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Cherry Days organizer outlines volunteer plan and logistics; parade screening prompts resident concern
Summary
Ryan Santoro reviewed Cherry Days assignments, volunteer pickup and incentives; a public commenter later urged making a parade release voluntary after staff said drivers must provide an updated driving record at insurance-company request.
Ryan Santoro, the Cherry Days coordinator, updated the council on the festival schedule, volunteer assignments and operational logistics ahead of next week's events.
"By Friday, I'm going to be emailing each of you and staff an operations binder," Santoro said, describing a day-by-day event plan and noting volunteers will pick up T-shirts on Monday and check in at the information booth to receive pool passes. He encouraged council members to provide the events they will attend in an official capacity so staff can list contact information on the binder.
During public comment later in the meeting, resident Jennifer asked the council to make a form for parade participants voluntary rather than mandatory, saying the earlier version of the form appeared to ask participants to forfeit privacy rights. City staff and the insurance representative explained that the city is requesting updated driving records only from those who will be driving parade entries as a safety precaution; they emphasized the requested record is a driving history, not a criminal background check, and said records will be handled under the city's retention policy.
Council members said they preferred to comply with the insurance company's recommendation for driver screening to limit liability, while acknowledging residents' privacy concerns and offering alternatives (for example, using a different driver if a participant does not wish to provide a driving record). No immediate change to the policy was made at the meeting; staff said they would follow the insurance guidance for parade drivers and the council can revisit the policy if needed.
