Lisbon City council will be looking into solutions to allow the Lisbon Sauerkraut Days softball competition to return next year.
In late July, the council voted to follow its ordinances in Lisbon City Park, which prohibits alcohol in the park.
Public works director Travis Bagby, who helps organize the tournament alongside parks and recreation Drayton Kamberling, said the decision put both men in a bad spot.
“We could not guarantee to these teams there wasn’t a chance if something happened at the parks, that it could escalate to officers being sent and tickets being issued,” Bagby said. “Many of the teams did not want to take that chance, and opted not to participate instead.”
Several of those team members were in communication with council members, as well as members of city staff and the Sauerkraut Days committee this year.
Council members Rick Scott and Mike Williams both thought the item should be further discussed at a coming meeting.
Scott said he wasn’t the only no vote for alcohol in the park, that the other members of the council were unanimous on that decision.
“I do know the softball tournament Is a great revenue generator,” Scott said. “I really think it’s time to think about our city’s views on alcohol in the parks and how we handle this.”
Williams said he didn’t realize a no vote would mean the tournament would essentially be cancelled this year, that he thought his vote would allow the event to function as it has in the past.
Council member Nathan Smith said now would be a more ideal time to look at solutions than waiting until two weeks before Sauerkraut Days begins.
City administrator Brandon Siggins said he is looking into a solution on the issue this fall so it isn’t a problem at next year’s festival.
Siggins proposed the parks and recreation commission apply for a liquor license at the parks, and use the festival as a fundraiser for their efforts in the community.
“I’d really like to see this tournament grow, and with the sports complex that we’re designing, we could host 25 or more games over the course of a weekend,” Siggins said.
The secondary solution is the Sauerkraut Days committee adopting the tournament as one of their events and getting a secondary alcohol license for the park during the tournament.
With the new athletic complex coming, Siggins said this is an issue that might change with the new move to that park as well for many of the Sauerkraut Days activities.
“With city park’s location currently, it really does become a headache,” Siggins said. “You have increased traffic along Jackson Street and around the park, with kids and young families heading there for the ice cream social and other events. The sports complex traffic would only be to and from heading to that park.
The alcohol in the park ordinance also came up prior to 2021’s Sauerkraut Days, with the Sauerkraut Days committee stating they didn’t have the manpower to enforce two liquor license locations in the community during the weekend.
In 2021, Sara Nost’s business Tin Roof Hideaway and Event Center (then known as Regal Crowne), applied for the liquor license and provided the alcohol for the softball tournament, as well as other foodstuffs.
Council members noted attendance was down this year for the festival without the softball tournament, the same way numbers were lower without carnival rides in downtown in 2021.