CUMBERLAND — The mayor and City Council at a public work session Tuesday discussed special event requests for Baltimore Street.
In recent weeks, the city’s administration rejected requests from organizers for an antique car show and Memorial Day parade to honor veterans.
“We realized that we need to have some guidelines” for closing Baltimore Street, Cumberland Administrator Jeff Silka said Tuesday.
Currently, applications for special event permits are reviewed by Cumberland employees, including Downtown Development Commission Executive Director Melinda Kelleher and City Clerk Allison Layton, Silka said.
“It’s a staff meeting,” he said. “It’s not a public meeting.”
City staff discussed a possible parade route and permit cost, Silka said.
He said city staff, including police officers, are scheduled to work during special functions.
“We allocate the overtime and that’s how the events get done,” he said.
“We’re having event fatigue,” Silka said. “We just don’t have the resources.”
Silka said the business community, leading up to a construction project that transformed Baltimore Street from a pedestrian mall to one-way road, “was adamant that traffic was important.”
Cumberland Mayor Ray Morriss said the DDC has authority to initiate events in the Baltimore, Center and Liberty streets area, and make recommendations to city officials.
“They are the representatives of the businesses (and) property owners downtown,” he said.
“No matter what we do … when somebody is told no … they’re gonna complain justifiably or not,” Morriss said.
Councilman Rock Cioni said city officials “constantly” told folks before and during the downtown construction project that Baltimore Street could be closed if needed for special events.
“We need to keep that in mind,” he said.
Morriss said he didn’t recall that message.
Councilman Brian Lepley said clear information about the special event permit process should be communicated.
“We need to get some direction out to the public … maybe a press release,” he said.
Lepley volunteered to serve on a special events committee, which the three other councilmen appeared to support.
Kelleher said various downtown businesses have provided “mixed” feelings about closing Baltimore Street for events.
She said any new policy should be fair, and suggested some special events could be held in conjunction with Friday After Five, when some downtown streets are already closed.
“It’s about safety (and) equitability,” she said.
Council agreed for the city administration to draft a policy proposal for discussion at a future public meeting.