Disappointment and disbelief. What other event generates this much interest in the city of Wildwood and creates this much additional business for the retailers? None. Yet, due to the efforts of a very vocal minority on the Wildwood City Council, we have now driven away and helped damage the reputation of a man. At 62.5 cents for every citizen in Wildwood this is a very good use of tax money: it creates interest in Town Center, brings people from outside of Wildwood into our city, creates additional revenue for our merchants and helps many non-profits create a one-day income stream. The city outsources virtually everything it does and this amount being paid is just simply another example of the city paying a vendor to bring something positive to our town. What a shame that we allow a few very loud and pushy council members to determine how our city dollars will be spent. Hopefully they will not be here after their next term.

I couldn't have said it better myself. This City/Private partnership isn't any different than the City paying for other activites to come or be held in Wildwood. It is just on a larger scale, due to the event being the largest in West County. Wish more people could understand this point.
Holly Ferris
Membership Director
Wildwood Business Association

The City is not run by a few Council Members. It is run by the majority of them, and Mr. Schmer was given the permission and utilization of City property, and the taxpayer money to run the event, by a super majority of The City Council. Mr. Schmer canceled the event, not Wildwood.

David Geile
City Council
Ward One

Julie, you've listed a great calendar of community events. Could you revise or expand the table to identify which of those listed events involves serving of alcoholic beverages and for which the City assumes a great deal of additional liability, as it would with a event such as the all-day, two-day Bash. I wonder if a follow-up story could list the past requests for activities on City property which were denied in accordance with City guidelines, specifically because they would have involved alcoholic beverages. Is the Bash the only event which has been given a pass on the guideline, while other worthwhile activities have been denied in the past? If so, why? I think the Bash is a great idea, but not at the untethered cost in public funds and with a much greater risk to the City. Now if that uncapped cost can be gambled by the organizer and local business people such as Holly Ferris, Chris Curran, Paul Farnsworth, David Coleman, etc, instead of the City and if the organizer and each of the vendors will sign a transfer of risk document which relieves the City of any legal responsibility derived from unmonitored sale of alcohol, then I'll be one of the all-day, two-day celebrants! Of course, if the gamble and liability is indeed assumed by those business people and vendors, the first thing they'd do is ask Mr. Schmer for better management and better cost accounting. The next thing they's do is ask their insurance agent if they have enough coverage for that type of risk.

Bill, thanks for the questions. I did spend some time last night trying to determine what the current city guidelines are for ANY entity requesting to use Wildwood-related or Wildwood-owned property for an event. Ironically, given the attention to the Barbecue Bash, the very last item on last night's city council agenda was the request from a Wildwood resident to repeat the Amazing Taste event held last year for the first time in Wildwood. This event is sponsored and organized by Lukas Liquors and is held solely to benefit a foster home charity called Angels' Arms. Last year, organizers moved the annual event from Ellisville to Wildwood to gain more space. I attended this last year, and it was a very pleasant event. The whole gist of the fundraiser is about tasting wines. Some fingerfoods and beers also were available. City council members approved this request last night, including assigning $1,500 of city funds to it to handle the typical trash, personal sanitation, public safety and setup accommodations, such as tents. My understanding is that this approval comes with the organizer adhering to six parameters as outlined by city officials, including an insurance-related clause that relinquishes the city from risks and provides indemnity. I had planned to gain more details today, per the availability of city staffers.

Hi,
To go along with Bill's mention about the taste of Wildwod being held by Lucus Liquors. Why not ask "Wines of Wildwood" if they'd like to take part in anything like this. They are located in the Town Center. Just a thought because it does sound like a good alternative as long as the money does go to the charity.