On Monday evening the Plymouth Park Board is expected to approve the new Blueberry Festival Contract.
The Park Board meeting is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. in the Conservation Club House. On the agenda is consideration of the new Blueberry Festival contract.
The new contract is for 2015 and through September 30, 2020 at $28,500 annually although after September 30, 2016 either party may elect to terminate the agreement without a penalty at the expiration of the then current term by serving written notice not less than 120 days of its election.
City Attorney Sean Surrisi said, “The agreement has many similarities to the prior agreement. The primary changes, include allowing the festival control of the parking at the Young Amphitheater and the modified rental rate and extended term.”
The Young Amphitheatre parking has been a fundraiser for Webster Elementary PTO and shared with the Plymouth Park Department. The new contract continues to allow Webster PTO to park vehicles but they will split the revenue with the Blueberry Festival. If at some point the PTO no longer wishes to park cars, the festival will partner with another Plymouth school organization.
The new contract allows the Blueberry Festival to have use of the park property for set-up from 8 a.m. on the Sunday before Labor Day weekend until 6 p.m. on the Friday before Labor Day and from 6 p.m. on the Friday of Labor Day weekend until 11 p.m. of Labor Day for the festival and until 11 p.m. on the Thursday following Labor Day for clean-up and tear down.
The contract also provides assistance from the park department in preparation for the festival or with restoration work afterward at a cost of $15 hourly per worker provided.
Other aspects of the contract requires the festival to provide a financial statement to the park by March 31st of each year, maintain $5 million of insurance coverage and be responsible for all trash removal from the festival activities.
The Marshall County Blueberry Festival has already approved the new contact and the Plymouth Park Board will consider the agreement at their meeting on Monday.
