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Fond du Lac council caps mobile vehicle‑barrier fees for special events after debate
Summary
After hours of discussion about parade and farmers‑market costs and public safety, the council amended and adopted a change to the city’s special‑event mobile vehicle barrier (MVB) fee schedule, lowering the per‑block fee to $50 with a $200 cap per event; the amendment and final motion passed unanimously.
The Fond du Lac City Council on March 11 unanimously adopted an amended fee schedule that reduces the city’s mobile vehicle barrier (MVB) charge for special events to $50 per block, capped at $200 per event.
Council member Mr. Heistler, who sponsored the change, said rising MVB costs risked forcing small community events to shrink or charge participants. “Parades are community‑focused events that don’t make revenue,” he said, arguing the fee structure should preserve free local events while maintaining accountability for event organizers. He moved an amendment to lower the fee from the amounts in the draft schedule; the amendment passed unanimously and the council then approved the main motion adopting the amended fees.
Council members who spoke in favor, including Mr. Mullen and others, said the downtown’s festivals and farmers markets contribute to the city’s identity and economic vitality and should remain accessible to residents. “We’ve been trying to foster new events,” Mr. Mullen said, noting higher barricade costs could deter vendors and pop‑up activities.
Police Chief Goldstein told the council the city invested in MVBs to reduce the risk of vehicle attacks at large public gatherings and that the revised parade footprints and barrier placements were part of a coordinated public‑safety plan. He cautioned that any changes might shift enforcement and cleanup burdens: “There will probably be some unintended consequences with any action that we take,” he said, asking departments to weigh operational impacts.
Council discussion focused on balancing safety and cost. Members repeatedly thanked police and event staff for planning and noted the amendment does not affect safety requirements; it only adjusts the fee structure charged to event organizers. The amendment (reducing the $100 per‑block figure in the draft to $50, with a $200 cap) passed unanimously, as did the final motion to adopt the amended fee schedule.
Council directed staff to implement the updated fee schedule and to continue coordinating with the police department, the downtown partnership and event organizers to monitor impacts and revisit the policy if needed.
