New, fortified Minnesota Capitol security fence costs $116,000
A security fence surrounds the Minnesota State Capitol during the trial of Derek Chauvin.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - The new, more secure fence around the Minnesota State Capitol will cost taxpayers more than $116,000, state records indicate.
Crews installed the fence over the weekend as a security measure during the murder trial of Derek Chauvin, the ex-Minneapolis police officer accused of killing George Floyd in May 2020.
The installation cost $68,117 and the fence carries a $12,015 a month rental charge. The state has rented the fence for four months, according to the purchase order.
Officials in Gov. Tim Walz's administration have insisted that the fence is not a permanent fixture at the Capitol. Yet the four-month rental agreement suggests that it will have a long-term presence.
The new fence sits on top of concrete barricades. It replaces one that sat on smaller blocks. The state rented both from Keller Fence Company in St. Paul.
The previous fence, which had been in place since the riots that followed Floyd's death, cost taxpayers more than $100,000 before its removal. It was less secure but also cheaper, costing $18,000 to install and $8,200 a month to rent.