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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-22-25 Special Events Committee Minutes SPECIAL EVENTS COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES January 22, 2025, 1:00 PM 731 S. Lafayette Blvd, South Bend, IN 46601 Members present: Brad Rohrscheib, Coby Deal, Derek Erquhart Members absent: Amy Roush, Kyle Ludlow (Teams) 1. Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 1:05 PM by Mr Rohrscheib 2. Approval of minutes Upon a motion by Mr Rohrscheib and seconded by Mr Erquhart, the minutes from the previous meeting held on January 8, 2025, were approved unanimously. 3. Approval of Special Event Permits 3a. February First Fridays-February 7, 2025 Kylie Carter joined the committee meeting as a representative for DTSB to discuss the Special Events application for February First Fridays. This year’s block party style event in February is a first for DTSB. The event will be held in the front area between the Studebaker Plaza and Brunos. A diagonal closure will allow the garage to remain open. The event will feature food vendors, fire dancers, ice carvings, and a fireworks show. The type of barriers to be used will be determined prior to the event. Upon a motion by Mr Rohrscheib and seconded by Mr Erquhart, the permit for February First Fridays was approved unanimously, contingent upon what type of barriers will be used. 3b. St Margaret’s House Winter Walk-February 16, 2025 Page | 2 Lauren Smyth joined the meeting and discussed with the committee members the Special Events application submitted on behalf of St Margaret’s House for the annual Winter Walk. The participants of the walk will complete a mile long loop thru downtown South Bend, beginning at South Bend City Church and culminating back at St Margaret’s House on N Lafayette Blvd. Ms Smyth explained that the walk raises funds to benefit the women and children who depend on St Margaret’s House as well as symbolizing the fact that they rely on their feet as a sole means of transportation. Attendance at the event depends upon the weather and can range from 5 to 700 participants. This year’s route has a different beginning point that reflects a slight change from last year’s route. Participants will remain on City sidewalks and will briefly cross at intersections with the aid of SBPD. Participants are expected to start walking at 2:00 pm. DTSB will be on hand to clear sidewalks as needed. Upon a motion by Mr Rohrscheib and seconded by Mr Erquhart, the permit for St Margaret’s House Winter Walk was approved unanimously. 3c. St Patrick’s Day Parade-March 15, 2025 Kylie Carter remained at the meeting to discuss the Special Events Application submitted for this year’s St Patrick’s Day Parade. It was pointed out by one of the committee members that the staging of the parade participants last year proved to be chaotic. Ms Carter told the committee that she would look back on last year’s notes to identify the problem areas and try to correct problems with the staging area this year. Ms Carter requested that Jefferson Blvd be closed by 10:30 am to accommodate and keep safe the pedestrian traffic arriving for the parade. SBPD officers will arrive 45 minutes prior to the parade to assist with crowd management. Upon a motion by Mr Rohrscheib and seconded by Mr Deal, the permit for St Patrick’s Day Parade was approved unanimously. 4. Other Business 4a. Conversation on Event Security The committee members briefly discussed Meridian Barriers and potential options for the City to purchase or rent the barriers in the future. It was agreed that the committee’s concerns for public safety and potential budgetary discussions for future barrier upgrades should be mentioned to the BPW in the near Page | 3 future. This would make leadership aware of the future needs of the community from a public safety perspective. None 5. Privilege of the Floor None 6. Adjournment With no additional business to discuss, Mr Rohrscheib motioned for adjournment, and Mr Erquhart seconded. The meeting concluded at 1:33 PM.