THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2008
Special Events On Chopping Block?
By TODD WESSELL
Journal & Topics Editor
The future role---if any---of the Des Plaines Special Events Commission will be discussed at a public meeting tonight (Wednesday) of the all volunteer group at City Hall beginning at 7 p.m. in room 101.
On the agenda is discussion on the future of all commission events including the Taste of Des Plaines held in early June, the Fourth of July Parade, and Des Plaines Super Star Volunteer Awards Banquet.
The meeting was scheduled in the wake of City Council's recent decision not to include funding for the commission in the proposed 2009 budget.
City funding for the commission and for overtime expenses has been provided in past years by City Council. Aldermen, realizing that the city is facing a money crunch and little interest in raising property taxes, recently decided that some regular expenditures should end at least for 2009. Police provide security and public works employees set up tables, close streets and provide other similar services for commission events.
"Yes, it's possible that there will be discussion on activities not being held or the Special Events Commission taking a year off," said chairman Linda Forman. "The city is not contributing anything to Special Events. They are forcing our hand to make some hard decisions. Financially they are not helping us or supporting us with police and public works overtime." Taste of Des Plaines, in particular, said Forman, requires a police presence because alcohol is sold. She explained that the commission has some money in an escrow account to help pay for some Taste expenses, but not enough to fund overtime costs.
"You can't put on an event with alcohol without the police being there," Forman said. "In these hard economic times I think it's nice to put on these events to serve as a distraction of what's going on."