More downtown magic up Smith’s sleeve?

First she created the Greencastle Music Fest, which has since grown and flourished into the musical highlight of the summer in Greencastle.

Then came First Friday, for which Gail Smith has been a co-collaborator as the monthly event has evolved and prospered into a can’t-miss evening each spring and summer on the square.

And now Smith is at it again, creating another downtown event -- the Sham Rock 5K -- scheduled for Saturday, March 7 as a way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and raise funds for the Greencastle Music Fest.

Smith appeared before the Greencastle City Council at its January meeting last Thursday to request street closures to accommodate the running of the inaugural Sham Rock 5K, beginning at Franklin and Indiana streets on the northeast corner of the courthouse square.

She requested the closures involve Franklin Street, from Jackson to Indiana Street, and Indiana Street, from Franklin to Washington Street -- similar to First Fridays -- between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. to facilitate pre-race and post-race activity. The race itself begins at 10.

In addition to the barricades, rolling closures are anticipated with law enforcement likely posted at the intersections of College and Franklin, College and Washington and Jackson and West Hanna.

Originally hoping to run through the DePauw University campus (possibly via College Avenue), Smith said organizers are working closely with the university on determining an alternate route because of a “big event” on campus that they don’t want to disrupt.

“I am absolutely shocked at how many people are interested in this,” Smith said, telling the Council organizers expect “a couple hundred” runners/walkers.

Activities on the north side of the square will include a beer garden and a band. Proceeds from the event will go toward funding the Music Fest, which has become the signature downtown event over the past 10 years,

What started as a one-time-only day of music and fun in 2010 in celebration of Almost Home’s 20th anniversary has grown into a continuing community event. The Music Fest, which evolved into a two-day event in 2019, celebrated its 10th anniversary last August and the 2020 version is scheduled for Aug. 21-22.

In the 10 years of the event, Smith said, 148,000 music lovers have enjoyed 38 bands.

“With support from local sponsors that totaled $138,000, we were able to provide a level of entertainment that brings folks from all over Indiana and beyond,” Smith noted.

With an estimated $2 million spent at the event over the 10-year duration, Smith said that equates to a half-million-dollar economic impact on the city.

Councilman Adam Cohen made the motion to approve the concept of the Sham Rock 5K, leaving the particulars about the route and necessary barricades and all to emergency services personnel to work out. The motion for the street closure was passed unanimously.

In other business, the City Council:

-- Heard Park Director Rod Weinschenk announce that persons interested in being lifeguards at the aquatic center this summer can pick up applications at City Hall. Councilman David Murray said he was concerned abut the $9.25 per hour wage scale and urged Weinschenk to work with the clerk-treasurer and mayor to arrive at a more competitive hourly rate. “I’m seriously concerned,” Murray said, noting that the pool has had problems in the past attracting enough lifeguards for the summer. “These are young people who take on serious obligations, and we’re not paying them anywhere close to what we should be paying them to take on that responsibility.”

Murray said he fears that all the scheduled pool renovations will be done but there won’t be enough lifeguards to staff it and its slide attractions, and the pool would have to be closed for the day or more.

“That’s only slightly exaggerated on my part,” Murray added.

-- Heard Weinschenk report that organizers are hoping for 500 attendees for the Sunday, Jan. 26 Brickmania: Lego Birthday Bash at the Putnam County Museum, 1-5 p.m. It is the 62nd anniversary of the Lego, and visitors can enjoy creations by brick artists and engineers from the Indiana Lego User Group. Admission is one non-perishable food item (or financial donation) per person. Last year’s event drew more than 300 people, Weinschenk said.

-- Heard Councilman Cohen commend the Fire Department for its diligent work on inspections, including citing the Greencastle Fire Station itself and giving it the more urgent 14-day window to remedy.

“Obviously you do inspections all across the city and find many violations,” Cohen said, addressing Fire Chief John Burgess, “but you’re clearly not biased. When you look carefully at the report, you can see they cited themselves for having some violations. Thank you for being so honest.”

-- The fire report also caught Councilman Murray’s eye. He noted that the recent inspections produced only three acceptable visits, opposed to 47 unacceptable inspections. “That’s an incredibly high number of violations,” Murray said.

-- Heard new Council President Mark Hammer inform newcomers Veronica Pejril and Cody Eckert that each councilman has $9,000 at his or her discretion to use within their ward (or elsewhere in the city) on a particular project not otherwise in the budget.

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Greencastle City Council is set for 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13 at City Hall.