Motion Adopting City Council Policies, Central Park, Transfer House, Memorial Band Shell, and Other Downtown Parks Owned by the City of Decatur - Guidelines for Use by the Public

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November 12, 2021 TO: Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe & Members of the Decatur City Council FROM: Scot Wrighton, City Manage RE: Management of Central Park,Transfer House& Downtown Green Spaces The Decatur Convention &Visitor's Bureau (CVB) has taken the lead on a major remodeling of the interior of the Transfer House, and has secured significant donations to defray material costs,and has arranged volunteer labor from the Trades& Labor Council. City Council members will receive an invitation to attend an unveiling of the remodeling, currently scheduled for Saturday, November 27.The remodeled Transfer House will make it possible for this city brand identifier and icon to be better used to support planned events, celebrations,festivals and other activities in Central Park and in the central business district. Ms.Teri Hammel,CVB executive director, has been instrumental in making this project successful. Presented for consideration is a proposed City Council Policy establishing that the city manager can outsource to a local organization (in this case the CVB)the responsibility for managing who can use the Transfer House and other downtown parks and open spaces.The City Council has expressed a desire to see more activities downtown, especially following the end of Decatur Celebration. Both the CVB and the Decatur Arts Council have agreed to take the lead in bringing more activities and organized events downtown (mostly to Central Park) in 2022.This policy change will provide greater flexibility and smoother turn-around time in processing approvals for organized events at Central Park and elsewhere downtown. If this policy is approved,the city manager's office will issue administrative policies concerning how organizations and individuals can reserve the Transfer House,the fees for use, insurance requirements, vendor requirements, security requirements,etc.The city will retain control over temporary liquor license issuance, street closures and use of police for security, but will work closely with the CVB as they manage the use of the city's downtown open spaces and the Transfer House for community events and celebrations.