Hey Joe:
I read your post titled 'I've Got Some Questions/Concerns About This Event'. Rightfully so you have questions and concerns about it, and I should have done a better job getting you information. However, with a first year event such as this, there is such a thing as being too busy, and the majority of the marketing we did was social media based.
I wanted your viewers to understand that tax dollars weren't 'wasted' on this event. The event was not hosted by the City of Salisbury. There was a tremendous amount of support and cooperation by the City to allow us to work with Police, EMS, Fire and Public Works resources, but such should be the case in an event that hosted upwards of 2,000 people. Public safety should always be the number one concern.
This event was a sub committee of 3rd Friday, which is a branch of the Arts and Entertainment District, through the Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce. Specifically the event was fulfilled by a core group of volunteers, including but not limited to, Jamie Heater (3rd Friday) and me (Joey Gilkerson). I use the verbiage 'fulfilled' because we cant take credit for the idea. Many people have discussed and pondered doing a ball drop in Downtown Salisbury, but as we both know, great ideas are a dime a dozen. Jamie Heater said, 'Folks have been approaching me at 3rd Friday for years requesting a Downtown Salisbury Ball Drop. This was the first opportunity I have had where I felt comfortable trying to organize the event. Credit is due to all of the volunteers that made this possible."
We had over 30 volunteers at the event. Many of us met at 8:00 AM on December 31st, and did not leave until after 4:00 AM on January 1st. This does not include the 100's of hours we all had into the coordination of the event before hand. This event was 100% dependent on volunteers. All funds were privately fund raised. An event like this costs thousands of dollars to put on. We had numerous 'platinum', or $1,000 sponsors that made it possible. The City contributed $250, which we thought was fair to the tax payer.
Finally, the main concern of a bar crawl and a kid-friendly event co-existing. I can absolutely see why this is a concern on the surface, but here are the facts: This was far from a 'drunk fest'. There was not one incident within the event. The only incident included only 1 citizen, and occurred in a line to get into a bar, at nearly 1:00 AM, as the event was cleared out. The bar crawl didn't take place on-site; it took place within the cooperating establishments. The goal for an event like this is to support local businesses. To the best of my knowledge, the majority of the businesses involved in both the event and the bar crawl had record breaking sales numbers. With a free event on the plaza, that serves alcohol, if you were a restaurant/bar owner, you would want to be included in some fashion as well... or it wouldn't seem fair. And in reality, dry event or not, free to all ages or not, occupants of the nearby restaurants/bars would attend the event to see the ball drop. Its New Years Eve!
My final thought is this: If you feel as though it is appropriate to bring children to this event, please do! If you think that it is an environment not suitable for your children, please don't. I don't believe it is my place to tell parents how to parent, and I wanted the event to be as flexible as possible. The event was fun and safe for all ages that attended, and we will continue to host it in such fashion.
We want to encourage any and all that attended to provide feedback for the event so that we can improve for next year. Please direct all suggestions to feedback@nyesby.com.
Thanks for listening,
Joey Gilkerson
Ball Drop-NYE SBY from Mick Haensler on Vimeo.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
28 comments:
Joey is a class act. I trust this event will get better over time. Growing pains.
I am glad to see someone attempt to make our city a better place.
Maybe it was not perfect but tanks Joey for your efforts.
For those that have an issue
Lead,follow or get out of the way!
very good letter from Joey...I believe concerns will continue to be addressed and this event will remain a class act and safe for all.
I think all the readers of this site can appreciate this response.
I am not against alcohol being served, though when I did see the bar crawl advertised on the flyer and on Facebook I was taken aback a bit and "drunk fest" did come to my mind.
I personally wouldn't mind seeing a coffee drink vendor serving coffee drinks in a commemorative Salisbury (NOT The 'Bury) NYE mug.
Joey, thank you so much for clearing the air on this matter.
One thing is for sure, that article drew a TON of comments and unfortunately, (so everyone knows) I didn't know you were in charge of this event.
It had been implied that this was Jim Ireton's party, (so to speak) and had I known you were involved I would have come right to the source.
OK, that being said, I enjoyed your political response to the kids vs. adults attending but I'd still personally agree to disagree on that matter. Look, make it an adult event where everyone can relax and simply have a great time. Just my opinion.
I'm also glad to see the taxpayers didn't foot the bill, (or the majority thereof). On a public relations portion of the night you may want to simply charge a cover charge to get into the event that includes a drink or two or three from different establishments and rid of the Bar Crawl NAME, if you get my drift.
Look, I'm an old man now Joey. I'm seeing certain things at my age now whereas YOUNGER people do things very differently. Not that there's anything wrong with how YOUNGER people do things, it's just different. Back in our day it was very rare anyone I knew ever did shots, period. Today, well, as you and I both know, that's the norm.
Anyhow, while us older folks are still around, you might consider changing the Bar Crawl thing for a few years and I say that with a big smile on my face.
I wish you ALL the best next year and many more years to come. You all have proven you have your act together when it comes to taking nothing and making it a HUGE success.
Thanks for being so kind in your response to our original article on this matter.
Joe
Okay.......maybe the video was cut off before it was played, but if not, one major NYE must have, was overlooked-Auld Lang Syne, the traditional New Years Eve song.
Be careful Joe. If you and Joey keep talking like this Jimmy is going to get jealous. In fact, the two of you should get a room. :-)
anonymous 8:14, Sssssstop it.
Kudos to the volunteers and businesses that made this happen.
No wonder Joe (and so many others) thought this was an "Ireton party." The boy mayor wanted people to think that. He said very little about the volunteers and businesses making this happen. He wants everyone to think HE made 3rd Friday happen.
