Dover youths' New Year's Eve event coming together

Arshon Howard
Posted 12/21/15

DOVER — The Youth Advisory Committee continues to be excited about its upcoming New Year’s event in Dover.

The family-oriented event will feature live music and entertainment in Downtown …

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Dover youths' New Year's Eve event coming together

Posted

DOVER — The Youth Advisory Committee continues to be excited about its upcoming New Year’s event in Dover.

The family-oriented event will feature live music and entertainment in Downtown Dover and end with a fireworks display at 10 p.m.

The event would be held from the Legislative Mall area to a vacant lot adjacent to the Duncan Center at the corner of New Jerusalem Way and Loockerman Street.

“Everything is moving along great,” said Councilman David Anderson. “We’re in pretty good shape for the event. We’re happy to get everything rolling.”

Dover has not had a New Year’s Eve citywide event since 2010. The annual First Night celebration was canceled in 2011 after a 15-year run due to lack of funds.

The youth committee consists of nine members and meets once a month. It allows teens ages 14 to 18 a chance to speak on issues that affect them, as well as develop leadership skills for the future.

The committee has raised $30,000 which were in-kind donations, said Mr. Anderson.

Mr. Anderson said the committee had commitments from some businesses that sent checks to the city for the event.

“We didn’t want the city to fund it,” Mr. Anderson said. “We didn’t ask them that. We just wanted their backing on it.”

The only bills were for insurance and extra duty police, as the money for the fireworks was being raised separately.

The bills would run through the city and the donations would come to the city to pay for those bills, said Councilman Anderson.

He said the committee made phone calls to obtain the money needed.

“We’ve covered every aspect of the event,” Mr. Anderson said. “Everything is well covered, as we had a lot of in-kind donations, which include the fireworks and artists. With everything included it’s worth about $30,000. ‘

Last month city council voted 9-0 to accept recommendations from the committee regarding the event.

The recommendations included a proposal for the event and a request for support from the city for security, insurance, public announcement stages and facilities.

“Everything has been turned in,” Councilman Anderson said. “We’re on the right path and we’ll be prepared for the event.”

Some city council members expressed concerns.

During last month’s meeting the main issue raised by council members was the city’s insurance policy, as City Manager Scott Koenig informed council that an insurance broker had indicated the city can purchase a policy to cover the event for $433, based on the narrative provided by the representatives.

He explained it would be a separate policy that would prevent the city’s umbrella from being used should someone get hurt or if there is damage related to the event.

The separate rider policy would be specifically for the event and cover the parameters of it.

If anyone was injured, he or she would be funneled through this separate policy.

Councilman Anderson indicated that all concerns and objections had been addressed.

The committee has spoken to the police department, he said. Cadets and some officers will patrol the area.

“They will be utilized to patrol the event area,” Councilman Anderson said. “The expense for them is covered, too,

“The officers would only need to work a few hours, which wouldn’t cost much.”

Councilman Anderson said the event will be a great accomplishment for not only the youth committee, but for the city as well.

“The first year of anything is always the toughest,” he said. “I think it’s going to be a great event and I think as a committee we can learn from this and be even better moving forward.

“Dover has been through a lot this year. I think this event will prove we can still stand together through as one community.”

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