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Virginia City councilors approve temporary use of VFW lot for Bible thon after safety caveat
Summary
The committee of the whole approved a request from True Hope Fellowship to use the VFW parking lot for a Bible thon event; councilors asked organizers to address last year’s safety problems with power cords. Vote: 6–1; formal approval scheduled for the next council meeting.
Joel Kahlberg, representing True Hope Fellowship, asked the Virginia City Committee of the Whole for permission to use the VFW parking lot downtown for a Bible thon similar to last year’s event.
Councilors moved and supported the request after discussion about safety measures. Councilor Buck Schneider said he would not support the permit unless the group solved last year’s electrical safety issues, saying, “As I remember last year, there were some serious safety concerns with running extension cords and ... You cannot run extension cords for long periods of time from buildings to host events like that. It's ... a safety concern for the general public.”
Mayor and staff told organizers they should address those safety concerns before the event. The committee voted 6–1 in favor; Pam conducted the roll call, which recorded Yandic, Loch Schneider, Reid Lieb, Duffy, Motley and Paulson as voting aye and Johnson as voting no. Committee members said the approval will be formally ratified at the full city council meeting next Tuesday.
Why it matters: The decision clears the way for a community event that uses public parking space but makes safety improvements a condition for final approval. The council’s recorded dissent highlights continuing concern about crowd and electrical safety at temporary outdoor events.
Discussion vs. action: The council debated safety practices and possible technical fixes (generators, protected cable runs) before taking a formal vote to approve the temporary use request. Staff and organizers were directed to ensure safe electrical installations; no additional conditions (fees or changes to location) were recorded in the committee action.
What’s next: The permit will be presented for formal approval at the next city council meeting; staff will follow up with the event organizers on electrical safety plans.
