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City Council Regular Meeting Minutes August 11, 2020 Page 2 A. Black Village Festival request use of upper Central Park Parking Lot for Saturday, 1 August 15, 2020 2 3 City Manager Casey reviewed the Black Village Festival request with the Council. 4 5 Ms. Semhar Solomon addressed the City Council. She noted there will be COVID precautions 6 put into place and will be asking people that do not have a mask if they would like a mask and if 7 they say no then the person will kindly be asked to leave. Vendors will also be spaced out 8 enough for social distancing. 9 10 Councilmember Walker asked how many people are anticipated coming out to the event. Ms. 11 Solomon thought there would be approximately 250 people at the highest. 12 13 Councilmember Walker asked if there will be copious signage up asking people to maintain an 14 appropriate distance and to also encourage the people to follow certain protocol such as not 15 standing in one spot for so long of a time. Ms. Solomon explained she has signs that are already 16 made and will be put up at every booth and entrance. 17 18 Councilmember Jenson indicated in front of him he had a “Stay Safe Minnesota Guidance for 19 Safe Celebration and Events”. He read the contents of the guide and wondered if Ms. Solomon 20 had a chance to read something like the guide to help her prepare for the festival. Ms. Solomon 21 indicated she did along with the team of friends that is helping her with the event. 22 23 Councilmember Webster explained she serves as the Council representative to VillageFest and in 24 early June the chair of VillageFest, herself and Mr. Casey had as chance to talk through lots of 25 different factors regarding hosting a community event and try to weigh the general liability and 26 safety concerns. She noted as a result that event chose to go about a different route. She was 27 curious in her conversations with vendors, how many vendors are expected and what is the 28 protocol as the vendor is confirming with her and what steps is she taking to make sure these 29 steps will be followed by the vendors. Ms. Solomon explained there are roughly twenty vendors, 30 not all food, and she is making sure that if the vendor is providing food or beverages that the 31 vendor has to wear masks and will be rotating them so the same mask will not be used 32 continuously. She noted she will be providing some masks as well as the vendors having their 33 own masks. There will also be hand sanitizer at every single booth regardless if the vendor is 34 selling food or not, to ensure that space for them is safe for the vendor and patron. 35 36 Councilmember Webster explained the City has been reserving fields and outdoor spaces to 37 community groups and for the things that the City is requiring in that process are a plan needs to 38 be submitted, whether it is a baseball, softball team or other group, when reservations are made 39 and the second piece is the City asks the group to send a list of attendees as well for the purpose 40 of contact tracing in case there is a positive case. Ms. Solomon indicated she does have a list of 41 contacts and specifically who will be at the festival from each place and phone numbers, as well 42 as attendees. 43 44 Mayor Stille stated the Minnesota Department of Health needs to monitor this, at least they have 45 with Kiwanis, and the Health Department is very restrictive in making sure the food is safe and is 46 2