[media-credit name=’AJ MACLEAN/Herald photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]The debate over this year’s Mifflin Street Block Party date continued as students voiced their concerns at a meeting in the Madison Senior Center Thursday night.

University of Wisconsin students and Mifflin Street residents discussed implications students and the city may face if the party is held on May 7, the university’s official Finals Study Day.

The Madison Police Department and Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said the meeting was arranged to give students the opportunity to hear the city’s concerns, as well to offer their own.

“We thought it was incumbent to have a dialogue as soon as possible,” Verveer said with concern over the block party, which falls in his district.

Assistant Chief of Police Capt. Mary Schauf said the police department would face staffing issues if the event were changed to the April 30 date many students desire.

The MPD has already scheduled the proper number of police officers for May 7.

“The planning is resource intensive,” Schauf said.

Staffing additional officers would create a cost burden for the city, Schauf added.

Students remained concerned and suggested the date be changed in order to avoid the balancing of studying with the daylong party event.

UW senior Greg Knowles said he thinks it is important for the city to support academics over drinking and that most students would be unable to attend the event in May.

“While the tradition is May, it’s an obvious conflict of interest,” Knowles said.

Knowles said he appreciates the effort the police are making to compromise but that most students are planning on having their parties April 30, regardless of the formal party date in May.

UW sophomores Ben Bergstrom and Paul Jones said one of their biggest concerns is the number of students from other schools who flock to Mifflin Street each year.

A number of the students at the meeting agreed they would be unable to stop visitors from other cities from showing up on both dates, creating a problem for both residents and police.

Schauf noted that while the police department staffed officers for May 7, they have contingency plans in place if parties are held in April, saying, “The city will be prepared.”

Some students suggested an organization or group sponsor the event to mark a clear date as well as to cover city costs, as done in years past.

However, Verveer said the block party has not had a sponsor since 1991, when the Mifflin Street Co-op organized the event.

Schauf said it would be difficult to find a sponsor because of the liability issues arising from the amount of alcohol consumption occurring.

Students will be able to discuss issues such as police actions if the party is to occur in April in another upcoming meeting.

Although Verveer said the meeting was a successful dialogue, many residents left disappointed no official date was set for the event.

“This is a huge deal to [Madison police] to change the date,” Verveer said. “This is something the police have to think long and hard about.”

Bergstrom, who said he will not host a party this year, said students will not consider partying May 7 since they have already planned on the end of April.

“It’s a standstill between the cops and the students,” Bergstrom said.