Hermosa Council okays $15,000 loan to Chamber for St. Patrick’s Parade

Hermosa Cyclery co-owner Steve Collins leads bicyclists in the Hermosa Beach Saint Patrick’s Day Parade in 2017, as he does each year. Photo by Kevin Cody

by Kevin Cody

The Hermosa Beach City Council approved a $15,000 loan to the Hermosa Beach Chamber of Commerce to help fund the March 15 Saint Patrick’s Day Parade. The loan followed an hour long discussion at the Council’s Tuesday, January 28 meeting

The parade has been a popular civic tradition since its founding in 1995. The Chamber has produced it since 2010. The city waives permit fees, totalling approximately $20,000, but otherwise has not contributed financially to the parade’s production.

Last year, following nationwide incidents of carnage from cars driving through public events, the city required the Chamber to deploy Archer Meridian Barricades at the major intersections along the parade route. Archer Meridians are heavy, L-shaped metal barriers.

In previous years the parade blocked the intersections with wooden sawhorses and water-filled barricades. 

The newly required metal barriers cost approximately $15,000 to deploy, causing the Chamber to lose money on the parade last year, Chamber President Michelle Crispin wrote in a letter to the City two weeks ago. In the letter, Crispin asks the city for $15,000 to offset the costs of the new barricades. 

At its Tuesday meeting, the Council unanimously agreed the parade must go on, but disagreed on whether or not to help fund it. 

Councilmember Mike Detoy recommended the Chamber raise the barricade money through its Hermosa Chamber Foundation. He noted that the foundation has already raised $26,500 from 53 donors, among them himself.

Councilmember Raymond Jackson proposed making the $15,000 request  conditional on the city recouping the $15,000 through parking meter enforcement, by shortening the free downtown parking over the holidays.

Mayor Pro Tem Rob Saemann proposed issuing the Chamber the $15,000 in the form of a one-year, no-interest loan.

Councilmember Michael Keegan seconded Saemann’s proposal. Mayor Francois provided the third vote needed for approval. Detoy and Jackson voted against the loan.

The loan was almost derailed late in the discussion when Francois mentioned that the Chamber of Commerce has $250,000 in reserves.

“If that’s the case, why are we having this discussion? They don’t need the $15,000,” Saemann said.

Chamber President Crispin responded that the parade is produced by the Hermosa Beach Chamber Foundation, not the Hermosa Beach Chamber of Commerce, and that the foundation has no reserves. 

Crispin said the Chamber Foundation hopes to offset the barricade cost in future years by partnering with neighboring cities on the purchase of the barricades. 

The Chamber will begin accepting applications to participate in the parade this week, Crispin said. ER

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