Procurement News Notice |
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| PNN | 2457 |
| Work Detail | The Chilton City Council voted unanimously to waive the special events permit application fee for all non-profit organizations that submit proof of their non-profit certificate with the application. Aldermen Ron Gruett and Dan Hilton were not present at the council meeting. The council also voted to add the language to the application: Is this a walk or run event? If yes, runners will be running at their own risk. Runners must use sidewalks when available and must obey all traffic laws. The two items regarding the permit was recommended to the City Council by their Public Works Committee. Committee members reviewed the Diverted Use Special Events application at the Aug. 3 meeting. Present at the committee meeting were Chilton Chamber of Commerce President Jerry Mallmann and Secretary Tammy Pethan. City Director of Public Works Todd Schwarz stated the city is having a problem determining which organizations get the application fee waived when applying for a special event. Presently, Chamber of Commerce sponsored events, City related events and the Chilton School District homecoming parade event are being waived. There have been numerous run/walk events taking place this year. Each application must provide a completed application, proof of liability insurance in the amount of at least $1,000,000,000 and a sketch of the location of the public property affected by the event. City Police Chief Craig Plehn requested a change on the application to add the language regarding walks or run events. Prior to the council action, only the non-profit Chamber events are being waived. Other non-profit organizations are paying the application fee of $25. Committee member Alderman Kurtis Stephany recommended that non-profit organizations applying for a Special Events Permit be required to provide proof that they are a non-profit organization. Gruett, who is a committee member asked how much work is being done by the City for each event? Schwarz replied it depends on the event. Most often the departments affected and having the most responsibility are the Department of Public Works and the Police Department. Gruett then asked if the $25 application fee really does anything. Plehn stated the $25 doesn’t do anything. “We need to look at the bigger picture here. These events bring in people from all different communities and spend time and money here,” Gruett said. According to Schwarz, the $25 fee basically covers the administration of taking out the permit. Pethan stated the Chamber has been asked by other organization to submit the permit for them because they do not carry a million dollar liability insurance policy. It is about $800 per year to have that policy. Committee Chairman Clayton Thornber said, he thought you could buy a liability policy for the day of the event only. Replied by Mallmann is he would trust that they can. The Chamber’s insurance agent is telling him that the Chamber should not umbrella these events because it puts the Chamber at risk, Mallmann stated. The question was then brought up “What is the city’s liability versus the Chamber’s liability?” The Smile Beautiful Run is coming up in September. They are a non-profit organization that raises money for a scholarship. According to Pethan, they don’t have insurance and have no reason to have insurance. They run one event a year. So, they came to us and asked if we would sign the Special Event Permit Application, now making it a Chamber event. If something happens, Mallmann stated, now the Chamber is at risk. Are there any other options? he questioned. “People are being directed to the Chamber and we are trying to protect ourselves,” Mallmann stated. Mallmann asked for clarification as to structured events held within the City requiring a permit. “If an event isn’t using any City resources, like a walk/run, and there are no barricades being put up, what’s wrong with 50 people walking down Main Street, Breed Street and others,” Plehn stated. Schwarz said it would be in the city’s best interest to know what is going on in the city. |
| Country | United States , Northern America |
| Industry | Financial Services |
| Entry Date | 03 Sep 2016 |
| Source | http://www.chiltontimesjournal.com/2016/08/26/council-waves-fees-for-non-profits/ |
