Council waives event fee for Concerts on Canal

LACONIA — Closing Canal Street for a summer concert series was approved unanimously by the city council Monday night, but not before serious discussion about whether or not to waive the associated fees.

Councilors voted 6-0 on the road closure for the upcoming Concerts on Canal summer series, beginning Friday, June 5, but there was some confusion about whether organizers were part of a nonprofit, and if they should be charged a $600 city fee. 

“These Concerts on Canal Street, no one other than businesses that are downtown actually profit from it by the foot traffic, not by charging anything. I’ve been to several of ‘em myself, and it pays for the entertainment that comes down,” said Councilor Steven Bogert, Ward 5. “The city doesn’t pay for the entertainment. It’s all provided by this small group of people who are the business owners downtown that put this on.”

The fees include a $550 special events fee, and a $50 outdoor loudspeaker licensing fee. Leaning toward the city’s desire for more robust economy downtown, the entire council voted in favor of waiving the fees.

Mayor Mike Bordes tallied up the numbers, saying, “it’s not much” in the grand scheme of things.

Regarding the decision to waive the fees, taxpayers deserve consistency in how decisions are made, according to Ward 6 Councilor Mike Conant.

“I think we need to be consistent one way or the other.”

“I’m wondering here if we’re not holding up to what we said we were gunna do,” said Councilor Bob Soucy, Ward 2, who agreed Concerts on Canal are important for the downtown.

“Dan’s doing an awesome job with what he’s trying to do down there,” he said, referring to Dan McLaughlin, owner of NH Vintage Vinyl, the business which hosts the concerts. 

Soucy and Bogert went back and forth all night, finally coming to the resolution that The Putnam Fund was involved with Concerts on Canal, marking it safe from city event fees.

The council closed the conversation with an understanding they will be consistent in waiving city fees for special events hosted by nonprofit agencies, according to a previous agreement.

Concerts on Canal shows are the following Fridays: June 5 and 19, July 3, 17, and 31, and Aug. 14, and 28. The road will be closed beginning at 1 p.m. The shows run from 5 to 9 p.m.

The concerts are sponsored by NH Vintage Vinyl and The Putnam Fund. Bands playing the events are Everway, King Pine, Dred Buffalo, Donaher, Michael Vincent Band, Cozy Throne and Chris White Band, according to information from the city sent out through the Friday Laconia Links newsletter.

In other meeting news, the council voted 6-0 to approve the use of impact fee funds to repair the archway over the Church Street entrance ramp at the Laconia Public Library.

“The Laconia Public Library is requesting the use of impact fees in the amount not to exceed $5,000 to repoint the archways over the Church Street ADA ramp. Much of the existing mortar is loose and cracked,” said Bordes.

Impact fees are charged to help meet the needs of construction or improvement of capital facilities. In Laconia, “areas of the city that receive portions of impact fees are; School Dept, Police, Fire, Parks, Roads, and Library,” City Manager Kirk Beattie wrote in an email to The Daily Sun.

“The imposed fees help offset new or additional costs that new development brings with it, without adding costs to the general fund,” he wrote. “The decision to use impact fees is taken from implementation of the Master Plan and Capital Improvements Program. City council approves use of impact fees.”

A new vehicle for the Laconia Parks & Recreation department, at a cost of up to $34,000, will also be purchased through the use of the impact fee fund.

For more information, visit laconianh.gov.

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Katlyn Proctor can be reached at katlyn@laconiadailysun.com or by calling 603-524-0150.