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Haunted Trail allowed one more weekend; council requires insurance after organizers failed to get prior approval
Summary
Organizers acknowledged they had not obtained city permission for the Haunted Trail. Attorney Tom Barnes warned OCC lacked event insurance and raised liability concerns. Council approved one additional weekend conditional on the organizers obtaining insurance.
Organizers of the Haunted Trail acknowledged they had not sought prior council permission for the event and said they believed permission from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was sufficient. Dana Gettel told the council organizers had not previously come before the council and asked for permission for a second weekend.
Attorney Tom Barnes told the council that city permission is required annually and expressed liability concerns, saying, “OCC does not currently hold any insurance coverage for their events.” The mayor had allowed the first weekend to proceed on an executive basis but the council approved a second weekend only if the organizers obtain insurance. An amendment to approve the event without insurance failed 2–3; the primary motion to approve a second weekend with insurance passed unanimously.
The minutes record heated phone exchanges between OCC members and the mayor in the days before the meeting and note OCC members claimed the mayor showed personal vengeance; the minutes do not record evidence supporting that claim. The council required that organizers provide proof of insurance before a second weekend would be allowed.
