Gainesville City Commission moves forward with holiday parade

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Gainesville City Commission voted 5-1 to allow staff to work on a holiday parade proposed by Commissioner Cynthia Chestnut at their September 14 Special Meeting.

Chestnut’s proposal was previously discussed at the September 7 City Commission meeting, where several commissioners requested more information before making a decision. In her presentation on September 14, she said the City of Gainesville Holiday Parade at noon on December 2 would be an opportunity for families, neighborhood groups, and businesses across the city to come together and celebrate the season and that it would “bring vitality to the downtown while promoting the local economy.”

Chestnut said the last City parade was December 8, 1990, and that she estimated about $77,000 in sponsorships would be required to cover the costs of coordinating the parade, which she said would be “managed by a collaborative of community organizations.” Chestnut said she has already raised half the money and believes she can raise the rest. The Chamber of Commerce will collect the donations, making them tax-deductible. 

Parade would run down University Avenue

The proposed route would start at 6th Street and head east toward the Alachua County School Board Administration Building, and sign-ups would begin on September 25, with a deadline of November 30. Chestnut said there will be an information meeting for first-time participants on November 3; November 20 is the deadline for providing proof of vehicle insurance and requesting special placements; and November 28 is the mandatory meeting for all entry representatives.

Commissioner Casey Willits was concerned about “dumping more work on City staff… I still have a little hesitancy this year, having cut a bunch of staff.” He said, however, that it made sense to him to bring back a tradition that brought people downtown. 

Commissioner Reina Saco said she was “more sure of not voting for this after seeing the presentation.” She mentioned the uncertainty of raising the full amount, “which I still think is underestimated,” while simultaneously moving forward with plans and making contracts with vendors. Saco said, “I am not going to give staff functionally two months to plan, advertise, fundraise, organize, and jam something into a day” that already has multiple events such as a dance party at Bo Diddley Plaza and a tree lighting at the Thomas Center. However, she said she would be willing to encourage the Chamber of Commerce to revive the parade, “and we can be some kind of partner… I don’t think this is the time to be gambling with staff time or our budget.”

Mayor Harvey Ward said one of the positives of Chestnut’s plan was “looping the Chamber into working with the City of Gainesville,” something that “doesn’t happen regularly.” He acknowledged the events at the Thomas Center but said, “There are folks who not going to come to the Thomas Center. There are parts of the community–lots of different parts of the community–that are not going to come to the Thomas Center, they just don’t.” He saw value in “having something that is on our marquee street… The magic words are that you’re 50% funded… Because of that, I support it.”

Saco continued to object, saying that the donors who had promised funds could still back out and “the timing of this is rushed… Within two weeks, we’ll start accepting [registrations] for a thing that may or may not be funded or happen.”

City Manager weighs in to support the parade

City Manager Cynthia Curry said she supported the parade: “I’m just gonna come right out and say it… Clearly, it is kind of like the Gun Violence Summit. You get it done… Will it be the most fabulous parade that the City has ever planned? Probably not. But will we have a parade, and will we put our best in it? We will do that.” She said her staff would report back to the Commission regarding how the funding plays out.

Saco still objected, saying it’s not the job of staff to “[call] people to beg for money.”

Ward bristled at the characterization, saying, “Commissioner Saco, I will promise that I will refrain from calling lawyers ambulance chasers if you take it a little easier on my profession, too. Fundraising is not ‘begging for money.'” 

Chestnut made a motion to “endorse the holiday parade for December 2 and work with the Gainesville Chamber of Commerce in pursuing it.” Commissioner Ed Book seconded the motion. The motion passed 5-1, with Saco in dissent and Commissioner Desmon Duncan-Walker absent.