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Deputy Director of Communications responding to #196760 re: updating this Board with respect to the public event review process.
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Official Text
RE: 196740: Deputy Director of Communications responding to #196239, conveying a calendar of FY14 public events and providing information about the public event review process.
196760: That the Administration create a process to evaluate public events for financial impacts on city resources, and use it for all public event applications.
196789: That the Administration appoint a point person to provide an explanation, cost analysis, and recommendation to this Board about whether an application for a public event permit should be approved, unless the application is by the City or is for a block party or other localized event on a residential street.
Dear Honorable Board Members:
In response to the Board Orders referenced above, I respectfully submit the following updates with regard to the City’s ongoing efforts to streamline and enhance the permitting process for public events.
1. Updates to Permit Application and Process
The existing application for public events has been made available through Citizen Serve. Over the last several months, applicants have submitted permit requests electronically, increasing the speed and efficiency with which they are able to submit them, as well as in terms of how City staff are able to review and address each request. While we continue to track and address minor glitches as can occur with any new system, this has greatly increased the efficiency of the process.
Additionally, information and questions included in the application have updated to incorporate feedback by the Board of Aldermen and residents, as well as to capture more information from applicants that will be helpful in determining the benefits and/or consequences to the Somerville community. These include but are not limited to:
• Clarifying the process for public events and Special Alcohol Licenses;
• Clarifying the process by which the Aldermen will review each application, including the possible need for applicants to appear at one or more public meetings;
• Adding language specific to road race applications, the need to submit proposals well in advance, and the process by which they will be evaluated;
• Questions pertaining to event budget, financial benefits to Somerville organizations or businesses; and
• More specific questions related to resources needed, placing a cap on potential event participants (where applicable), and other necessary information.
2. Evaluating Financial Impacts on City Departments
We will continue to work with all departments to determine the appropriate course of action, financially and otherwise, for all events. While each event may be different and while we continue to evaluate financial information, below is a baseline by which event information is measured for financial impacts:
• Traffic and Parking
o Signage: $5.00 per sign
o Meters: $1.00 per meter, per hour
o Labor: average $21.87 per hour
• Fire Detail (max. 8 hours without incurring overtime)
o 8 a.m. to midnight: $40 per hour
o Midnight to 8 a.m.: $41 per hour
o A 15% surcharge is added to the total.
• Police Detail (min. 4 hours)
o Uniformed officer: $48 per hour
o Supervisor (necessary when three or more officers are assigned to a detail): $52 per hour
• DPW
o Buildings & Grounds: average $45.93 per person, per hour
o Highway: average $42.77 per person, per hour
*Please note that these costs are not applicable for all City-sponsored events, and that actual costs may be higher or lower depending on the day, time, or plan for each unique event. This is merely a baseline by which we can reasonably assess necessary resources.
3. Cost Analysis and Impacts to Greater Community
City staff have identified equations which can (and will) be used to evaluate the estimated economic impact that event attendees generate during their visit for events, as well as potential longer-term impacts that return visits may generate. We are currently evaluating this and several other options for calculating economic impact, and will report to this committee with further updates.
Finally, we have created an internal, shared event calendar which we believe will greatly assist in determining whether an individual event may be approved based on departmental evaluation and necessary resources. This calendar includes any and all events that flow through Citizen Serve and/or the City Clerk’s Office, including block parties and smaller events, and will be made available to all Board members in the near future.
If you have any questions about the attached documents or any of these events, please feel free to contact me at any time.
Thank you,
Jackie Rossetti
Deputy Director of Communications