The Osceola County Board of Supervisors on April 29 approved a vendor agreement allowing May City to manage vendor participation during the RAGBRAI bicycle event, setting a $250 fee for for‑profit vendors and waivers for qualifying local nonprofits.

The action came after more than 20 minutes of discussion about enforcement, whether fees should differ for in‑county vendors, and how collected fees should be allocated. Board member Helmers moved to approve the presented May City vendor agreement; Board member Schulte seconded the motion, and the board voted aye to approve it.

Board members and local representatives said May City’s proposal would waive fees for nonprofit groups with ties to the city and charge a flat $250 to for‑profit vendors. A May City representative told the board that some towns take different approaches; Primghar, for example, charges $350 for vendors from outside its county. The representative said about three local vendors had expressed interest and several additional vendors from outside the county had inquired.

Multiple board members pressed for clarity on enforcement and fee distribution. One board member said the county lacks staffing and infrastructure to monitor vendor compliance countywide and asked whether May City would handle enforcement. “I would rather see May City take all the responsibility. I don’t want any responsibility for it,” a board member said during the discussion.

Board members also debated whether fees collected by the county should be directed to local volunteer entities such as the May City volunteer fire department when liquor licenses are involved, or retained by the county if vendors sell nonalcohol items. A county official and several board members noted distinctions between liquor‑license oversight — which can trigger local fire‑department arrangements — and general vendor fees for food and retail items.

Several supervisors expressed concern about long‑term effects if the county adopts a uniform $250 fee for events that historically charged lower amounts. One supervisor said charging $250 for an out‑of‑town vendor could disadvantage landowners or towns that historically kept vendor fees around $50–$75. The board discussed making this a one‑time exception given that RAGBRAI does not pass through every year.

After debate, Helmers moved to approve the presented May City vendor agreement and Schulte supported the motion. The board voted in favor, and the motion carried.

The board did not adopt a countywide enforcement plan at the meeting. Members left unresolved questions about whether the county auditor’s office or the town’s organizers would process applications, how fees would be disbursed among local volunteer entities, and whether a different fee scale should apply to in‑county vendors. Those implementation details will be handled administratively following the board’s approval.

Background: RAGBRAI (Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa) is a multiday cycling event that traverses multiple cities and towns in Iowa. Local host communities typically coordinate vendor space, volunteer staffing and safety arrangements when the ride passes through.

What’s next: With the board’s approval, May City may finalize its vendor registration process and begin outreach to vendors. The county did not set additional conditions or timelines at the April 29 meeting.