According to insiders of the Lehigh Acres Spring Festival Committee, the committee is facing higher bills then ever from the Lee County Sheriff Office.
The unnamed source states the committee is trying to renegotiate the $12,840.00 dollar security bill for the Festival and now the $5600.00 dollar bill for the Grande Parade.
Though the unnamed source stated that the Spring Festival security bill has been nearly $12,000 year for the past few years. But they have ever received a bill for during the Grande Parade except for this year.
The Lee County and Recreation Department refuses to allow private security or a combination of private and LCSO in the park. But what has changed nearly five years then the Spring Festival did used a combination of private and LCSO in park before, but county staff says these is not true. But records and photos do not lie.
According to Betsy Clayton, Public Information Officer for Lee County, “Lee County Parks and Recreation requires a Sherriff’s Deputy be present at any event where alcohol is served. It does not dictate the type or required number of security personnel outside the area where alcohol is being served.”
When directly asked: Since by policy the county do not dictate the type or required number of security personnel out outside the area where alcohol is being served.
Then it’s up to the USER of the event to set the number of personnel?
These means that the USER of the event could use combination of private and LCSO personnel as long as LCSO is covering the area where the alcohol is being served?
The answer received by email from Betsy Clayton was: “That would be up to the User and approved by the Sherriff during the County Event Permit process.”
Lee County Parks & Recreation Use Agreement states: “Security of the event area will be the sole responsibility of USER including the hiring of a Sheriff’s Deputy to be present at the alcoholic beverage serving area during event hours.”
Could it be time for the Spring Festival to give up the beer and wine sells if it is not covering the costs of the required security?
Internal records also show that Lee County Parks and Rec does not really what the Lehigh Acres Spring Festival at Veterans Park for a number of reasons. And that certain county employees over the years have calculatedly done everything in their power to make it more and more difficult to hold this yearly event.
The Medieval Faire which is held at Lake Park over two weekends each year has less security and still allows multiple beer tents compared to the Spring Festival which is required to have twice as many off duty LCSO officers and only has one beer tent.
Now the Sheriff Mike Scott’s staff states man power cost money. But 2015 is the first year ever the committee will be charged for the Grande Parade by the Lee County Sheriff Office.
These new hard costs now forces the Spring Festival Committee to make hard choices or to find more sponsors to cover these costs.
According the insiders even Lehigh Regional Medical Center which was a premier sponsor for more than twenty years and now has refused to help out financially.
The Lehigh Acres Gazette tried to reach out Lehigh Acres Spring Festival President Andy Reisinger but no comment so far.
The Lehigh Acres Gazette has learned that Reisinger works for the Lee County Sheriff Office, could this be a conflict of interest when trying renegotiate a lower cost for the Lehigh Acres Spring Festival?
Could the Spring Festival Committee that has not changed members in years need new blood to help resolve these issues with the county and the sheriff’s office before its too late?
Lehigh Acres Spring Festival is scheduled for March 13 through 21st, 2015 with the theme Light Camera Action Take A Journey Down The Red Carpet With … The 2015 Lehigh Spring Festival.
Could this be the last journey for the Lehigh Acres Spring Festival and its Grande Parade?
Click here to see Parade estimate. Click here to see Festival estimate for security
sounds like another item to list for the folks interested in incorporating Lehigh to have some control and pride in their own community