47 PORT-A-POTTIES REQUIRED BY LBTS?….
In today’s Pelican…by Judy Vik…covering the cancellation of the Chambers Christmas- By -The- Sea…the topper…on the list of reasons for the demise of this LBTS Christmas tradition…came with a comment from Chamber Executive Director Judy Swaggerty…that the Town was requiring 47 port-a- potties …rather than the usual 3!…
While we waited for the VFD to return to this town…and dealt with trouble from the BSO Fire Marshall and the requirements thrown out for each event that seemed outrageous……. the new majority regularly touted about the day we would no long require “outside” interference…so what on earth is this…was it really the Town…making such a ridiculous requirement?….WOW!
After the holidays are over…it is time to have yet another workshop…and decide once and for all … how to make it easy for the businesses to get their events on…with no catch 22s and no Town staff “gotchas” because the applicant did not know what to ask for…and “it’s not the staffs’ job” as the Assistant Town Manager asserts…to inform them of ahead of time…HUH?…
This latest event was a mess from start to finish…doomed by the Vice Mayor making a $5000 dollar VFD offer he did not have the authority to offer…( it was unknown by the cash strapped department)…which he ultimately reneged on…lamely putting the blame elsewhere…the lack of a liquor license being authorized…and then when being added to the Nov. 10th agenda last minute…again ..it was not voted on…a point the Assistant Manager kept mum on…( not his place?)…any extra money needed to make up for the Vice Mayor’s missing moolah…were dashed… even the late offer to put up the tree by the VFD…after the Chamber President informed the Commission of a letter from the Town that the Town would not cover the cost of it…this year…( the Town did pay for it last year)…along with some unseemly behavior towards Mr Novak at the podium from the Town Manager…put the nail in the coffin…
Before the workshop …enlist a town-wide straw poll…ask how the residents want to proceed in the future with all LBTS events…the costs…the target audience…the reality….including the benefits…and the pitfalls…
Does it make sense in these hard economic times to pay upwards of $100 thousand a year for events that bring out- of- towners into town?…Does it actually benefit town businesses in the long term…with repeat business form those who attend?…….Or is it time to downsize to small town events…scaled back for residents only?…
Please join in …the tree lighting on Dec. 2,2008…7 pm Pelican Square…
Please contact your Commissioners…with your comments…
Commissioners…please have a workshop…on events…
Town Staff…please have a workshop…as Commissioner Clottey called for some time back…businesses …and Staff…to build a better working relationship…
more to come…
Tags: chamber, events, Local Politics
