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First Friday goal: Look to June or July for initial 2021 event
With a foot of snow on the ground, thoughts might not be fixed on outdoor events just yet. But, as they say, timing is everything.
With First Friday put on hold for all of 2020, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, plans for 2021 are also up in the air.
Traditionally, First Friday returns to the local calendar each March, and although Mother Nature has prevailed with cold and/or rain most of the time, an April or May gathering on the courthouse square has usually been more favorable.
That won’t happen this spring either, thanks to COVID-19 and the state restrictions on gatherings of more than 250 people.
However, Mike Richmond of Main Street Greencastle was on hand at the City Council’s February meeting, not for permission to close any streets, but “to see what everybody has to say and get the wheels moving.”
Even if he had received the go-ahead, Richmond said it usually takes six weeks to get the bands booked for the event.
“I’d love to see it happen,” City Council President Mark Hammer said, suggesting that planning for the events move forward in the anticipation of First Friday returning likely come June or July.
Councilman Adam Cohen suggested Richmond work with the Health Department, getting it to sign off on a safe date for the return of the downtown event.
“Having them sign off on it instead of the other way around, I think that’s easier on us because they’re the experts,” Cohen added.
Other Council members agreed.
“My mood is cautiously optimistic,” Councilor Veronica Pejril said. “My optimism will be raised and my caution lowered if the Health Department gives us some manner of blessing.”
Seconding Pejril’s statement, Councilman Dave Murray said he has learned that ”a lot more vaccine is in the pipeline right now.”
And that could lead to Indiana reaching “herd immunization” sometime in early summer. Hedging their bets, Murray said, would make it sometime September or October.
Councilman Jake Widner also stressed remaining consistent in following Health Department recommendations as the city did last year.
“However, seeing these events happening elsewhere (such as the Indianapolis Zoo), I think we need to be open and supportive in our community, too,” he said.
Meanwhile, Councilman Cohen said he “liked the look” of having Indiana Street closed in front of Taphouse and Moore’s Bar with canopy tables greeting diners.
“Maybe that’s a positive that comes out of it,” Cohen suggested of allowing more such street closures for community events.
“As a sidenote,” that’s been “awesome, COVID or no COVID,” Cohen added.
No vote was actually taken on First Friday, although Richmond was urged to continue planning with the anticipation that it could materialize in June or July.
“I think it’s appropriate to continue on,” Council President Hammer interjected, “and leave it in anticipation that maybe it might start in June or July or who knows when.”
In other business, the Council:
• Authorized – as “money well spent” Councilman Murray said -- its annual $50,000 funding (through EDIT dollars) of the Greencastle/Putnam County Development Center. Development Center Director Kristin Clary said her office, which has moved to the second-floor executive suite at Ivy Tech, will also receive $50,000 from the county and $40,000 from local business.
• Approved the Council appointment of Jon Clark, a Greencastle resident since 1986 who owns The Watering Hole in Fillmore, as a member of the Greencastle Board of Zoning Appeals. Following his introduction and a motion by Widner to appoint Clark to the BZA, the Council made it unanimous.
• Heard Mayor Bill Dory that he has made his last mayoral appointment to the BZA, naming Paul Champion, retired pastor at First Christian Church, to the panel. The BZA now has a full complement of members with Clark and Champion joining Brian Cox, Doug Wokoun and Andrew Ranck.
• Approved street closings for the Saturday, March 6 Shamrock 5K fundraiser. Organizer Gail Smith reported that last year the 5K was run March 7, the last big community event before COVID-19 shut everything down. There were more than 200 runners or walkers last year. The Indiana and Franklin street sides of the square will be closed from 7 a.m. to noon to accommodate the event. Other streets will have “rolling closures” as competitors come through.
• Approved on both first and second reading Ordinance 2021-1, which addresses sick leave, FMLA and other personnel matters during a public health emergency. City employees can use an employee sick bank for up to 240 hours due to COVID-related issues. City Attorney Laurie Hardwick called it “more generous than what our employees would normally have.” The Council suspended the rules and passed the measure on second reading the same night because “time is of the essence,” Hardwick said.
• Approved cancellation of 11 outstanding old checks totaling $650.98. Most of the checks are refund checks for utility customers that were never cashed after two years, City Clerk-Treasurer Lynda Dunbar noted.
Mayor Dory, Clerk Dunbar and Council members Hammer, Cohen, Pejril, Murray and Widner were joined by Stacie Langdon and Cody Eckert (via Zoom) for the February meeting.
The City Council will net meet in regular session at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 11 at City Hall.