What should MC Week look like? Councilors weigh in

LACONIA — With Motorcycle Week seven weeks away the question remains what the event, which typically attracts tens of thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts to Weirs Beach, should look like as the cloud of the COVID pandemic slowly begins to lift.

The issue was expected to be a major topic at Monday’s City Council meeting, with a majority of councilors saying in advance that they are ready to endorse an event that looks more like Motorcycle Week 2019, than last year’s when, in the words of City Manager Scott Myers, Motorcycle Week “happened in name only.”

Councilor Bruce Cheney said he is confident that allowing the nine-day event much like normal will not pose a health risk either to city residents or visitors.

“We have made some concessions,” Cheney said, referring to restrictions on the number of vendors and a ban on beer tents and special pop-up outdoor entertainment stages.

“I don’t think it will have an impact” on the number of COVID cases, he said.

Cheney represents Ward 1, which includes half of Weirs Beach. The other half is in Ward 6, represented by Councilor Tony Felch, who is in favor of pulling out all the stops.

“I’m for 100 percent Motorcycle Week,” said Felch, who in addition to serving on the council is also a member of the board of the Laconia Motorcycle Week Association that promotes the event.

Felch said his position reflects that of his constituents who are overwhelmingly in favor of holding the event as usual. He said that of 73 emails sent to the City Council email address only seven urged limiting traditional Motorcycle Week activities.

“Who are we supposed to represent? The majority or the minority,” he asked.

Felch said the move to limit the number of vendors and ban beer tents is misguided because, rather than promoting social distancing it will, he contended, have the opposite effect.

“You’ll have the same number of bikers crowding around the (smaller number of) vendors that are there, and you will be forcing people to be inside” if they want to drink, he said.

Council Mark Haynes sees it somewhat differently. He believes that Motorcycle Week should be conducted in a way that reflects that federal and state COVID guidelines are being taken seriously and recognizes that while progress has been made in combating COVID-19, it is still a risk to public health.

“Social distancing and crowds don’t mix,” he said.

However, Councilor Robert Soucy thinks the council should put more stock in people’s own sense of personal responsibility.

“We’re all adults, and we can use common sense,” Soucy said, indicating he sees little need for restrictions. “I would expect people to respect each other and have a regular Motorcycle Week.”

Councilor Bob Hamel favors having a “full Motorcycle Week,” but with the understanding that the city needs to be on guard.

“Things are getting better. But we still need to be cautious,” he said. For Hamel, the limit on vendors and the exclusion of beer tents are appropriate precautions under the circumstances.

City Council Henry Lipman, who could not be reached Monday, has said previously that holding a normal Motorcycle Week would be imprudent, based on the COVID data he has seen.