Politics & Government

Homewood Days 2012 Cancelled

The Homewood Area Chamber of Commerce made the announcement during the March 13 Homewood Village meeting.

No revised Homewood Days 2012 plan was presented during Tuesday night’s village board meeting. Instead, President Debbie Lucia gave the following announcement:

“The chamber has taken the board’s advice under strong consideration and at this time the chamber does agree that we should take a rest for Homewood Days of 2012.”

The chamber’s postponement came with some contingencies, however. In lieu of hosting the event this year, Lucia made some requests of the board:

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  • Commit from the village to help plan and execute of a fully revised, back-to-basics Homewood Days 2013.
  • A village liaison to attend Homewood Days committee meetings in effort to foster better communication between the chamber and the village.
  • A one-day community event, run by the chamber, to be hosted sometime this summer.
  • $30,000 “to assist with the (financial) shortfall created” by the postponement of Homewood Days 2012.

The latter request did not bode well with the majority of the board.

“That’s a pretty big bomb to drop on us right now, in a meeting, without any time to think it through,” Trustee Anne Colton said. “My first thought is. ‘no.’”

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“I think it’s ridiculous to ask for $30,000 in light of the fact that there’s been no realistic proposal made to this board,” Trustee Barbara Dawkins said.

Trustee Tom Kataras disagreed.

“We have a responsibility to the chamber,” Kataras said. “There’s money here folks—don’t say that there’s not.”

The remaining board members, Village President Richard Hofeld included, were strongly opposed to the donation.

“I can’t say I was expecting ‘no,’” Lucia said. “I am somewhat disappointed that (the village is) not looking to help us in any type of financial support, but I understand what they said.”

The board did, however, pledge strong support (personally, in the case of Trustee Anne Colton) in cooperating with the chamber on the development of Homewood Days 2013.


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