Commissioners revise Expo rental rules: lessee must seek sheriff first for security or hire TCLO‑certified officers

Bee County Commissioners Court on Jan. 13 approved changes to the county expo rental agreement that shift the ultimate responsibility for event security to the lessee if the sheriff’s office cannot provide officers.

The court removed language that had required county scheduling of uniform Bee County TCLO‑certified law enforcement officers and replaced it with a provision that "lessee shall first attempt to schedule security officers through the Bee County Sheriff's Office. If the Bee County Sheriff's Office cannot provide the required security needs, lessee shall locate and secure TCLO certified law enforcement officers from any available resources," the revised draft says.

The change follows a large year‑end concert at the expo for which no county officers were available and a promoter had already contracted bands and paid deposits. "We've got a promoter in this particular instance who has expended 1,000 of his own dollars," the judge said in explaining the proposed change, and county counsel said the revision was meant to protect the county from contractual exposure while preserving the sheriff's traditional priority to provide security when possible.

The other edits to the rental agreement were described as technical or "Scribner's" corrections; the court approved the revised contract language by voice vote. The county retained language prioritizing the sheriff's office for staffing while making clear the lessee bears responsibility if the sheriff cannot supply officers.