There won’t be a Chronic Palooza event this year at Meeker Lake.
After listening to several people voice concerns about the event and complain about what they believed it would turn out to be, the Meeker Town Board of Trustees voted unanimously not to approve the lease agreement for Chronic Palooza.
Trustee Rick Hill made the motion to deny the lease and Trustee Billy Walker seconded it before the 5-0 vote.
The Trustees, even though it was a formality by that time, also voted not to waive the prohibition against the consumption of intoxicating liquor in public for the event that had been planned for July 9, 10 and 11 at Meeker Lake.
Although the Trustees took official action not to allow the event, it came several minutes after Town Administrator Dickie Walton announced, “The woman in charge has asked that the council take no action. It’s not going to happen July 9-11,” he stressed.
“She’s pulling the plug on the event,” he added.
Walton explained the woman had called earlier that day and told him two major sponsors, one for $45,000 and the other for $25,000 had pulled out. “It’s not going to happen in 2021,” he said.
Mayor Jeff Wilbourn noted that several vendors “were pulling out.”
The Trustees action and Walton’s announcement came after several people had voiced their opinions about the event and complained about lack of notice from the Town Board.
In a special meeting on June 10, which was open to the public, the Trustees had agreed to lease the lake to Chronic Palooza for what was described as a Medical Marijuana Education Event.
The mayor and other town board members Monday night said that information about the event reportedly began to surface on social media and they weren’t aware of everything they were hearing and seeing about the event.
Walton, when asked by the mayor for his thoughts, responded, “My suggestion is to deny the lease and then it’s done and over. I’ve been talking with the woman who is the owner and have been trying to get her here for tonight’s meeting.
“With her not being here, I suggest you deny the lease,” he reiterated.
Some of those in attendance mentioned the special meeting on the evening of June 10 wasn’t publicized well enough in advance.
A couple people mentioned the Chamber had held its monthly luncheon earlier in the day and nothing had been said about the meeting or the event.
Several were critical and told Trustees they were disappointed in them for not being more open.
But the Trustees defended themselves saying what was on social media was not what they believed the event was going to be and that the 48- hour special meeting notice had been posted as required.
Following the vote, the audience applauded the Trustees by clapping and thanking them.
Some still asked what the police were going to do in case a crowd still showed up on those days for the event that wasn’t happening.
Meeker Police Chief Trent Norton assured those present, “We’ll handle it.”