Belleville City Council approves venue for Belleville Lake Fest

At its April 5 virtual meeting, the Belleville City Council unanimously approved a “defined venue” for the June 25-27 Belleville Lake Fest, exclusive of the June 27 concert after lake fest is over.
The council also approved the 3 p.m. Sunday concert, as a separate venue.
At a previous discussion by the council, it was suggested that having separate venues might increase the number of people allowed by the state at the events.
But there are several stipulations recommended by Acting City Manager / Police Chief Dave Robinson for each event.
Chief Robinson stipulated the applicant – the Belleville Area Chamber of Commerce – shall provide a COVID-19 compliance plan following all regulations imposed by the State of Michigan for each event.
The city administration will meet 30 days before the events, on May 25, to evaluate any changes to state requirements and the festival and concert will be required to submit an updated compliance plan by June 7.
Also, Chief Robinson will provide the chamber with a estimated cost breakdown for city services for the events by April 30 and the chamber shall agree to pay the expenses associated with the increased police/fire/DPS coverage needed for the events.
The festival includes many events including fireworks and a boat parade on Saturday and Sunday events from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Stipulations for the 3 p.m., Sunday concert, on High Street, include that the ticketed event will not exceed 1,000 participants. Also, the chamber will provide a staffing plan to ensure the private property adjacent to the venue is not trespassed upon by concert attendees, with personnel to protect concert attendees from the steep shoreline borders of Horizon Park.
Mike Kole of the chamber questioned the definition of a venue. He said anyone else wanting to do something in the city during the festival must be refused.
But Mayor Kerreen Conley said that wasn’t so and if someone else, like St. Anthony Catholic Church, wished to do something, “We would consider it.”
Kole asked what the capacity for outside events was so he can determine what the state’s 20% would be.
Chief Robinson said now they cannot exceed 1,000 people.
“You can’t provide a number,” Kole challenged. “You don’t want to tell me.”
Chief Robsinson said the state has advised that from March 5 through April 19, the number is 1,000.
“I’ll drop it,” Kole said of the discussion of the number who can attend. “My blood pressure is going up.”
“If it was happening today, it would be limited to 1,000,” Mayor Conley said.
“And, we wouldn’t have a festival,” Kole said.
When they were discussing the closing concert, Chief Robinson said the event is not to exceed 1,000 participants and this will be reexamined on May 25 to comply with the state rules at the time.
“COVID or no-COVID, it’s 1,000?” Kole asked of the concert.
“Yes,” said Chief Robinson. Later he said he has studied the area over and over again and it will not safely hold the 2,500 that concert promoters want.
In other business at the April 5 meeting, the council:
• Approved the Belleville Community Chorus as a nonprofit organization operating in the community so it could obtain charitable gaming licenses. It wishes to participate in Belleville Lake Fest by holding a raffle and selling tickets. Jane Vesche said the group has a Blue Angels watch worth $750 that it wishes to raffle off by selling tickets at $5 each during Lakefest weekend;
• Approved the request of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4434 and the Polish Legion of American Veterans Post 167 to sell Buddy Poppies at various locations along Main Street on May 6, 7, and 8, as part of a nationwide fundraiser that will benefit the community;
• Approved Boy Scout Troop 793’s request to sell Mother’s Day flowers outdoors at the Fourth Street Square from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on May 9. Fire Chief Brian Loranger said the boys used to do this fundraiser at St. Anthony Catholic Church, but since the troop is not housed inside the church during COVID, they needed another location;
• Approved the Belleville Area Council for the Arts request to hold Music Lakeside free concerts every Thursday between June 24 and Aug. 19, with showtime from 7 to 9 p.m. and High Street closed between 5 and 10 p.m. for set up and tear down. Steve Jones said this will be the 12th season for the event;
• Approved Steve Cinnamon’s request to hold the June 20 Father’s Day car show at Victory Park, marking the 19th year at the park, plus one year at his business, making it a 20-year event. He said he did the show at Victory Park during COVID last year and had everything six feet apart and had half the usual turnout;
• Heard Mayor Conley report that she and Mayor Pro Tem Jesse Marcotte had a conversation with the police chief, who is the current city manager, about the potential of a dual role for him and they found it was. Now they have to create a position of a deputy city manager and a job description. “We think this is a workable direction,” said Mayor Conley. Marcotte said they are building the best possible team they can have and feedback is very important so they can make sure they are all heading in the same direction. Mayor Conley said once they have gathered information and closed the loops, she and Marcotte will report back;
• Heard Councilman Ken Voigt report that Wayne County is supposed to get on the Belleville Bridge repairs after they are done with the Haggerty Road bridge. He said they know “how important the entry to our town is” and it’s looking shabby. Chief Robinson said he has been in communication with the chief executive, who is in one of his classes, and he will get a date when the Haggerty bridge is to be done and find out when they can look at the Belleville Bridge;
• Heard Mayor Pro Tem Marcotte remark that Doane’s Landing park looks “fantastic” since it has the new fence up. Other council members agreed. Mayor Conley said she loves Doane’s Landing and agreed, “It looks fantastic”; and
• Heard Acting City Manager/Police Chief Robinson announce that there is a new state law in effect that for all but a few assaultive misdemeanors police are required to issue appearance tickets instead of taking offenders to jail. He said the drunk driving arrests are included but, “We cannot release people who are intoxicated… It’s a pretty significant law in law enforcement.” He said police in the state got last-minute notice and have had to jump through the hoops. He later said he believes the state will look at the unintended consequences of the law and amend it in the future.