Pickeral Tournament event permit okayed but clarified
By Barb Pert Templeton
A lengthy discussion at the May 19 Algonac City Council meeting had officials approving a special event permit for the 88th Annual Lions Pickerel Tournament but there were several changes to the process this year.
The event, set for July 2 through July 5 in the city, is hosted by the Algonac Lions Club and while the council did unanimously approve the special event permit for the Pickerel Tournament, the motion was different from the past. It included having the Lions pay $5,000 to the city by June 30 and to bill the costs for water usage during the event to the Lions, payable by Sept. 1.
Councilman Michael Bembas said regarding the $5,000 upfront cost this year, in the past the Lions paid $2,500 up front but then it took three letters and a councilperson attending a Lions meeting to get the $2,500 balance.
“There was definitely push back from some Lions on that and there shouldn’t be,” Bembas said. “I would hope that in 2027 the different organizations – the sheriff, the fire department, the water department, DPW – bill the Lions ahead of time and they can come to us and ask us to subsidize it for a certain amount.”
Mayor Rocky Gillis said one thing he’s dead set on is that the Lions need to pay for their water usage during the event.
Algonac Councilman Michael Bembas.
“We need to bill the water at the standard rate that we are billing our residents,” Gillis said. “If we don’t bill the water then there’s no incentive not to let a hose run.”
“I do agree with that since we raised pricing on all the residents, I think it’s only fair,” Councilman Jake Skarbek said.
Several members of the council stated they agreed with that assessment by Skarbek.
“We can’t give free water,” Gillis added. “I think that’s a fair compromise and it’s not charging it’s called cost recovery to the taxpayers.”
“There was definitely push back from some Lions on that and there shouldn’t be.”
Algonac Councilman Michael Bembas talking about the city trying to collect a $2,500 balance due from the Algonac Lions after the Pickerel Tournament last year. He stated it took three letters and a councilperson attending a Lions Club meeting to get the funds
Memo spells out costs to city for event
In a memo in the meeting packet from City Manager Artie Bryson is was noted that providing DPW, fire and police services for the event costs the city $20,000 each year. A city ordinance requires event applicants reimburse the city for all costs over $1,000 for special events but a state statue allows municipal governments to expend money for use for national holidays, like July 4, if the event benefits the public.
In May 2021 the Algonac City Council agreed that the city taxpayers would absorb some of the costs for the Pickerel Tournament and the Lions would have to reimburse the city $5,000.
“We need to bill the water at the standard rate that we are billing our residents. If we don’t bill the water then there’s no incentive not to let a hose run.”
Algonac Mayor Rocky Gillis.
The memo also noted that last year the Lions were billed $8,450 for the DPW and the fire department although with overtime costs that’s number is likely to be hirer this year.
During the council meeting Bembas noted that the sheriff’s department recently mentioned that they spend 200 overtime hours for the event and Gillis added that the cost the sheriff said they spend is $20,000.
“We’ve got to look at our whole citizenry and we can’t subsidize things for citizens who aren’t even going to use it,” Bembas said. “It’s just not fair to taxpayers, I think this is a good compromise this year just adding the water with the money to be paid ahead of time.”
Councilwoman Wendy Meldrum said she agreed but if the city is doing this for the Pickeral Tournament they need to review and do the same for all of the city’s special events.
“Currently we have it at $1,000, that’s the bare minimum the city can give into it so I think keeping it that way and then everything else should be an additional cost across the board for any non-profits doing any event because why is that on the city taxpayer for any of this?” Skarbek added.
Mayor Pro Tem Dawn Davey said she felt the point was made and since they will be doing this across the board with all events that officials not spend so much time continuing to discuss it.
“The point is made and we need to move on,” Davey said.
“We were just having a discussion and council is allowed to have a discussion,” Gillis replied.
Putting fees in place for late applicants
While they were on the subject of event permits, Bembas reminded the city manager that the council asked him to come up with a fee schedule for late permit applications.
Bryson said he did a poll via other local cities to see how they handle it. He said New Baltimore, Mt. Clemens and Marine City do 100 percent cost recovery but Marysville does not.
“I’d like to see something where we have to either accept or wave a fee if we get the application less than 90 days out,” Bembas said.
Bryson said yes, the ordinance review committee discussed it and if it’s after the three months required it would be $50 but if it’s within four weeks’ time of the event it would be $100, but the board would have the option to wave it.
“I’d like to review that ordinance too, a lot of them I don’t think they really have to come before you guys for every event permit,” Bryson said. “Like the church one walking around the block on the sidewalk with 20 people. If they serve alcohol or if it’s going to be longer than five hours, definitely.”
The city manager used a recent event, the Historical Society of Algonac hosting a birthday party for Chris Smith and they were in the park for just three hours,
“Do they need a special event permit for you guys? I personally don’t think so,” Bryson said. “I think we’re getting carried away on the permits.”
