Taste of Park Ridge proposals not palatable to City Council

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Updated: February 13, 2012 9:00AM

The Park Ridge City Council this week heard proposals from two organizations interested in running this summer’s annual community food festival, but aldermen took no action on a recommendation from city staff.

A four-member committee consisting of representatives of the Police, Fire, Public Works and Finance Departments recommended that the Taste of Park Ridge, Inc., which has organized the summer festival for several years, enter into an agreement with the city for the 2012 event.

A memo from the committee to members of the City Council noted the Taste of Park Ridge’s familiarity with the community, experience in managing the festival and support from local business owners and event contractors.

A copy of the Taste of Park Ridge’s formal proposal to the city has not been shared with the Park Ridge Herald-Advocate or members of the public, but during a Jan. 9 Committee of the Whole meeting, Taste representative Mel Thillens said the group has agreed to reimburse the city for all direct and indirect expenses related to the festival’s operation and also share 50 percent of the proceeds after $20,000 is set aside for the following year’s event.

The city’s expenses for the Taste of Park Ridge initially prompted aldermen to seek proposals from organizations willing to host the food festival at no cost to the city.

The Taste of Park Ridge and two other organizations submitted festival proposals. Big Buzz Idea Group was eliminated from consideration because its proposal called for the city to pay $15,000 for management of the event, the review committee said.

Representatives from the third group, Absolute Production Services, attended the Jan. 9 meeting and promised a “transparent partnership” with the city. The organization, a Chicago-based event management company, has not specified a profit-sharing plan, indicating that such an agreement could be negotiated.

Fifth Ward Alderman Dan Knight said he was unhappy with both proposals because they did not include any financial guarantees to the city. The organizations also failed to properly comply with the requirements of the proposals they submitted, he added.

“I would suggest we throw these out and start over,” Knight said.

Knight’s motion received support from 3rd Ward Alderman Jim Smith, but not the remainder of the council. Sixth Ward Alderman Tom Bernick was absent.

First Ward Alderman Joe Sweeney asked whether aldermen wanted the city to cover its costs for the festival or make a profit from it.

“I’m not in the business of sitting here to make a profit for the city of Park Ridge,” Sweeney said.

City Clerk Betty Henneman said the Taste of Park Ridge, which would require a name change if operated by a group other than the Taste of Park Ridge organization, was not started as a profit-making venture, but as a way to bring the community together and stimulate business in town.

“We were not looking for a return and the only reason we’re in trouble now is because that’s all we’re looking for,” Henneman said. “We’ve got to get off that path.”

A motion directing the city manager to draft agreements with both the Taste of Park Ridge and Absolute, and present them to the City Council for consideration, failed on a 3-3 vote. Aldermen eventually agreed to continue the discussion at the Jan. 23 Committee of the Whole meeting.

Mayor David Schmidt, who has been critical of the Taste of Park Ridge organization largely due to the expenses incurred by the city for the operation of the event, was not present for the Jan. 9 discussion, but did say this week that the proposals were “lacking certain information.”