OSWEGO, NY – At its meeting this week, the Physical Services Committee tabled a proposal that could mean extra revenues for Harborfest. It would also waive the open container ordinance in part of East Park.
Laurel Braun, interim executive director of Harbor Festivals, requested that the open container ordinance be waived for a fenced-in area at East Park on Friday and Saturday of Harborfest.
Kim Cloonan, president of the festival’s board of directors, attended the committee meeting.
The festival is looking to have an area similar to the section in Breitbeck Park where alcohol is sold near the Main Stage.
The area would have security inside and outside the gates, she explained.
According to Braun, the hours of operation wouldn’t exceed the running of the entertainment, until 11 p.m., July 25 and 11:30 p.m., July 26.
“I understand what Harborfest is trying to do,” Police Chief Mike Dehm Jr. said.
However, he added he couldn’t really support the plan, especially with the Route 104 bridge being closed. With just one bridge, things will be more difficult for law enforcement members, he said.
Officers will be on both sides of the river; as well as either side of the Utica Street bridge for traffic detail, he explained.
“Would you feel more comfortable if they had increased security?” Connie Cosemento (D-First Ward) asked.
More security would help, he noted.
“I can’t see putting another drinking venue at Harborfest,” Mike Myers (R-Second Ward) said. “(The police) are already spread so thin throughout the city, to add another venue like that, even though you’re going to have a lot of security there, isn’t a good idea. I can’t support that.”
“Should this not be successful, it wouldn’t force you to cancel the Jazz Stage, would it?” Cosemento asked.
It wouldn’t, Cloonan said.
“There has always been a concern that people come to the park and they bring their alcohol with them. Especially at nighttime, they bring their own alcohol with them in coolers and whatever,” said City Attorney Gay Williams, a former festival board member.
“It seems to me it would be more controlled because it would be in a controlled area with security and would probably free up some of the officers in other areas,” she continued.
With a controlled area, police wouldn’t have to check to see if people had alcohol in their coolers, she added.
The festival’s board met recently to discuss the financial position of the festival, Cloonan said.
As a result, and after lengthy discussion, the board unanimously voted to eliminate activities on River Walk West.
“Despite the decision, the festival will continue to offer the high quality entertainment we’ve prided ourselves on for the past 20 years, while continuing to keep it free to our fest-goers,” Cloonan said, adding that the move would also free up other police officers.
“I would be willing (to support this) if Harborfest can come up with a structured security plan, and increase the security as much as possible,” Cosemento said.
“I’m sure we can come up with something to control it better,” Cloonan said.
Dehm said he wasn’t sure how much additional manpower the city would receive for Harborfest.
“We’re essentially going to be running two separate police departments, one east and one west,” he explained.
They will likely get about the same number of state police troopers as last year, he said.
“The sheriff’s department is only so big with just so many personnel, Environmental Conservation will give us a few more officers on ATVS, a few from the campus police department,” Dehm said.
The exact numbers won’t be known until about two weeks before the festival, he added.
Cloonan said she’s been in contact with Assemblyman (Will) Barclay’s office to see if they could help provide more police officers to cover Harborfest. She hopes to hear back sometime Wednesday.
The committee will revisit the request as soon as it receives more information.
missing or outdated ad config
