’s scholarships and event programming. “All of the funding from the events and from our sponsorships go to all of the events that we put on… as well as the scholarships,” she said.
City staff recalled an August 2024 direction that park rental fees would no longer be routinely waived and said the $300 daily fee was in place for itinerant commercial activity. Staff noted the $2,500 deposit historically covered cost recovery such as removing posted signs; in practice the city has often waived both fees for the carnivals that come to town. Commissioners discussed that the carnival operates primarily on county fairgrounds and pays a $3,600 fairgrounds rental to the county; staff said much of the carnival setup and electric hookups may be on county property.
Several commission motions were offered and defeated before the final action. After votes on different combinations of waivers and daily-fee reductions failed, the commission approved a motion to waive the $2,500 deposit and impose a $50 per-day carnival fee for May 16–25, 2025. The transcript records the motion passed and staff later confirmed the outcome: the deposit was waived and the $50 daily fee will apply.
The commission’s discussion noted staff will revisit fee origins and report back if needed. Staff told commissioners the carnival fee originated in the city’s general code (1968, amended 2009) and that the city will research the history and cost drivers behind the $300 per-day charge.
No amendment or conditions tying the waiver to additional city services or reimbursements were recorded in the meeting. Bonita McClure thanked the commission after the vote.
