Racing Series At Fairgrounds On Hold Until Lockdown Ends

Lawnmower and kart racing at the county fairgrounds continued to be a hot issue for the Ste. Genevieve County Commission last week.
After taking insurance and legal opinions into consideration, the decision was finally made last Friday not to have any races on the county-owned property until the COVID-19 shutdown is over.
Sandra Bell, administrator of the Ste. Genevieve County Health Department, on April 23 told fair board president Keith Skaggs that she did not think he should have a scheduled evening of racing on May 9.
Bell then took considerable heat, including a critical Facebook post by Ste. Genevieve Alderman [and kart racer] Joe Prince.
Presiding Commissioner Garry Nelson took Bell’s side at the April 30 meeting and criticized Prince.
Last week, Skaggs talked to the commissioners in hopes of resuming lawnmower and kart racing at the fairgrounds on May 23.
During the May 4 County Commission meeting, some common ground was forged between  Bell and Skaggs. …

Last Friday, the commissioners met with Bell and fair board member Ron Inman.
Bell, Nelson and associate county clerk Michele Gatzemeyer drafted a letter that was  to be sent to the fair board.
They agreed that it would put the liability squarely on the fair board. An agreement would have to be approved by the fair board accepting full liability for any COVID-19 claims that might arise from races at the fairgrounds, while absolving the county, the health department and health board from any responsibility.
Nelson stressed that it must be passed by roll call vote of the fair board.
The minutes of the meeting that mentioned the vote and gave the individual votes of the members must be accompanied with the signed waiver before the county would allow racing during the pandemic.
Inman said he would deliver a copy of the letter and waiver to the rest of the board and that a special meeting would be called to address the issue.
After reading the information and conferring with Inman, Skaggs opted not to pursue any May races.

See complete story in the May 13 edition of the Herald.