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Commission Reaffirms Ban On Beads, Candy

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By GEORGE WILKENS

gwilkens@tampatrib.com

Published: October 22, 2008

PLANT CITY - The Plant City Christmas Parade will remain a Friday night tradition.

At its Oct. 13 meeting, the Plant City Commission supported safety recommendations by a task force formed to refine parade safety after a float fatally crushed a 9-year-old boy helping distribute candy in the Dec. 7 procession. But commissioners said scheduling is best left to organizers.

Shifting the event to Saturday - recommended to ease weeknight traffic congestion - would create a slew of scheduling problems, Frank LaBarbera, parade co-chairman, told commissioners.

He said most parade participants - from Shriners to school bands and commercial floats, including the one Santa Claus traditionally rides - are booked every December weekend leading up to Christmas.

In response, Commissioner Mike Sparkman made a motion to strike the recommendation to reschedule the parade.

"This commission has no business setting the dates," he said.

Mayor Rick Lott said he, too, opposed rescheduling and pointed out it was not a safety recommendation, merely police Chief Bill McDaniel's suggestion to eliminate impacts on Friday rush hour traffic.

Support for the remaining seven recommendations was not unanimous.

Commissioner Bill Dodson urged the ban on candy and beads be replaced with a policy dictating safe distribution of the trinkets.

"Eliminate throwing beads from moving cars or moving floats," but allow distribution "by those who might walk alongside the route" close enough to hand the items to spectators, Dodson said. "I don't feel it necessary to overreact by banning beads or candy."

Lott said although he would like to retain the tradition of candy and beads, "I have a hard time going against the recommendations of that committee," whose eight members included McDaniel and other safety experts.

The resolution passed 4-1, with Dodson dissenting.

Prior to the vote, a spokesman for the Downtown Plant City Merchants and Business Association urged commissioners to reschedule the parade. Jon Davis offered petitions signed by hundreds of downtown property owners and workers who agree a Saturday parade would reduce Friday gridlock. If it is too late for this year, reschedule for 2009, Davis urged.

A primary safety recommendation in the resolution requires parade organizers develop and enforce float standards that, at a minimum, prohibit "outrigger-style" wheels that protrude beyond the float or other vehicle.

Jordan "Booka" Hays of Inverness was killed in the 2007 Christmas parade as he helped distribute candy from the Greater Heights Family Worship Center float, which consisted of a trailer pulled by a truck. The float had stopped momentarily, and Jordan stepped in front of its tandem wheels to reach for candy. The protruding wheels rolled over him when the float moved forward, according to a city report.

The other provisions of the resolution are:

•Limit all parades to 100 units, not counting governmental lead units, public safety and vehicles carrying city commissioners

•Require organizers to institute pre-parade safety inspections and briefings

•Utilize parade marshals to ensure all participants comply with safety standards

•Maintain strict police department regulation of vendors along the route

The resolution lacks enforcement powers and penalties provided by an ordinance, but the police chief did not recommend an ordinance, City Attorney Ken Buchman said.

"It's a policy statement of the city," Buchman said later of the resolution. Anyone applying for a city parade permit will be advised distribution of candy, beads and other items is banned, he said.

On Jan. 14, commissioners approved a motion banning candy and beads, Buchman explained later.

"This readopts that ban," he said.

Reporter George Wilkens can be reached at (813) 865-4433.

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