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Paris council approves drag-boat race at Lake Crook with COVID-19 precautions
Summary
The council approved an agreement allowing the Southern Drag Boat Association to hold a June event at Lake Crook with no spectators and COVID-19 precautions; the association will pay the city a reduced fee consistent with prior years and plans to direct local spending to restaurants.
The Paris City Council voted May 11 to approve an agreement with the Southern Drag Boat Association to hold its annual drag-boat races at Lake Crook in June under COVID-19 safety measures, council members said.
City staff described edits to the draft agreement that remove spectator-focused advertising and reduce some facility requirements because the association agreed to run the event without public spectators. Staff noted a line item of $33,000 in the schedule but said the association requested a fee consistent with prior years — $2,500 — given the absence of spectators. Mister Path, the staff presenter, recommended approving the edits and offered to negotiate terms if the council wanted parameters set for staff to act under.
Paul Allen of the chamber told the council the event is expected to produce roughly 500 hotel room nights and that organizers plan to spend approximately $5,000 with local restaurants, which he said would help businesses during a slow season. “They love Paris,” Allen said.
Council members asked about public-health precautions and the location; staff and the association said police, fire and ambulance presence would be on site and that event organizers proposed enhanced cleaning and reduced on-site services. A motion to approve the agreement as written (with the edits discussed) carried unanimously.
The approval allows the city manager to finalize necessary documents and directs staff to implement the contract changes approved by the council.
