NORTH OGDEN -- The city isn't doing away with candy, but it won't be thrown from floats any more. Although no official ordinance has been passed yet, the Cherry Days committee met and drafted some ideas that were presented to the council last week.
Much discussion was had about how to change some aspects of the parade and two things were decided for sure -- no more candy thrown from floats and no one will be allowed to get on and off floats during the parade. Last year someone was hit while getting on and off one of the floats to change places with another float rider.
Councilman Wade Bigler presented some ideas to the council about how to change the candy situation at the parade. Many residents have approached the city about changing the candy-throwing because they feel it is a danger to the children, and it interferes with others watching the parade.
The committee's idea is to have city staff and the youth council walk up and down with the parade and throw candy onto the curb from the gutter area. Each parade entrant would pay $5 to the city for the cost of candy, and the city would buy all the candy to be given out at the parade.
That idea didn't set well with all council members. Councilman Ron Flamm said such a plan would not be cost-effective, and kids would go home with much less candy than usual. "I know that safety is a big concern, but I think we can figure out a different way to pass out the candy," Flamm said. He noted that the city spent $400 on candy just for the mayor, five council members and the city float. He thinks there would be no way to buy enough candy for all the floats, especially at only $5 per entry.
"We can give this more thought," Mayor Rich Harris said.
City Councilman Brent Taylor said there also would be liability involved with the city being the sole provider of the candy.
"In the world we live in, we have to think about liability. I think there is a way we can involve float entrants to distribute the candy," Taylor said.
City Councilman Carl Turner agreed.
"I like the idea of people involved with the float passing out the candy," Turner said. The real issue for him is going to be to make sure absolutely no candy is thrown from the floats. "I know in years past we have said no candy, and people still throw it," he said.
Bigler said that would be taken care of. CERT volunteers will ride up and down the parade route, keeping all people out of the street and on the curb throughout the parade, and the police will be in the crowd to maintain crowd control.
Bigler said the city wants to keep the parade the same great parade it has always been, just safer. He noted that the city would be passing out a set of guidelines to each parade entrant so the rules are clearly understood.
Flamm also would like to see some kind of no-advertising clause included in the parade material.
"I have had several people tell me it's too commercial ... and then after the parade, all the litter is just terrible," Flamm said.
Turner would even like to see selling soda on the side stopped to make way for all the candy that will be passed out along the side of the parade.
Bigler took the comments into consideration and will take the issue back to the committee. An ordinance will be drafted the first part of 2011 for the council to consider.
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