At the October 16, 2012 City Council meeting held at City Hall in downtown Forney, the Council, Mayor and City Manager Brian Brooks considered the approval of a new Special Events Policy. The SEP was presented by Director of Parks and Recreation, Richard Curry. The final vote on the policy was tabled until a few minor changes and wording can be made to satisfy the Council's concerns.
At the October 16, 2012 City Council meeting held at City Hall in downtown Forney, the Council, Mayor and City Manager Brian Brooks considered the approval of a new Special Events Policy. The SEP was presented by Director of Parks and Recreation, Richard Curry. The final vote on the policy was tabled until a few minor changes and wording can be made to satisfy the Council's concerns.
Though the SEP will cover those events taking place anywhere within the city limits of Forney, it is primarily aimed at the Spellman Amphitheater and downtown Forney events. In 2011, a Special Events Review Team was created to begin working on the policies and procedures for future events.
One of the changes suggested at the City Council meeting by Councilman Darrell Hobbs and Councilman Andy Parker was to not set a specific number of events allowed. Instead they would like to see each event reviewed and approved or declined by the SER Team. The team would have knowledge as to whether there was enough City staff to cover the events, such as police, fire, and the Parks Department staff. If an event was declined, the decision could be appealed to City Manager Brian Brooks for reconsideration.
As Forney grows, more events are added throughout the year. Downtown hosts two Lions Club 5K runs, the Main Street 5K by the EDC, a Forney Arts Festival, Turkey Trax, the Unity Parade, and Hometown Christmas. A Pink Out Forney event was also held for the first time this year and was a hit downtown. All of these events require some amount of street closures and each event was required to provide at least a $1 million insurance policy.
Upcoming 2012 Fall and Winter community events for Forney, Texas
The SEP says that part of the purpose of the policy “is to ensure that special events are safe, enjoyable, and well-coordinated.” The City will determine “the number of security personnel or police officers an event warrants.” The policy also says that If an applicant charges an admission fee to the event, “the City shall receive ten percent of all the gross ticket/admission sales of the event.”
A special addendum was added specifically for the Spellman Amphitheater, which has a listed capacity of five thousand patrons. For events sponsored by the City of Forney at the amphitheater, items permitted inside include blankets and lawn chairs, coolers that are 12” x 17” x 12” or smaller, and binoculars. Items listed as prohibited include: glass bottles, alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs, weapons, coolers larger than listed above, laser pointers, recording devices, bullhorns or noisemakers, animals (except service animals), skateboards and inline skates, and any personal property deemed hazardous to others, such as chains and jewelry with spiked edges.
Mayor Darren Rozell raised concerns about allowing people to exit and re-enter a paid for/ ticketed event. He would like those types of events to keep all needed portable toilets and concession stands inside the gated facility, so there would be no need to exit and re-enter. His suggestion will be considered by the SERT as a potential policy change. In the meantime, the fact that the vote on the policy was tabled, will not affect the upcoming October 20 concert at the Spellman Amphitheater.
