Fees, regulations proposed for events at Owen County Courthouse

Oct. 22--SPENCER -- A special events ordinance proposed by the Owen County commissioners comes with hundreds of dollars in fees and associated costs for any event held on the courthouse lawn.

The three-member board presented the seven-page proposal, along with a seven-page special event application form, during its Monday night meeting. It was held at the county Emergency Management Agency headquarters, where county government meetings are being conducted while the courthouse elevator undergoes extensive repairs.

More than 50 residents crammed into the room where the meeting was held and another two dozen or so spilled it the adjacent room. Commissioners President Jeff Brothers apologized for the lack of space, then announced that public comment about the ordinance would not be allowed during the meeting.

He said anyone with comments can ask that the matter be put on the agenda for the commissioners' 9 a.m. Nov. 4 meeting. The regulations will cover events on any county-owned property.

County Attorney Jim Bryan read the entire ordinance aloud during Monday night's meeting. Among the provisions:

--A $200 application fee.

--A $500 refundable damage deposit.

--A $30 health department fee for each food vendor.

--$30 per hour for each law enforcement officer, with a minimum of two.

--$25 to $90 for emergency medical personnel.

--$15 per day for water.

--$15 per day for electrical services.

--Liability, automotive and worker's compensation insurance.

--No courthouse access.

--No sale or display of sexually suggestive or explicit items or images.

--No alcohol.

--No discrimination or harassment.

One section allows the board of commissioners to "in its sole discretion, and upon good cause shown, approve waivers of application fees and/or deposits, or other fees."

Many town residents have gathered forces, forming an organization that stands behind keeping festival and community events in the heart of downtown. The Spencer town square is in the midst of a revitalization as long-abandoned buildings are being refurbished into businesses.

K.R. and Karen Armstrong make corn hole boards and bags and sell them at their Nashville shop and area festivals. They live near Spencer, and are not happy about the ordinance.

"We're paying taxes for this courthouse, so why can't we use it without having to pay all of this money," K.R. Armstrong asked after leaving the meeting. "I'm afraid all of these costs will make it hard for festivals to be downtown."

Concerns that arose over this summer's Spencer Pride Festival got the commissioners thinking about an ordinance regulating special events.

"It all boils down to the Pride festival, which has been going on fine for all these years until this year, when a few people complained," Armstrong said.

His wife was upset as well. "I wonder who's going to put the tombstone up when they kill Spencer, because it seems that's what they're trying to do."

Contact Laura Lane at 812-331-4362 or llane@heraldt.com.

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