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Residents and commissioners press for transparency after MLK Day parade canceled at last minute
Summary
Speakers at the Jan. 21 CRA meeting criticized the late cancellation of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade, saying participants waited in the rain and incurred costs. City staff said BSO cited safety concerns where water covered both lanes on parts of the route; the city said the parade will not be rescheduled.
Residents and at least two commissioners raised concerns at the Jan. 21 meeting about the late cancellation of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade, saying organizers and participants were left waiting in the rain and some lost money on charter buses.
“...you purposely waited until 9:05 to cancel a parade. All of us were standing in the rain ready to go,” said Devin King during the audience‑to‑be‑heard portion. King said parade participants had spent money and prepared floats and that he wanted to know who made the decision to cancel and whether the parade would be rescheduled.
Mayor and staff said the parade will not be rescheduled. When asked who canceled the event, the public record at the meeting attributed the safety decision to BSO. Mr. Harrison (city staff) said that Broward Sheriff’s Office personnel had traveled the route and reported several areas where water covered both lanes, creating a dangerous condition. “After BSO had taken the route, there were several areas on the streets that were completely covered with water on on both lanes. So people would have had to have walked, in the water and it was dangerous,” Mr. Harrison said.
Commissioner Beverly Perkins and Vice Mayor Fornia both said they were surprised by the late call and urged more transparency about how the MLK committee is formed and how decisions are made. Fornia asked staff to clarify how the committee is selected and to publicize meetings so the community can be involved in planning.
City staff said the MLK committee is a 501(c)(3) organization that contracts with the city as one of several sponsors; the city does not appoint committee members. Mr. Harrison said the committee is a separate nonprofit and that the city does not control the committee’s internal member appointments.
Speakers asked whether BSO made the safety decision and whether another law‑enforcement agency could be used in the future. Mr. Harrison confirmed the safety assessment came from BSO. The mayor and staff directed residents with further questions to contact the city manager’s office for records or specifics.
