Lincoln Park City Manager/Finance Director Lisa Griggs (left) recommends a standard operating procedure for city event cancelation during the Sept. 8 City Council meeting as Mayor Maureen Tobin and City Clerk Kerry Kehrer listen.
By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
LINCOLN PARK – The City Council approved a standard operating procedure Sept. 8 for the cancelation of city-sponsored or hosted events to help ensure attendee and city staff safety.
The resolution passed 5-2, with Councilmembers Jason Behr, Tracy Duprey, Jason Nichols, Lylian Ross and Eric Szor in favorite, and Mayor Maureen Tobin and Council President Carlos Salcido opposed.
Salcido said if the Exchange Club is running an event, it should have a say in whether it is canceled.
“Those people that are having the event should be in charge of the cancelation,” he said.
Tobin said either the mayor or someone on the council should be part of the group that makes a cancelation decision.
She said she had made her opinion known and felt she had been ignored.
In a memo to the mayor and City Council, City Manager/Finance Director Lisa Griggs said it is essential that a clear and consistent protocol be established that outlines the steps to be taken when a cancelation is needed.
She said the standard operating procedures would apply to festivals, parades, public meetings, ceremonies, vendor events, sporting and recreational events and other city-sponsored gatherings.
Griggs said that while she hopes it is used infrequently, having it in place will help ensure efficiency, transparency and public safety.
She said inclement weather, safety concerns and low attendance are possible reasons for cancelation, and will be used when it is not possible to move an event indoors.
Griggs said the city officials making the decision will include department heads, including the police chief, fire chief, parks and recreation director and the department of public services director, as well as the city manager and emergency management.
She said the mayor and council members will be notified immediately if an event is canceled.
Weather-related cancelations include thunderstorms, flooding, high winds or extreme heat or cold.
Public safety threats would include violence, terrorism or other credible threats.
Infrastructure failure, such as a power outage, a lack of utilities or a road closure might also necessitate a cancelation.
Low registration or attendance, as well as budgetary or logistical constraints, might also lead to an event cancelation.
In addition, federal or state emergency declarations could lead to an event cancelation.
Cancelations would ideally be made 24 hours in advance, or as soon as possible for emergent situations.
Internal notifications will be made to the mayor, council, and relevant city departments and staff, and vendors and volunteers will also be notified.
Notice will be placed on the city website, social media platforms will be updated, a press release will be sent to the media if applicable, mass notifications will be employed and nearby event signage will be utilized.
If the event can be rescheduled, the new date will be promptly communicated. If it cannot be rescheduled, vendors and attendees will be informed of refunds or credits.
The event coordinator or appropriate department head will initiate a cancelation review, the department head or emergency manager will authorize the cancelation and ensure team compliance with the protocol, and the city manager or administrator will provide final approval for high-profile or large-scale events.