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The Lincoln/Logan County Chamber of Commerce sponsors the festival
each year. Organizers have been faced with a mountain of additional
details with moving the balloon portion of the festival from the
Logan County Fairgrounds to the Logan County Airport grounds this
year.
The fairgrounds is owned by a private association and is not
affiliated with the county. That location is inside of Lincoln city
limits. The airport grounds, however, is county-owned property.
The Logan County liquor ordinance states that no alcohol may be
consumed on county property. It was realized recently that the move
constitutes a need to request a variance on the liquor ordinance
from the county.
In the past the Knights of Columbus has sponsored the beer tent
at the fairgrounds. A vendor has not been selected for the new site
yet.
In support of the continuation of the beer tent at the event,
chamber member Rob Orr said that some people don't like soda and
this gives them a choice. There haven't been any problems with it in
the past, he added.
County board member Dick Logan wanted to be sure that, whoever
the vendor is, they are insured and that the state's attorney
approves it. He also wanted it clarified that this is a one-time
variance for this year only and not more.
All of the above was confirmed. The vendor, when chosen, will be
required to supply insurance.
When the public was given opportunity to comment, Dick Hurley
spoke. He charged that if the board voted to allow this variance,
they would each be setting aside their responsibility to all of
Logan County residents. "You are opening yourself up for trouble,"
he said.
He also charged that they would be showing discrimination in
their activities. "You turned down the city of Lincoln last year,"
he said.
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Liquor committee chair Gloria Luster said she was planning to vote
yes but that she hoped she was not being discriminating toward
anyone. She said she is looking at each individual request, just as
she did for the city last year. She felt that the beer tent plans
have enough security measures and control that she could approve
this situation. The setting is different, she said.
Plans submitted call for a 40-by-80-foot fenced, secured area.
And security measures are also in place for the whole festival.
County coordinator Dewey Colter said, "No entity is ever exempt
from being sued." That is always a risk factor. The chamber has
liability insurance for the event, and the vendor will also supply
proof of insurance.
The variance received sufficient votes to pass, with Dale Voyles
and George Mitchell abstaining -- for possible conflict of interest
due to the tent sponsor not being chosen yet, Patrick O'Neill and
Dick Logan voting present -- indicating neither for nor against it,
and Paul Gleason the only no.
On another matter, the liquor committee is recommending to roll
back the starting hour to serve liquor on Sundays.
A request has once again been made by Mr. Naugle, the owner of
Lawndale Tap, to move the beginning service hours back from 1 p.m.
to 11 a.m. on Sundays.
Naugle made the same request last year as a short-term variance
on the liquor code. It was for the NASCAR season. He said then that
he has patrons who come in to watch the races and would like a beer
with their lunch.
The new request is not for a short-term variance but to change
the ordinance year-round. The liquor committee presented the request
for discussion at the June 16 board-of-the-whole meeting. A straw
vote yielded no objections, though some board members had no
opinion, indicating that it would pass when put to an official vote.
The liquor committee did not have sufficient time to prepare an
official reading of the modified ordinance before presenting it for
a final vote, Luster said. Therefore it will come to a vote on July
19.
[Jan
Youngquist] |
