RIVER FALLS – After extensive debate, the River Falls City Council voted 4-2 April 25 to allow open containers at the June 4 Taste of River Falls event in downtown River Falls. Two voted against the open container, but approved other aspects of the event: Alderpersons Scott Morrissette and Todd Bjerstedt.

Melissa Abdouch, owner of Mei Mei’s Cookies & Creamery, appeared before council on behalf of the nonprofit group River Falls Business Leaders. The event is set for noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, June 4 downtown River Falls, consisting of food trucks, vendors and retailers setting up booths on Main Street and on sidewalks to display and sell goods. Restaurants will set up tables outside as an extension of their businesses. Live music will be performed in Veterans Park by River Falls-based musicians. The idea is to promote local businesses, creating an economic impact for the downtown corridor.

The group submitted a special event request and application asking for an open container exemption, street closure (Main Street from Locust to Maple northbound, Maple to Walnut southbound, Riverwalk from Maple to Walnut, and Elm from Main to the alley), a noise control exemption (to use loudspeakers and/or amplifier in Veterans Park), and use of city resources and assistance (use of public electrical outlets and service, 10-12 picnic tables, band shell at Veterans Park, 12-14 barricades, two public works personnel for four hours).

Abdouch explained that RFBL includes nearly 300 business owners who put on and support events that promote local businesses, including River Falls Area Chamber of Commerce events. Taste of River Falls has been held for three years (seven events) at various local breweries and wineries. This time, the group wants to hold it downtown. They are mindful that River Falls High School graduation will be held the same day 1-3 p.m., she added. Detours will be clearly communicated.

“Our desire to host it downtown is to include businesses not otherwise mobile and to show attendees our beautiful historic downtown,” Abdouch said.

She said 100% of money raised from sponsorships goes directly to work in River Falls. For example, last year the group donated $1,500 to Our Neighbors’ Place and bought $2,000 in local gift cards.

“It brings in hundreds of attendees, providing a big economic impact in just four hours,” Abdouch said.

The event is marketed to adults age 25+. The open container request would allow alcoholic beverages to be taken outside in marked cups by those who have been properly identified and issued wristbands. Abdouch said the open containers would be monitored by the licensed establishments selling the beverages and roaming volunteers.

No council members or city staff expressed concern about the noise exemption or city assistance. However, Morrissette did not like the open container request. He wanted to know who will train the “roaming volunteers.”

“Are they just being thrown out there with a reflective vest?” Morrissette asked.

He also said the space for which they are requesting open container allowance is just too big.

Abdouch said RFBL is willing to take out Riverwalk Alley in the open container request, but not as far as general street closure goes, since businesses are located there. The owner of Shooter’s Pub pointed out that open container was allowed for the Chamber’s Car Cruze-ins in roughly the same area.

“This has been done in the past responsibly,” he said.

Alderperson Alyssa Mueller expressed her support for the open container exception, especially since it’s not a late-night event. However, Alderperson Sean Downing asked why Police Chief Gordon Young was not recommending the allowance.

“The more events you have, the more chances kids see it, especially with the parents, and then the chance of them being addicted to it (alcohol) increases,” Young said.

Abdouch said that while the group is mindful of keeping kids safe from alcohol, the event would be removed from downtown if the exemption was not granted.

“It has been expressed very widely that that is something that allows for the relaxation and enjoyment of the event,” Abdouch said of alcohol consumption.

She pointed out that those drinking will have to have marked cups and wristbands. The event is geared toward adults over 25, not binge drinkers and people throwing back shots.

“We do not support and definitely do not promote the alcohol consumption of minors,” she said. “People spend more money when they’re in a relaxed environment. If this were to turn into a drunk fest, we would stop organizing it.”

Alderpersons Jeff Bjork and Nick Carow said they’d approve the open container allowance if the footprint were reduced – namely, taking Riverwalk out of the open container request. Abdouch said that was fine.

But this didn’t ease Morrissette’s worries. He said other similar events engage the River Falls Police Department Reserves.

“That’s not being asked for here,” Morrissette said. “There is something to be said about seeing an officer or a reserve officer in uniform rather than a volunteer.”

Abdouch countered that engaging the reserves was not an idea city staff broached with them, but they’d be open to it had they known about it. She also pointed out the group will carry liability insurance, but Morrissette kept focusing on what he felt were errors or omissions on the application. He said the group indicated on the application that no alcohol would be served, no insurance would be secured and no police would be involved. Abdouch tried to explain that answering those items hinges on the council’s decision, that RFBL had Officer Axley review the application and it revised items he requested.

“We cannot act on things that we’re unaware of,” Abdouch said. “This is no different than open container at the Chili Crawl. That’s not a centralized event. Officer Axley reviewed it. Was he supposed to tell us more? I’m not understanding what the process of having in-person and over email communications with Officer Axley was if he was the one to review that. Anything he brought to our attention, we changed. That’s why you got the updated map. I feel as though we are being set up for disappointment and denial because we were not given the full information. And if that’s the case, then let us fill in that information and again, make sure that we are following all the rules.”

Morrissette argued that the council can only vote on what is in front of it and that RFBL’s responsibility was to figure this all out with staff and RFPD before bringing the application before council.

“I don’t think that’s a picture of our failure,” Abdouch said as Morrissette shrugged his shoulders.

City Administrator Scot Simpson stepped in and said there are no “boxes to check” per se.

“There’s no policy, program, manual, direction basically from council or staff to anyone doing events,” Simpson said. “Respectfully, Councilman Morrissette, the form that you have is not law, it’s not, it’s much different than a liquor license. This is more of a guide for people to do events. This is what we think you should do.”

He said lack of involvement by the promoter was not a problem and advised the council can modify the application, pass it as is, amend it, delegate it back to staff, or whatever it chooses.

Alderperson Diane Odeen said the council should give the group a chance, especially considering their clean track record at seven prior Taste events at other venues.

“I am delighted that you want to move it downtown,” she said.

The council unanimously approved the noise exemption, street closure request and city assistance request. The full council approved an amendment to take Riverwalk out of the open container request, but Morrissette and Bjerstedt voted against the open container general request.