[media-credit name=’NATALIE WEINBERGER/Herald photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]Madison’s unofficial Halloween planning group maintained mostly positive opinions about the 2005 celebration at a Tuesday meeting.

Discussion centered on the fact that the majority of the city's goals for a successful event were met.

Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, pointed this out.

"We've seen a tremendous improvement this year compared to past years," Verveer said. "We talked about the success indicators at our meetings prior to the event, and I think we can check off, proudly, almost all of them."

Verveer said he searched State Street Sunday morning and could not find any property damage. No major injuries were reported on State Street during the weekend, he added, noting there was also a more diverse crowd than usual on Halloween.

"I noticed a definite change in the crowd mentality this year compared to other years," Verveer said. "There were families out on State Street and middle-aged adults as well."

University of Wisconsin Interim Dean of Students Lori Berquam said she views the preventative measures taken by the university as successes.

Berquam said UW's communication with other universities was well received and positive. "And our [resident hall] no-guest policy resulted in virtually no damage or vandalism in the residence halls," she said, adding any impacts on campus were "pretty minimal."

While Ald. Austin King, District 8, said he thought UW students took pride in the event this year, he said he received numerous complaints about the behavior of police during the event.

"The event was a radically different event from the last three years," King said. "However, the reaction from a lot of my constituents has been angry."

King said complaint calls from his constituents have increased "tenfold" this year regarding the police use of pepper spray.

"I wasn't at the command center, so I can't question the decision, but I can't justify the reaction from the police like I could in past years either," King said.

Capt. Mary Schauf said officers do not have the ability to single out any one person with a blast of pepper spray, instead a general vicinity of people can be targeted if the area needs to be dispersed.

Despite mainly successful viewpoints on this year's event, Schauf pointed out that not all of the city's goals were met.

"Obviously, there was still a problem with shutting the party down at the end of the night," Schauf said. "There were also several extremely large, out-of-control house parties."

Schauf added she would encourage the use of house party enforcement teams at future events.

But according to Verveer, there may not be a solution to the problem of the small group of people who are hell-bent on ending the night with pepper spray.

Berquam instead jokingly made a suggestion to the committee and for future revelers.

"We should have a demonstration at the other end of State Street at 10 o'clock," she said. "If you want to get pepper sprayed, come and get pepper sprayed. Just get it over with."