Board approves Gaelic Association dates; members press for clearer vendor, insurance and cost arrangements for city events

The City of Lawrence Parks and Recreation Board on Sept. 10 approved entering a use agreement with the Indianapolis Gaelic Athletic Association for several Sunday dates this fall and discussed the need for clearer written use agreements and cost transparency for recurring third‑party events held on city property.

The board approved the Gaelic Association agreement by voice vote after staff explained the group picked up dates when the football program was not using the fields. Parks staff said the department will furnish picnic tables but will not provide the stage this year, and staff typically spend six to eight hours on set-up and tear-down for such events.

Nut graf: Board members said informal or unclear arrangements have created community questions about who bears event costs and how the city documents event use. Members raised the example of Loggers in Lawrence and similar events organized by private promoters, noting the city sometimes receives an insurance rider but not a standard use agreement and that the department may absorb staff time for setup, security and cleanup.

Board member Tom asked whether the city makes money from hosting some events; staff said typically the Parks Department does not collect revenue for such uses and that in‑house staff perform setup and cleanup. Staff reported they received an insurance rider naming the parks department as an additional insured for one event, but some board members said that alone may not satisfy expectations for an explicit use agreement.

Parks staff said the city started arranging recurring events with outside promoters roughly eight to 10 years ago to bring people into the community. Staff also described the practical costs: staff time for setup and teardown, provision of picnic tables, assistance with stage logistics in some years and occasional security needs.

Ending: The board urged staff to ensure clear, written use agreements for large recurring events and to provide more detailed cost information so the public and board members can see how city resources are used for vendor-supported events.