Resident warns county about ‘Devil’s Disciples’ event at fairgrounds, urges mass‑gathering rules and stronger security

A resident who was identified by others in the meeting as Josh used the public‑comment period to raise safety concerns about a fundraiser being held at the county fairgrounds that he said is advertised under the name “Devil’s Disciples.” Josh told the board he had seen flyers promoting the event and urged county officials to reconsider or strengthen public‑safety measures.

"They’re classified as a criminal gang," Josh said in the meeting, adding that both FBI and state guidance classify such outlaw motorcycle groups as criminal organizations and that their presence at a large event could pose recruitment and security risks. He told officials the 4th of July and other high‑attendance events make the fairgrounds particularly sensitive: "there's maybe four or five thousand people in town," he said, and recommended a county mass‑gathering ordinance, an operations matrix and stronger, commissioned security rather than relying solely on volunteers.

A county representative replied that the fair board had reviewed the request and decided to allow the event as a one‑time approval with a requirement for security because local police resources would be limited during the holiday. "We did require or request that there is security there because the police department is not going to have the availability to be there," the respondent said, and noted the fair board gave notice that future events would not be allowed if problems occur. The respondent said the decision involved weighing countywide openness to events against risks and indicated existing options include denying future permits if the event creates issues.

The transcript records concerns from the resident about past incidents in nearby venues and referenced prior denials in other years; the county speaker acknowledged previous denials and that the group held events elsewhere in prior years. The record does not show any formal motion or policy change during the meeting; the item remained a public comment and the board moved on to other business after the exchange.

The transcript did not include the organizer’s name on the permit paperwork in the portions read aloud, vendor or contract details for security personnel, or any staff report that would document the county’s formal due diligence steps. The resident urged the county to adopt an explicit mass‑gathering ordinance that would set requirements (operations plan, medical response matrix, commissioned security) in advance of large events. The county representative said staff and the fair board would be involved in those decisions and reiterated that the current approval had conditions and notice that future approvals could be denied if problems arise.