On the agenda for Tuesday’s City Council meeting was Pasco EcoFest’s application to serve alcohol at their events in Sims Park. EcoFest is a volunteer created event whose profits will benefit the New Port Richey Friends of the Library, which is also the 501(c)3 behind the event.

This year will be the fourth year that the event has run. On Tuesday, event organizations Kira Atkinson and Bob Langford were present at the meeting to lobby in favor of the Council waiving fees associated with the event serving alcohol.

That fee amount came to a total of $2,482. $650 of that was an application fee charged by the City to consider the approval. That $650 was apparently the source of some disagreements among sitting Council members. Councilman Chopper Davis was among those who did not want to waive the fee. “I have no problem with the $1,832, but I think we’re setting a precedent when we’re starting to waive the [application fees],” he said, “So I have a problem with the $650.”

Councilwoman Thomas echoed that sentiment. “I think that it sets a precedent and I wouldn’t be surprised to see other events come forward,” she said.

Other council members and the event organizers pointed out that the fees have been waived in previous years because the event benefits a city government affiliated organization. Councilman Bill Phillips pointed out that the money was going to come back to the City anyway. “You give me $650. I give you $650 and you give me back $650,” he said, “If it sets a precedent, there are five of us that sit up here and decide if there is a precedent or not.”

In the end, the permit and the waiver of all fees was approved 4-1. Councilman Chopper Davis voted against the measure, apparently over the $650 fee.

This event’s approval is the 11th such alcohol permit issued for New Port Richey in 2014, three more than currently allowed by City law.

Pasco Ecofest is scheduled for the 6th, 7th, and 8th of November–in two weeks time. Learn more at PascoEcofest.com.

by Jon Tietz