After nearly an hour of discussion on the value of festivals, whether Lee Newton Park is a fairground or park, and it’s best use for the community, the Jasper City Council voted to deny Native American activist Chipa Wolf’s request to hold a festival there in November.
The vote was split two to two, with one council member (Greg Burgess) forced to abstain due to a connection with Wolf. Mayor Weaver cast the deciding nay to deny the request.
Council members Jim Looney and Marcia Craft cast the other negative votes, while Tony Fountain and John Foust voted in favor.
Weaver said several times during the meeting he recognizes the economic benefit of festivals and had nothing against Native Americans or veterans, but that Lee Newton Park is already overused and lacks parking, space and facilities for festivals.
He said the two large events held there now, the Marble Festival and July 4th activities “have been there so long they are a tradition”, but the mayor said he would ask those events to leave if he could.
Wolf had originally planned an old-time celebration-style festival but later changed his prospective event to a “merger between native Americans and veterans.”
During his address to the council, Wolf said this event would be a family event. He said he has had biker events before, but this one would be “quite moving and something we can all feel good about.”
Wolf said he didn’t believe this first year it would be a large event, but it might draw enough people that “the merchants will feel some effects.”
Wolf’s presentation included numerous speakers who vouched for his professionalism at events he puts on, each of which always leaves its venue cleaner and in better shape than before Wolf arrives.
Larry Gales said he has worked with Wolf on big Native American festivals in Florida, South Carolina and North Carolina, and he is a “professional, not a redneck with a feather in his hat.”
“It’s a way to get folks into the restaurants, the hotels and convenience stores,” he said. “It works in Canton and Cartersville.”
A Native American veteran said a festival like the one Wolf planned is a needed and healing way to welcome soldiers who are now facing a crisis “when they try to find their way home.”
In denying the request, Weaver said he had been impressed by the number of people who attended Wolf’s Thunder Over Georgia festival six years ago here. And this time, like that time, he is not opposed to a festival in Jasper, so long as it’s not in Lee Newton Park.
Weaver said at the time of the Thunder event, the city cooperated with Wolf to put the festival on in a private field and would do as much again.
Council member Jim Looney, the only council member who has attended a festival held by Wolf, according to a question from the audience, said he was not opposed to Wolf and thought his festival was needed. But he didn’t want to change the city position and begin opening up Lee Newton Park to private events, Looney said. He said if he voted to open it for Wolf, he might set a trend where he would have to open it to other people later.
Council member Marcia Craft, who voted against it, said the difference in Lee Newton Park and other festival grounds is nearby residential areas.
“It’s a residential neighborhood,” she said. “There are a lot of elderly residents, and they endure what we already have there.”
Weaver cited several specific points of contention with the park and its neighbors, including lack of parking, blocked driveways and noise. Weaver said during his tenure and campaigns he has promised people in that area he will not support more events in the park.
In a back and forth discussion, Weaver and city officials said the policy is the park is only closed for the Marble Festival and July 4th celebration. There are other shows and events held there, but organizations sponsoring those do not gain total control over the park, may not close it for public use, nor do they charge admission, according to statements from city hall officials.
Chamber of Commerce Director Denise Duncan was called on and testified that most weekends there are several smaller events in the park and chamber area, including weddings and family reunions. These go on while the park remains open for kids and walkers. She said it is heavily used, both by those who make reservations and those who just show up.
When the vote was called, Burgess, who had introduced the matter, was told he could not vote because he was connected to the event. In an earlier plan, Wolf was going have Elvis impersonators at his small town festival, and Burgess was directly involved.
Council member Tony Fountain, who voted to allow the use, said he wanted the people there to know the council is not closed minded, but this is something new. “If the city can profit from people in motels and dining in restaurants with little cost to the city, I don’t have a problem with it,” he said.
Foust joined Fountain in voting to allow the festival after he questioned Wolf extensively about the financials and had Wolf promise to donate all profits from the festival to certified non-profit groups. Wolf said he doubted there would be much profit the first year with a loss of money more likely.
In other Business:
• The council discussed a flag design contest. In discussion, they indicated they might offer a $500 savings bond prize for the winning design of a flag for the city of Jasper. Currently the city has no flag. Further details were to be worked out later, but the council appeared to be in favor of the contest.
• Council members Looney and Foust invited the public to attend the next council meeting to offer any comments on an application by Kevin Roper of Roper Funeral Home to add a crematory to his operation.
A report presented by City Hall employee Mike Castagna said that with modern technology there are crematorium furnaces designed specifically for funeral homes that will emit no smoke or smell. He said someone might see heat waves from the exhaust, but it wouldn’t produce any smell.
Both council members Foust and Looney said there needed to be an opportunity to receive public input on the question and urged any one concerned to attend the next council meeting.
The council heard the first reading of a change in zoning definitions to allow the crematory at Roper Funeral Home on Holley Street. The next council meeting will be October 5th at 6 p.m. in City Hall on Burnt Mountain Road.
|
|
|
| Chipa Wolf (left) listens as Jasper Council member Greg Burgess presents plans for an event in Lee Newton Park. |
)
|
|
