NEWS
Halloween plan set to take effect Oct. 28
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Also by Lynn Heidmann:
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- City to sign off on revised Halloween plan (September 19, 2006)
- Halloween plans near completion (September 4, 2006)
- City Council to hear King's proposal (March 20, 2007)
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by Lynn Heidmann
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Mayor Dave Cieslewicz's revised proposal for this year's Halloween festivities passed in the City Council Tuesday with heavy support from both the alders and the Halloween Action Committee.
Only Council President Austin King, District 8, and Alder Brenda Konkel, District 2, voted against the mayor's plan.
As the proposal stands, anyone wishing to enter State Street on Saturday, Oct. 28, must pay a $5 cover charge, with the exception of those who live or work within the fenced area. The city will sell 80,000 entrance tickets, which will be required from 7:30 p.m. until 1:30 a.m.
"I do think there have been some positive changes to this, but ultimately it's not a resolution I can support," King said. "I can't vote for a resolution that I believe could jeopardize the safety of my constituents living in residential areas lining State Street."
Madison Police Chief Noble Wray said officers are expecting some form of overflow onto other streets and are prepared to address the issue, should it become a problem. The biggest areas of potential congestion, he said, are Langdon Street and Mifflin Street.
In order to increase MPD staffing throughout the weekend, Wray explained officers will only respond to "emergency or priority calls." Private security is scheduled to collect tickets at the gated area of State Street, he said, also to free up police for more important matters and crowd control.
"We're anticipating the possibility that we may have displacement to an adjacent neighborhood, and based upon the staffing and what we anticipate taking place on State Street, I believe we have the resources to deal with it," Wray explained.
Though the mayor's plan received overwhelming support from the Council, some alders still expressed doubts with the proposal. Ald. Zach Brandon, District 7, said he is concerned that the city is headed to dangerous territory and is afraid a $5 charge might lead to official Madison sponsorship of the event.
"Regardless of how successful this is, if the same proposal comes back to us next year and we have not made efforts or strides to actually find a private entity that will take over the sponsorship of this event, I can't say my vote will be the same," he said. "But for tonight, I will support this proposal."
Madison resident Phil Haercito argued the ending of Halloween 2006 is an important issue never addressed in the mayor's proposal. There was never any discussion of how to get people off State Street at the conclusion of the evening, which, he said, is a crucial step in the process.
Yet University of Wisconsin students and members of the HAC Brandon Sivret and Tom Wangard spoke in favor of Cieslewicz's plan at the meeting. As a group that started out criticizing the event, Sivret noted the proposal and the HAC have come a long way.
"It's obviously not perfect … but at least we're making progress," he said.
Anonymous (September 20, 2006 @ 8:52am):
Wow, nothing like not selling enough tickets for everyone in Madison on those nights to get onto State St. I'm SURE that won't cause bigger problems than normal. Get a clue, as if enough money isn't made off of us students already.
