Wallace considering 'Special Events' law

WALLACE –– The Wallace City Council will be hosting a public hearing on Tuesday, January 8, to discuss a proposed Special Events Ordinance that was discussed at December’s council meeting.  

According to Councilwoman Michele Bisconer, the intention of the ordinance is to streamline the approval process for Wallace’s event. Currently, all special events in Wallace require an application that has to be approved by the Wallace City Council. Under the proposed ordinance, any festival organizer with a two-year record of successfully running an event with no issues, while making no changes can apply and be approved by the city clerk if they submit their application, a map showing any street closures, and proof of insurance.  

“It puts in writing, the longstanding, unwritten, and implied rules and responsibilities around events,” Bisconer said. “This is to protect the city and ensure rules and responsibilities are communicated the same, all the time, and there’s no misunderstanding because all of the rules that responsible event organizers have followed, year after year, were communicated to the organizers.”

The ordinance has been met with some scrutiny from the public, including some who believed it to be a reactionary move to various events and organizers in recent years.  

The Wallace Chamber of Commerce submitted a letter that was read by Chamber Board member Susan Berry, which expressed concerns over the “spirit” of the proposed legislation.  

“The chamber would like to take a moment to acknowledge that the city of Wallace considers itself a place to party,” Berry read. “The spirit of Wallace is embodied by several key characteristics – One of these being our festivals. We urge the city council to reconsider the spirit of the Special Events Ordinance and to raft such governing language through the spirit of Wallace.”  

Berry also mentioned that the chamber believed the proposed ordinance to be an “extreme” reaction to debacle that was the Wallace Blues Festival last summer, which was canceled just days before it was supposed to take place and has reportedly left hundreds of people still waiting for refunds.  

Wallace legal counsel Ben Allen explained that the plans for the ordinance were in place last winter after law enforcement had expressed concerns to the city over a lack of information being given to them before events occurred.  

Other concerns brought before the council included the ordinance’s language concerning potential event fees, penalties for violating approved applications, the number of toilets being needed at each event, and the application process itself.  

Councilwoman Cindy Lien was also concerned that the proposed ordinance was reportedly on its fifth draft, but she had only seen the most recent draft just days before it was discussed. The city is still considering the ordinance and will hear from the public during the public hearing portion of its meeting tonight at 5 p.m.