Some local residents are calling for further regulation to Athens’ fests, as some expressed concerns about sanitation and safety at Tuesday’s Athens County commissioners meeting.
“I was an unwitting guest to 11Fest,” said Janet Polzer, an Athens resident who lives on Windsong Drive, near where Number Fest is typically held. “I’m worried about (those going to the fest riding in) pickup trucks. It’s just an accident waiting to happen.”
Concerns about noise generated by the fests were raised; however, the fests do not fall into the city’s noise ordinance, as the Number Fests are held outside the municipality of Athens.
Athens County does not have the power to force those wishing to hold fests to get a permit unless a law at the state level was changed, Athens County Commissioner Lenny Eliason said. If organizers were forced to get a permit, other festivals such as the Pawpaw Festival would be forced to do the same.
Off-duty sheriff’s deputies are permitted to work private venues with county vehicles, yet do not have to reimburse the county for using vehicles and other equipment, Eliason said.
Others raised concerns about events sapping police resources when they might be necessary.
“If a bunch of deputies are taken up on an event, they aren’t on duty,” Athens County Commissioner Chris Chmiel said.
Several people have called the county with concerns about 11Fest, Eliason said.
“It seems like this fest is impacting a lot of people,” Chmiel said.
The Athens County Sheriff’s Office is in need of resources to add officers, as well as to make improvements to the sheriff’s office, as the location of the office will likely remain the same for now, Athens County Sheriff Pat Kelly said.
“We’ve been talking about a new building for a while now and it’s not going to happen,” Kelly said. “The evidence room is overflowing.”
Of the three sheriff’s deputies retiring this year, two of them were recent and not planned for in the annual budget, Kelly said.
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