Should the town establish a policy for funding community events such as film festivals or block parties?

Members of the Barrington Town Council mulled that question during their July 25 meeting, and eventually decided to send the issue to the town solicitor for further advice.

Barrington Town Manager Phil Hervey posed the question to the council members, as he is currently looking for guidance on the issue. In a memo to the council, Hervey wrote that the council added $3,000 to the FY2023 budget for community events, and he has already received a request for approximately half of the funding.

He wrote that he was “Looking for guidance on a process for receiving and approving requests. It could be handled administratively, or through the Town Council as part of an application process — which I feel is more transparent to internal review.”

During the meeting, Hervey again asked for feedback from the council.

Council President Michael Carroll said the council could hold a meeting once a year where officials could then determine which events to fund and for how much money. However, there was concern among the council members that a group or organization might not hear about the annual meeting and get left out.

Council member Rob Humm questioned whether the town needed a policy. He said the issue could be event-specific, and suggested that the town handle each request as it arises.

Council member Jacob Brier agreed. He said officials could look at each event on its own, and he liked the idea of creating a policy.

Eventually councilors made a motion to have the solicitor decide whether the town should have a policy on funding community events with public dollars.

Carroll also made a motion to have the town council review any applications for public funding of community events.

Precedent for waiving fees

This is not the first time the town has picked up a portion of the tab for a community event. In March, members of the town council voted 5-0 to forgive nearly $2,000 in fees owed to the Barrington Police Department by organizers of two events. The FLM FWD film festival accrued more than $400 in police detail fees from its event held in Aug. 2021, and the Courtyard at the Cove block parties at Police Cove compiled nearly $1,500 in unpaid police detail fees.

At that March meeting, councilors asked if the town would be forgiving police detail fees for other community events, such as benefit 5K road races or the high school after prom event. The council also passed a motion during their March meeting to have the town draft a policy regarding waiving police detail fees.