Outlook Not Good for Homewood Days 2012

members approached during Tuesday night’s meeting hoping to secure the board's blessing for their in-the-works Homewood Days 2012 plan. What they got, however, was anything but.

Village Manager Ralph DeWitt set the stage:

“Last year, after the Homewood Days event, there were a number of issues that (were communicated) to the staff and the chamber,” DeWitt said. “Staff and chamber worked over the last few months to develop a new proposal to help change Homewood Days, both the location and structure—how the event works—and to address those concerns and to make it a much more effective event.”

Homewood Area Chamber President Elect Debbie Lucia picked up where DeWitt left off. She acknowledged the poor response to Homewood Days 2011 and articulated the chamber’s intention to take the negative feedback into account in planning Homewood Days 2012.

As the plan currently stands, the location of Homewood Days 2012 extends from Harwood Ave, between Elm and Ridge Road, to Chestnut between Harwood and Dixie. The village and bank parking lots will be utilized as well.

Some of the other ideas of the tentative Homewood Days 2012 mentioned were:

• A smaller, pedestrian-friendly footprint for the event.
• More “handi-capable” access.
• New, more relevant programming.
• More attendance rich programming.
• More targeted direct messaging.
  • This will be accomplished via a proposed new image with a legitimate PR program to back it.
• More direct advertising will be targeted.
• Hospitality volunteers.
• On-site surveys to be conducted for real time feedback.
• An activity calendar to be released months in advance.
• More fitness-focused programs, citing a potential partnership with the H-F Park District.
• A new tradition to honor those who serve (specifically, with a police v. fire department tug-of-war).
• A three-kilometer walk or run with a morning pre-run stretch and concessions provided for participants.
• More vendor engagement.
• Miss Homewood competition.
• More strategic entertainment bookings.
• Free health screenings.
• Food eating contests.
• More environmental considerations (like recycling stations).
• Appropriate seating, both shaded and non-shaded.
• Stage reduction (from three to two).
• More consideration for local businesses.

Joey Rega, of Joey Rega Tours and Events also attended the meeting. His management company is currently under consideration for planning and managing Homewood Days 2012. Rega was involved in helping to develop the current Homewood Days 2012 plan. Rega’s former work includes event management for VH1’s Rock Across America and the Porter County and Lake County Fairs.

TRUSTEES NOT SO ENTHUSED

Trustee Anne Colton said, over her three years in office, she’s seldom heard as many complaints as she has about Homewood Days 2011.

“I don’t think anybody could argue that last year didn’t work out so well,” Colton said. “I’m glad we’re addressing it. I’m glad were having (this) conversation.”

But that is about all she was glad about.

“My concern, really, is this proposal,” Colton said. “I don’t think that this reflects our community at all and I don’t see that this is going to address a lot of our concerns."

“I can’t tell you how horrified I am at the idea of doing a beauty pageant,” Colton continued. “I don’t think that that reflects who we are … we are an educated populous and a culturally relevant populous.“

Colton referred to , among other examples, to illustrate Homewood’s rich pool of local talent. In her opinion, local artists, vendors and restaurants should be showcased throughout the event.

“What I’m seeing here is beauty pageants, toddler beauty pageants, and beer gardens and cover bands,” Colton said. “If it’s going to be called Homewood Days, it needs to reflect who we are.”

Trustee Tom Kataras agreed that last year’s event was sub-par, but he was pestered by a different concern.

“The chamber took a lot of heat (after Homewood Days 2011) for things that were done that weren’t really their responsibility,” Kataras said. “Mistakes were made—let’s put it behind us. Let’s get our staff involved with this, help the chamber so we could get this thing together and we can have it up-and-running by July.”

Kataras, admitting that he is a chamber member and former president, addressed the possibility of skipping Homewood Day’s 2012 in its entirety. He felt the village should be held accountable should the chamber's main fundraising event fall through.

“We were part of this problem … we should help make up the difference that (the chamber is) losing out,” Kataras said. ”… We’re supporting them because that’s the right thing to do.”

PRESIDENTIAL VETO

Village President Richard Hofeld also voiced his disapproval of the current plan.

“As it had been said by some of the members of the board, Homewood Days is no longer a Homewood event, it really isn’t,” Hofeld said. “I think this puts a big strain on the village, I think there’s a lot of intangibles … and I think it would be difficult to do it. I, myself don’t really support it.”

Hofeld even suggested exploring the possibility of hosting the event in one of the neighboring communities such as Glenwood or Flossmoor, offering up the new name “Community Days.”

THE BIG PICTURE

There is another, big-picture concern, according to Colton. She asserted the chamber is approaching the event from a fundraising perspective and the village is approaching the event from a community- and image-building perspective. The two different angles could result in conflict, according to Colton. While the trustee admitted the issue could be potentially resolved, she is concerned that time is running out.

“I think this is a conversation we should have had last fall,” Colton said.

CONSENSUS NOT REACHED

The final consensus vote was three-to-two, not in favor of the current Homewood Days 2012 plan. Trustees Kataras and Ray Robertson voted in support of the event. Trustees Colton, Barbara Dawkins, and Jay Heiferman voted no, with some reluctance.

“I want to support the chamber, I want to support festivals, but I cant support this in its current format," Heiferman said.

Trustee Lisa Purcell was absent and did not vote.

Village President Hofeld invited the chamber to come back with a revised plan for further consideration.