Chamber receives grilling by mayor over festival move

DAVISON — “You’ve taken the City of Flags out of the Festival of Flags,” was Mayor Tim Bishop’s response to this year’s plans for the Davison Festival of Flags.

LaDawn Hastings, director of the Davison Chamber of Commerce, did not receive a warm welcome at the Davison City Council meeting Feb. 13, where she outlined a plan which will effectively move most of the annual festival outside the city limits to venues in Davison Township.

“We’re still trying to map it out,” said Hastings. “We’re weighing out the pros and cons to see what’s best for everyone.”

But Bishop said he found the plan to be a “huge disappointment” because it moves events like the fireworks and carnival out of the city to Davison High School, located in the township.

The entertainment tent, which was located previously at Maddens Lounge on M-15 in the city, is also being relocated to the Davison Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4087, 9474 Lapeer Rd. in Davison Township.

“I don’t know what to say,’ said Bishop. “There’s no Art in the Park. We’ve lost the fireworks. Everything is at the VFW. Everything has been taken away from us.”

The city will retain the parade, which has been moved to July 4 at 11 a.m. this year, and the Pet Show at 10 a.m. prior to the parade. Also scheduled for downtown is a Friday night car cruise, which hasn’t been confirmed yet, and Family Movie Night behind PKSA Karate in downtown — an event also not yet confirmed.

Hastings said she understand some of the frustration, but wants the city to look at the festival as belonging to the “community as a whole.”

She also defended moving the festival to July 4, when many people will be out of town.

“The people who are staying behind and who are not traveling are excited,” she said. “We’ll see how well attended it is this year and make a decision about the date next year. Maybe people will love it on July 4, maybe it will be another day.”

Hastings admits much of the decision to move the event had to do with booking a bigger, better midway which was only available on the July 4 weekend.

The size, and that of the fireworks display, which will also be put on by a new company, prompted the moving of the carnival and fireworks to Davison High School.

Hastings was to meet with school officials Wednesday to see if the DHS parking lots can be used. The results of that meeting were not available at press time.

Other city council members expressed concern over the move, but were more reserved.

Councilwoman Joan Snyder said her biggest concern was the number of people out of town for the July 4 weekend, while Mayor Pro Tem Jack Abernathy said he was concerned about traffic around Davison High School during the festival.

Former mayor and current Chairman of the Downtown Development Authority, Pat Stetson, urged the city council to maintain good relations with the chamber, citing a recent conversation he had with Hastings where the DDA offered to work with the chamber on promoting the Davison area.

“(The DDA is) primarily concerned with downtown,” said Stetson. “But overall the economic development in the community — this includes the townships and areas other than the City of Davison.”

Stetson said overall he thinks the changes to the Festival of Flags will be good for the community, but will require everyone working together to make it come together.

Abernathy agreed, saying he wants to see the city and chamber work to make the changes a “win-win situation” for everyone.

Hastings said consideration will be give to the city for those events still upin the air where the schedule is concerned. The schedule is expect to be firmed up sometime in the weeks ahead.