Wrong, wrong, wrong. The volunteers did.
Also, two unsung heroes in this picture: Debbie Campbell and Terry Cohen. They stood by Urban Salisbury to give them a chance under Ireton's "new leadership" and it wasn't "gettin' r dun." Took guts to pull the plug on them. But both of those gals stood by THE VOLUNTEERS and made sure money went to THEM and their activities, the successful things like 3rd Friday and the little markets downtown.
Ireton bashed these two and wanted everyone to think all the progress was his doing. To those two ladies, a hat tip to you for knowing when funding needed to go to the right place and when THE COMMUNITY could and should do a better job than the government!
Congrats again to the volunteers, the businesses and the community for making a terrific night happen. Also to the SPD and other city employees (NOT the credit-grabbing mayor) who made sure it was a smooth night.
Happy New Year to everyone!
Just stop with the kid adult alcohol thing, guess you will now be going after wine fest, beer fest, bike week, pork in the park next. All events with alcohol and kids and adults together
Thank you for this info and thank you Joe for sharing it.
Joe don't be fooled by this incredible feedback and play on words. Not one person said that Salisbury "hosted" this event. It was said that The City of Salisbury and Jim Ireton promoted this event which is indeed a fact. This was noted by the numerous press releases sent out by Jim Ireton. To say it wasn't a drunkfest is another play on words. The complaint was alcohol and kids which don't mix. The Bar Crawl was advertised and it should never have been a part of this event. Many people would never have taken there kids there if it wasn't supposed to be a kid friendly event. It wasn't a kid friendly event and many family has beer spilled on them from numerous intoxicated individuals. It wasn't the same event that Joey claims it was. Sorry but the comments in the previous post prove it.
Great Job Chamber an Friends an Joey.
The event was great for everyone. Enough said.
Hope you put the show on again
Don't be fooled Joe, there was an event for and by the invitation of Jimbo as I personally know people that were invited to attend at his behest to show support for his agenda concerning a number of issues plaguing his office like crime in the Church street and Doverdale area's and the ongoing issues with Red Light District and the sign he has a personal grudge against.
With regard to the inflated proportions of involvement of volunteers and such...
100's of hours? Seriously?
This event was put on with an hour's worth of coordination, phone calls and a Facebook/twitter chain... nothing more!
Honestly it reeked of a small time amateur production. Accept it. With that said, it was good enough for Salisbury and much fun was had by all.
You've been fooled. Don't fall for it. You are not their friends.
Looks as if it were a good time for all , didn't see any blacks at this event ! Thought that this was strange , wonder why?
9:17 Ireton did give credit to him and the entire city council. He also gave credit to the Salisbury Fire Department, the Salisbury Police Department and Public Works in that order. Public Works did most of the work while the fire department did the least. I don't blame Joey Gilkerson for "correcting" your story, but if you believe it to be 100% accurate you are a fool. I am closer to you than you are to Joey so I ask you to be careful with your support of him. I know him and I know what he says about you. You know how the old saying goes "keep your friends close and keep your enemies closer."
hmmm
Incredible feedback
Is that
Incredible Believable Feedback
or
Incredible Lying Feedback
The Title covers your a$$ either way
To All,
Look, you now have two sides to this story, period.
This one has 19 comments now and the other has more than a hundred.
JoeAlbero said...
To All,
Look, you now have two sides to this story, period.
This one has 19 comments now and the other has more than a hundred.
January 4, 2014 at 11:02 AM
Obviously the one with the most comments wins and is more than likely the truth. I was there and I know which one is the truth.
Well to say that the city only contributed 250 bucks is a bit misleading, unless of course all the city workers involved did it on their own time without pay.
Was a permit acquired for the operation of that crane downtown? Who paid for it and who would have accepted any liability if any problems came from it's operation?
Follow the money.
Knowing Smallsbury, in a couple of years it will be over run with drunks, punks and gangs, just like the festival and there will be nothing family friendly left to it.
After I posted about who was responsible for liability of the crane? Pretty much shut the comments down. Interesting.....
It seems to me, that I read somewhere that Harkins was a donor. I don't know for sure but could it be they donated the use of the crane? Whomever owns the crane would be responsible if any liability occurred and I would expect that the organizers would have asked to see their insurance policy before crane was used. At least that is what the company I worked for, who organized charity horse shows, required because it had to be presented to the entity that owned the property we were using whether it was government owned or private.
I've gone before many a town councils and before permission was ever granted to use government property or facilities it was made clear that any and all companies who helped in any way must be insured and a copy of policy delivered to the towns before starting set up. If we used a private arena or a private farm, the owners not only wanted to see policy but be included as additionally insured in case of a mishap.
to anonymous 1:25 am ---
obviously you have never volunteered for anything. You don't seem to know what goes into an event this size. I did not attend, nor was I involved in this in any way, but I have volunteered for events in the past, and understand all the hard work that was put into bringing the New Years event together. To you I say " if you're not part of the solution, you're are part of the problem"
After reading your more immediate reply to joey;
This is how change happens. One generation can't wait for the previous one to die off before we start new things. If we did, the generation below us would be nipping at our heels with even newer ideas that would be even more uncomfortable to your generation.
Accept change. Move on. Don't like it? Retire to Florida.
anonymous 2:05, This is exactly wrong with you young liberal jerks. Once again, IF we disagree, get rid of them all. Tell them to pack up and move away. I'll bet your sorry little a$$ doesn't even live or pay taxes in the City.
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