Two groups of Ohio University business students recommended Wednesday that the city implement a more structured Halloween plan and sponsor party alternatives to make the celebration more open to area residents and families.
At the request of city Councilwoman Bojinka Bishop, D-2nd Ward, about 80 students from OU's Business Cluster classes spent three weeks researching ways to make Halloween more revenue-neutral. They discussed their findings during a presentation attended by city officials and area residents.
The students said they looked into the structure of other similar street parties, including the Halloween bash near the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and contacted city officials, students and business and neighborhood groups to get opinions.
Both groups recommended the city set up a special Halloween task force with subcommittees responsible for specific aspects of Halloween and implement other changes over time.
Some students also suggested the city use trained volunteers, not police officers, to patrol the event because students could be less intimidated by volunteers.
Councilwoman Carol Patterson, D-at large, supported the idea and said the city's human resources are maxed out and city staff can't have additional burdens placed on them.
To make the festivities more resident-oriented, both clusters recommended the city sponsor events such as haunted hay rides, cemetery tours, interactive games and a beer garden.
One group also suggested naming the celebration Court Shriek to help reinvent the party's image and selling official merchandise for the event. Mayor Ric Abel said the city has tried that previously but failed because non-official merchandise is sold cheaper by private vendors.
Abel said one problem with both groups' plans is that they involve re-branding Halloween's well-established reputation, and party-goers would have to buy into the new reputation for it to succeed.
Jonathan Holmberg of the Clean and Safe Halloween Committee said that the structural input from these presentations has the potential to work in Athens if the city can raise the sponsorship needed, though that is highly unlikely.
One cluster estimated the city could cut Halloween expenditures to about $61,560 through more structured management and raise $82,600 in revenue, including an estimated $45,000 in sponsorships. Last year, the city lost about $75,000 for Halloween.
The groups' suggestions will be considered by Athens City Council, Bishop said.
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Dianne Selden
