Adrian residents raise concerns regarding street closure, parade proposals

ADRIAN — City officials heard opposition Monday to proposed changes to fees and policies for having parades and closing downtown Adrian streets for events.

More than 40 people were in attendance Monday when the Adrian City Commission continued discussing policies and fee increases to close downtown Adrian streets and parking lots for events. More than 20 people attended the meeting inside Adrian City Chambers, while an additional 20 people attended the meeting virtually. A good number of those in attendance were representatives of local organizations and businesses eager to voice their concerns regarding the commission’s policy proposals, which were discussed for the first time at its Sept. 19 premeeting work session.

At the heart of the city’s discussion are the following proposals, which were presented last month:

• If downtown Adrian is requested to be closed for an event, all four blocks of downtown must be closed. Events cannot request to have less than all four blocks closed.

• Event organizers must pay a deposit of $250, which is refundable, prior to the event and the closure of downtown. The $250 will be refunded if downtown is cleaned and maintained properly during and after the event by the organizer.

• A $650 fee would be charged separate from the $250 refundable fee, which is the proposed cost of closing downtown streets for an event.

• Parades will be charged $200, and permits must be applied for 30 days or more in advance.

• For a downtown event, there must be at least 1,000 people in attendance. Otherwise, smaller and private events are encouraged to utilize either the Farmers Market Pavilion along Toledo Street or Comstock Park, for example.

Since the commission’s premeeting when the policies were first introduced, Adrian residents have contacted many of the commissioners about the proposed changes. Several of those concerns were voiced during the public comment portion of Monday's premeeting. Some speakers went to the lengths of referring to the commission’s proposal as “concerning, “offensive” and “borderline racist.”

Jeanette Henagan, president of the Lenawee County NAACP, said an attendance limit of 1,000 people for an event downtown does not make sense and she wondered how that specific number was ultimately chosen. Smaller community events, she said, will be marginalized by the proposal if the commission should approve it.

“It appears to me that you are pricing some groups out and pushing some groups out,” she said.

Ben Negron and Chico Martinez both stressed an ideal of working together and finding common ground between the city, business owners and event organizers. Negron said by doing so, there will be equitable and fair treatment for all.

Martinez, meanwhile, an organizer of Adrian's annual Cinco de Mayo parade and festival, became emotional when talking about struggles that might come about if the city charges a $200 fee for putting on parades. The Cinco de Mayo celebration in Adrian is an important part of the city's culture, history and diversity, he said.

"Our parade includes anybody who wants to be a part of it," he said.

Another speaker, Rudy Flores, said the commission's policy "reeked of a lack of diversity, equity and inclusion." He referenced Adrian's Juneteenth celebration that was conducted in downtown Adrian in June, saying events that are welcomed and held in the downtown show the city respects and appreciates people from all walks of life.

"We don't want to be comfortable in our city, we want to be welcome," he said.

While the commission did not openly respond to these and other comments during public comment, nearly all of the commissioners shared their thoughts.

Commissioner Allen Heldt said the Sept. 19 meeting was only a discussion and that nothing regarding the proposed policy was approved and adopted.

Policy discussions take time, he said, and the September premeeting discussion was the introduction of the policy.

“Nothing that happened last meeting is set in stone. We want public input, we want the public to tell us what they think about any particular issue,” Heldt said. “…I want the public to understand that this is not (Adrian City Administrator) Greg Elliott's resolution, it's not his policy. If adopted, if it can be amended to change some things. It will be the city commission  — the seven of us — that take sole responsibility. Not city staff. Not city administration.”

At the Sept. 19 meeting, Elliott introduced the proposal to the commission. Its contents, he said, are designed to create a safer downtown space for event organizers and event goers.

Current rates for events to close downtown Adrian streets are $75 regardless of the size of the event. There are no fees for parades, and many times, Elliott said, parade applications are made a matter of days before the parade is to happen.

“We've been fortunate that those who have had parades and those who have closed streets downtown for events have done so responsibly and have had the city's best interest at heart,” Elliott said. “But that may not always be true. And that's my great concern. We need to have a policy, when that happens, and how that happens so that we can ensure that we continue to have good events and good parades.”

The proposal of closing all four blocks of downtown Adrian for approved events takes into account the safety of pedestrians and traffic, Elliott said. When event organizers close one block of downtown, it's generally East Maumee Street, and some businesses on that block are growing upset about the growing number of closures, the loss of traffic and the loss of parking downtown.

Commissioner Gordon Gauss said within the last six months, East Maumee Street has been closed 17 times for events, whether open to the public or private events. On the flip side of that, Gauss said, businesses on the other three blocks of downtown have expressed interest in having events held along their stretch of streets, too.

The commissioners said they are not aiming to segregate or pander to certain events or parades. Rather they are trying to make sure downtown space is used appropriately, safely and to benefit the community, event planners, guests and downtown businesses.

“We have a double-edged sword,” Heldt said. “We have great community events. But we also have people that absolutely despise having the street closed. It’s a very important, hot-button issue now, but again, we are discussing it. Nothing's set in stone. As we go forward, we will be listening to the public, what they want, what city staff wants, and come together and come up with a plan that makes hopefully everybody happy in the long run.”

Mayor Angie Sword Heath said so many people wanting to make use of downtown Adrian is a good problem to have, but it's the city's duty to make sure events that are open to the community are safe.

Commissioner Kelly Castleberry talked about some of her memories growing up in Adrian and attending parades and area festivals. While she said there was positive dialogue with the public at the meeting, she acknowledged that any action the commission might take cannot be a detriment to Adrian's culture, history and identity. Many more conversations will be had, she said.

“There are people in our community who are very proud and passionate about their heritage and their ethnicity. And it is important," she said. "I want to make sure that continues to be a piece of our community, whether it be downtown or somewhere else.

"I just want to make sure we don't lose that part of Adrian. That's what makes us so special.”

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Concerns raised about Adrian street closure, parade proposals