Discouraged that a Fourth of July parade wouldn’t be in downtown Brainerd this summer, the Brainerd Jaycees began researching an alternative after first learning the traditional parade was canceled.
Monday, May 7, the Jaycees plan to go before the Brainerd City Council with a plan of their own.
Last week, Brainerd Community Action, which has organized the parade in Brainerd, sought approval from the Baxter City Council to move the parade there for at least one year.
In its letter in the city of Brainerd, the Jaycees said: “We strongly urge the council to encourage Brainerd Community Action to cancel the parade and let the Jaycees run the 4th of July Parade in downtown Brainerd.”
The Jaycees reported they contacted the Minnesota Department of Transportation, Crow Wing County and Brainerd city officials about downtown parade routes and secured tentative permission, if the city approves, to temporarily detour South Sixth Street traffic during a parade down 13th Street. The county provided permission to use their parking lot for parade staging, the Jaycees reported.
The proposal calls for a parade route that starts on Laurel Street at South Second Street, goes east to South Fifth Street and then south to Norwood Street, east to South Eighth Street, north to Front Street and west to South Sixth Street.
According to the plan, traffic on South Sixth Street would be detoured down Oak Street onto Southeast 13th Street.
“Although all the details are not finalized, this parade route would be safe, showcase Downtown Brainerd and would be an overall benefit to the community,” the Jaycees wrote.
The Jaycees submitted requests to the city for road closures and a parade permit.
“The Jaycees feel that since the largest event put on by Brainerd Community Action is the 4th of July Parade, this event should be held in Brainerd,” the Jaycees reported. “... The Jaycees feel we are very capable to run this event this year and into the future.”
The Jaycees noted their past experience in running large community events such as the Ice Fishing Extravaganza, Street Fest on 7th, the Run for the Lakes Marathon and others.
“Although there are challenges, the Jaycees are up to the task,” the group wrote to the city of Brainerd. “... The Jaycees feel we are the dependable group that should run the 4th of July Parade. Prior to Brainerd Community Action running the parade, the Jaycees ran the parade for three years in the late 70s.”
RENEE RICHARDSON, senior reporter, may be reached at 855-5852. Follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Dispatchbizbuzz.
Comments (13)
Add commentI hope they get it.
I hope the Jaycees do get to run the parade it will be interesting to see how the city council votes. We all know how one member feels about the parade running in front of their house so you can pretty much guess how that vote will go.
Let Baxter Have it
I Don't care for the route proposed for Brainerd. I say let's let Baxter give it a shot at hosting this event. It is just for one year. Let it go.
Parade Route
The Brainerd Community Action has done a great job over the years. Considering they do not have a full time membership like the Brainerd Jaycees to draw from. I believe the JayCees are better equipped to organize and manage the event. I'm wondering where the pre fireworks activities would be and how to get there after the parade?
Go Jaycees!
The Brainerd Jaycees are a top notch crew with the skills, drive and people needed to put an event like the 4th of July Celebration together. They won't give up and have the drive needed to make any event a success. Brainerd needs the parade and the adjusted route right in front of downtown business is superb. There are a lot of hidden gems downtown, but people just do not make it down there. Now, they will have a reason. Brainerd Community Action is doing their city a disservice by moving the parade to Baxter. Kudos to the Jaycees for supporting the town they represent!
Fireworks
Couldn't they have the pre-fireworks concerts and fireworks down at the fairgrounds this year?
Safety
Wasn't one of the major concerns the safety factor of having it in Brainerd? Does anyone have an update on the approvals of the required safety standards of the event if it is approved to be held in Brainerd?
Idea
I think that a great route for the parade would be to have the floats all stage and start at the old BN train station, Then go down 13th Street all the way to the fair grounds where the pre-festivities would be as well as the fireworks. Then none of the main roads are closed down, plus there would be PLENTY of room along the parade route for people to put lawn chairs, etc.
parade
Two weeks ago we were not going to have a parade. Now it appears there are multiple parade opportunities. Good deal for the kids.
Hopefully the Brainerd Jaycees don't require $85,000 from the Brainerd taxpayers. That wouldn't be a good deal.
The line item in the Brainerd budget is for $83000.00
for Community Action it says nothing what the funds are used for. There is also $5000 for fireworks. If you think the Brainerd taxpayers are spending $83000 on this parade then I think you may be getting the short end of the stick.
Budget
Actually almost 90% of all funds for Community Actions 4th Budget are raised thru year long fundraising efforts which start around July 15th of each year. The large numbers being referred to isn't monies taken directly from the city of Brainerd or it's residents, and is used for all the programs community action sponsors. That being said on the subject of a seperate 4th of July parade; I think that if the Jaycees truly did care just about residents of the area they would help support the parade and festivities already sit up and running instead of trying to start another one and pin town against town, residents against residents. This has always been a community celebration and should remain that way; on multiple different levels and many different times Community Action has offered for anyone including the Jaycees to volunteer with them as well to help make this years parade a success just as every year has been in the past. As you can see they aren't interested in a combined effort they are more interested in drama evidently bragging rights to a parade means more than a Great community celebration that everyone can be proud of.
4th of July
After watching the city council meeting tonight the Jaycees moved forward with the parade when it was learned that community action canceled the parade, apparently hastily. Then out of no where community action said the parade and festivities were back on and in a different location. It appeared that the Jaycees intention was not to split up the communities, they saw a need for someone to step up and take action so they did. A side note is that the Jaycees have worked hand in hand with community action in the past with the distinguished service awards.
Very impressed with the Jaycee's work and presentation
They 'did the homework' and came up with a plan, which Community Action did not for Brainerd. Poor communication was stressed by the city council members. They should not have to read about the parade being canceled in the newspaper. Community Action is housed within the city (old fire hall) and is funded on a tax levy from Brainerd citizens.
It was odd that the Director of Community Action did not speak last night, she sent her committee members (many who said they have been on the committee 15 years!?) Perhaps it is time for a little new blood, people who would have asked some important questions before creating such turmoil.
Actually the director of
Actually the director of Community Action is in Chicago Illinois, on a prescheduled trip in which she picks up supplies that are shipped to over 50,000 troops every year for Operation Inerdependance. This is just yet another unpublished thing that goes on every year, and yet another Non Profit group that is helped by Community Action for our community. Talking to Nancy, she would have loved to let everyone know the new venues being looked at, but do to all the turmoil already caused her board and her decided to get approval from all people involved in this decision first to prevent more of a rollercoaster than what has already happened. Now that the Mayor of Brainerd made the tough decision last night to not pass the parade route from the Jaycees and endorse the fact that this is a one year fix for the current situation it will be interesting to see if the community minded and only doing this to help Jaycees are willing to help with the festivities like they have offered to do and like others including the author of the Brainerd Parade Facebook account has done. Over the last many many years the Jaycees have done a lot as an organization including monies raised for Camp Confidence, help with the DCA banquet, and of coarse donating and running the sweet corn feed at the community celebration and we are all thankful for that, but we hope all the mudslinging is now finished. Not once did Communtiy Action try to take away anything from the Jaycees or its members, for hopes of working together in the future. As far as the board goes yes there are people who have served on her board for 15+ years, but there are also people who have been on the board for less than a year and everywhere in between. The board is made up of a wide variety of knowledge and background along with service years, and has even included some members from other community groups such as Jaycees.