Christy Bear, owner of Jerk Riley’s Pub on Greenup Avenue, told the Ashland Board of City Commissioners on Aug. 28 that the city’s Entertainment Destination Center (EDC) activation and notification process has been applied inconsistently and appears to benefit a single business.

Bear said she discovered Sawstone River Room displaying EDC signs on Friday, July 25, and learned from city staff that the event hours were 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. She said other downtown restaurant owners — including Fat Patties, The Mill and Kells Tavern — were not informed and that she had not received confirmation that her own recent applications for EDC events had been approved. Bear said the uneven use of EDC activations and the presence of food trucks on certain dates undercut downtown restaurants that invest in kitchens and regular service.

"It seems like they're helping one person and not helping the other, and that's not... that's not okay with me," Bear said at the podium. She asked for a clear notification process so downtown licensees know when the EDC is active and that boundaries will be plainly marked, as required by the EDC rules she cited.

City Manager Wheeler and other staff described the administrative process: applications go to the city’s special events committee, which includes representatives from multiple departments (public services, police, fire and the city’s ABC administrator) and is typically managed by the ABC administrator. Wheeler said the EDC activation is typically managed by the ABC administrator (Chief Todd Kelly) and that the administrator has raised concerns about when and how activations occur. Wheeler said the recent transition in ABC administration and in Visit Ashland’s leadership may have contributed to inconsistent communications.

Wheeler said staff will investigate Bear’s complaint and report back; Chief Kelly was not present at the meeting but was identified by staff as the best source for detailed procedural questions and potential ordinance changes. Commissioners asked staff for copies of committee materials and for clarity on the EDC activation and notification process.

Bear requested timely notice so downtown businesses can plan music, drink specials and staffing when the EDC is active; staff committed to follow up with the business owner and to provide committee documentation to commissioners.