Title
Fifth Avenue Arts Festival/Gainesville Police Department Concerns (B)
Explanation
The Public Safety Committee held two public meetings to discuss this May 24, 2004 referral. Police staff provided after action reports and event information regarding the arrests made involving bootleg CD's and movies during this year's Fifth Avenue Arts Festival. Festival organizer, members of the Cultural Affairs Coalition and other interested citizens participated in these meetings. The event organizer requested cultural sensitivity training for police officers as a recommended solution to concerns she raised during her comments at the May 24, 2004 and again at the June 28, 2004 City Commission meetings. On June 28, 2004, the City Commission approved a motion to refer to the Equal Opportunity Committee "the broad issue of cultural sensitivity training for all City Departments".
During the Public Safety Committee meetings, staff was directed to look at limiting the city's potential liability through stipulations for co-sponsorship during the application process, as well as an educational awareness program that could be provided to applicants and any other interested groups on counterfeit CD's, DVD's, movies, and other licensed merchandise.
At the July 13, 2004 Public Safety Committee meeting, staff returned with recommendations to include language in all event applications that would state that the contractor (vendor) shall comply with all applicable Federal, State and local laws, rules and regulations; require mandatory training for all city co-sponsorship applicants, which would be provided by the Gainesville Police Department, on the Recording Industry Association and U.S. Customs and Licensing regulations as it regards counterfeit merchandise; and distribution of the information/training packet to be provided to any organization the City approves for event permits, regardless of sponsorship.
Recommendation
The City Commission 1) receive the Publ...
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