LETTER: Residents need to be considered too

To the Editor:

On Feb. 13 the Somerset Amphitheater Interim Conditional Use Permit (ICUP) was brought before the Village of Somerset Public Safety Committee. The recommendations of this committee will be acted on at the Somerset Village Board Meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 26.

The village needs to learn from the mistakes made at the Summerfest Concert held Friday to Sunday, Aug. 24 – 26, 2012. Music was extremely loud and ran after midnight. Fireworks started after midnight. Concert fans came into private property bordering the concert grounds.

My three primary community priorities related to the concerts are:

1) monitor noise levels,

2) concert times agreed to in the ICUP are enforced, and

3) provide sufficient security to monitor crowds and keep concert goers off private property.

Let’s start with monitoring noise levels. The costs for monitoring noise levels and providing security should be borne by the concert permit holder.

The Somerset Village Public Safety Committee is responsible for the safety and welfare of residents. The meeting I attended focused more on protecting the concert permit holder’s privileges than the concerns of the community.

The village is issuing permits for up to eight concert dates with 40,000 people and 12 concert dates with 20,000 people. Village residents deserve consideration for hosting these concerts.

Mark Vanasse

Houlton

Tags: letters to the editor, opinion, somerset