Dexter Village Council Could Change Park Use Applications to Address Memorial Day Parade Complaints

The Dexter Village Council is considering permanently changing the process for applying to use public parks and streets after receiving from groups excluded from the 2012 Memorial Day parade.

According to draft language in the village's facilities permit, individuals or organizations applying for a permit to close a street due to a festival or community event, could not exclude public participation in the event.

Trustee Joe Semifero said the impetus behind adding the new language was due mainly because he heard there was no consistency in the Memorial Day parade committee's decision to allow groups to participate.

This year the committee said it would not allow businesses and clubs that were not associated with community service organizations, Dexter Community Schools, or local veterans to walk in the parade in order to .

"Allowing the Dexter High School lacrosse team permission to walk in the parade but not the Dexter Soccer Club because it's not part of the schools does not make sense. Allowing sports teams in the parade doesn't fit anyway with the stated goal of bringing the parade back to its roots," Semifero said.

Semifero said he believes if one school organization is allowed to participate, all school organizations must be allowed to participate. If one community group is allowed to participate, all interested community groups must be allowed. However, he said he was open to other solutions moving forward.

"I don't know how to resolve (the parade complaints). All I can say is that there were people disappointed on how things went, and that's the people we're supposed to represent," he said.

Village President Shawn Keough suggested that any group whose permit requires council approval and who is going to limit participation must provide, as part of their permit application, the reason why the limitation is necessary, and a copy of the application process and guidelines that will be used for participant selection.

"This would ensure that the requirement only applies to large community events that require a road closure and not things like weddings or graduation parties," he said.

Trustee Jim Carson, a member of the , expressed frustration with the proposed language during Monday's council meeting, arguing that events held at Monument Park —including Memorial Day, Apple Daze, Dexter Daze, and the Dexter Senior Center's annual ice cream social — often require closing Central Street to protect the safety of attendees.

"I'm speaking as a citizen. I donate my time to put on events at the park. All this does is make more work for me, and for what?" he asked. "Small nonprofits do not have application processes and guidelines. Usually the chairman decides who is going to do what. This is overkill. This is government regulation of a nonprofit putting on an event at a park."

Trustees Ray Tell and Donna Fisher, who were members of the Memorial Day parade committee, said the intention was never to exclude groups from the event.

"The main consideration of the parade committee was to make sure there was a parade. Less than a month before the holiday, no group had pulled a permit. The human cry we heard last year when there was no ceremony was enough where the village employees got the blame because we're the face of the village," Tell said. "Granted the process this year was skewed, however no attempt was made to disassociate anyone, exclude anyone or anger anyone who wanted to be in the parade. I apologize if anyone felt that way."

Fisher said the parade committee has since disbanded and has no plans to reform in the future.

Trustee Paul Cousins suggested that the council table discussions on the park facility application language for a later date to be determined.