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Events committee and business owners debate permits, vendor fees and police overtime in Washingtonville
Summary
Volunteers who run village events told the board they pay upfront costs for security and cleanup; residents and trustees discussed charging permits or fees when businesses close village-owned parking lots for weekend events.
Volunteers running Washingtonville’s community events told the Board of Trustees on Feb. 3 that they pay for private security, sanitation and cleanup themselves and asked the board to consider a structured fee or permit to offset village overtime and public-safety costs.
Why it matters: Village-sponsored and volunteer-run events draw visitors and additional sales tax revenue but also require public safety coverage, traffic control and cleanup; volunteers said they currently cover many costs but the village receives little direct revenue from event vendor fees.
Discussion highlights: Trustees and residents discussed using village-owned parking lots for weekend closures, whether businesses should be charged a permit fee (one trustee suggested $500), and how to reduce village overtime by contracting private security and sanitation. The events committee said they hire private security and sanitation and that much of the upfront cost comes from the volunteers themselves.
Events committee member Navi, speaking for the organizers, said the core volunteer group pays for private security, porta-johns and cleanup and that the committee is working with the village to find a long-term approach to reduce overtime costs for the police and DPW. She told the board: "We are all volunteers here, so we volunteer our time. We do charge vendors in order to bring these events on." (statement on the record at the Feb. 3 meeting.)
Several residents said they appreciate the events but complained about inconvenience, traffic and limited direct revenue to the village when parking lots are closed for private use. Trustees said they will continue discussions about permit fees and policies that balance downtown activation with fair cost-sharing for public services.
Other economic development notes in the meeting: village staff said Aurora Chemical plans additional development at the Spindler property in the industrial park, and trustees reported interest in short-term rental registration and a recently enacted state hotel-tax option to broaden municipal revenue sources.
Sources: Village of Washingtonville Board of Trustees meeting, Feb. 3; comments from members of the events committee and public comment period.
