Parade regulations reviewed at Rhinelander city council meeting

As part of a cyclical review of ordinances, the Rhinelander City Council looked at the parade regulations during its Oct. 13 meeting. Recently, two separate parties were cited for inappropriate distribution of candy at the Fourth of July parade. The main concern, according to Rhinelander police chief Lloyd Gauthier was the safety of children attending the parade. 

Mayor Kris Hanus said the issue had also been a hot topic on social media lately, due to some citations being issued to people found in violation of the ordinance. 

Alderman Thomas Barnett said he did not take exception with the citations — as people had been warned multiple times. However, he asked how his fellow council members felt about the full onus being on the floats — noting parents also had the duty to keep their children out of the street. Barnett said he understood that enforcement with parents on the parade route would be difficult at best, he felt what the city was doing was not working to keep kids off of the streets.

Hanus said it was important to remember that most parades are not city events, but are events put on and hosted by another entity. Gauthier said officers at intersections as well as bike patrol officers at each parade are constantly telling children to get back to the curb and out of the street.

“Why are they in the street?” he asked. “The only reason the kids are in the street is because candy isn’t delivered to the curb line. Period.” 

Gauthier added he was frustrated, and the safety of the kids was something he felt was getting lost in all of the tension and derision that had been going on since citations were given for the Fourth of July parade.

“If you want to participate in our parade, just do it by ordinance,” he said. “Have a couple extra volunteers to walk along and hand deliver the candy to the curb line. Problem solved. The kids wouldn’t be in the street. We’ve had close calls in the past.” He said as long as candy is thrown on the street, kids are going to run out to get it, and nothing would stop them. He said it was not a personal thing. The department was simply doing its job to make the parades safe for the kids. 

“I think the ordinance is fine,” alderman Dave Holt said. “I understand if people got upset about it being enforced more strictly, but it’s necessary.”

Gauthier said people were warned multiple times by several officers that they were in violation of the ordinance, but several people continued to be in violation of the ordinance. He said both parties who received a citation were present on the parade route and had also been the people who signed the parade registration form stating they understood the ordinance and rules governing parade behavior. 

In the end council members stated they were happy with the ordinance the way it was written and would make no changes.

Beckie Gaskill may be reached via email at [email protected].