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Ranlo commissioners vote to offer free rides at September fall festival this year
Summary
After debate about fairness and cost recovery, the Ranlo board voted to offer carnival rides free to residents for the September fall festival and not to charge vendors this year; staff said the expense can be covered from the recreation/event budget and the board will review vendor policy for 2026.
The Ranlo Board of Commissioners voted July 10 to offer carnival rides free to town residents at the September fall festival and not to charge vendors for booth space this year.
The decision followed a lengthy discussion about whether charging for ride tickets would be fair to residents who already pay town taxes or a necessary way to offset event costs. Staff told the board the vendor (TCS Amusements) can operate either with ticket booths or without, and that the town has budgeted funds for events in its recreation line item. "We have money budgeted for events," a staff member said, noting the town had reserved funds in the recreation line and that ride expenses could range significantly depending on scale.
Commissioner (speaking in opposition to charging) argued that residents already contribute via taxes and that charging would impose an unwanted extra fee on low-income families. "The residents already paid for it once," the commissioner said, adding that children should not be double-charged. Other commissioners said selling tickets or armbands was common and could help cover costs. One commissioner suggested vendor fees and sponsorship as alternatives to charging residents.
With planning late in the season and limited time to secure sponsors, a motion was made and seconded to run the festival this year without charging citizens or vendors. The board approved the motion. Staff said the board could revisit vendor fees and a formal vendor policy when the events calendar for 2026 is prepared in January.
The board also discussed operational details: concessions will not be run by the town this year (the concession stand remains inoperable and requires health‑department inspection), vendors must obtain health certifications if they plan to sell food, and insurance requirements were confirmed for rides and inflatable vendors. Staff advised that vendors must carry insurance that meets or exceeds the town's municipal minimums.
Next steps: staff will coordinate with the vendor and public‑works on logistics, continue to seek sponsorships, and prepare a vendor‑policy packet for board discussion when the 2026 events calendar is considered.
