Sheriff asks board to set fairgrounds closing time after deputies find overnight occupants, board directs research

Sheriff Payton reported deputies found a person using showers at the Harrison County Fairgrounds and said officials have received neighbor complaints about people sleeping in park areas and leaving drug paraphernalia.

Payton told the Board the situation had caused his deputies to encounter people who the sheriff believed were homeless or living in vehicles using fairgrounds facilities overnight. “He called me asking what time that the fairgrounds closed. And I said, to my knowledge, there is no closing time,” he said.

Supervisors discussed establishing a posted closing time—several board members suggested 9 p.m. as a starting point—and said officials could allow permitted users to get exceptions by contacting county staff. Board members also noted that making trespass an enforceable criminal offense on public property would require the board to adopt an ordinance with appropriate legal language.

The board directed county staff (Greg referenced in the discussion) to research appropriate closing hours, signage and the legal steps required for enforcement and to place the issue on the agenda for the next meeting for further action.

Why it matters: The fairgrounds hosts county events and public access, and local deputies say overnight occupancy and discarded drug paraphernalia have become a public-safety and nuisance concern. Establishing clear hours and signage would give deputies explicit authority to remove unauthorized occupants without immediate ordinance changes.

Next steps: Staff will report back with recommended closing hours and draft language for signs and, if necessary, an ordinance for board consideration at a future meeting.