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Several members of the public made on-the-spot donations at Wednesday’s council meeting to help ease the burden of municipal fees for a community party.

By the end of the meeting, a total of $330 dollars was collected to help mitigate a $250 street closure fee for a “Stop the Violence” block party.

A request to waive the city’s required $250 street closing fee was denied by a majority of city council members. Street closures require police presence to help oversee traffic, which is part of the reason the fee is required, said Tom Gilmour, the city’s special events coordinator.

Councilman John Moor, who is also a member of the special events committee, explained that the committee made a firm decision not to waive the fees for any application.

“Everybody felt we had to be consistent,” Moor said. “If you’re going to charge one person, you have to charge everybody.”

The event commemorates the one year anniversary of Dericke Williams’ fatal shooting in the city.

Instead of a day of grieving, event organizers sought to do something positive for the kids in the community.

“We wanted to make it something different, to turn it into something for the kids” said Karen Banks [shown above, at right], Williams’ sister-in-law.

During the public participation portion of the meeting, a perceived need for the community to unite against recent gun violence prompted members of the public to their frustration of the council’s choice not to waive the fee.

“Now that you won’t waive the $250, that money is taken away from our kids,” said Qzeena Taylor[shown above, at left], a member of the Asbury Park Board of Education, and an event organizer.

“It’s to stop the violence, to let everybody know in this town – they are not running this city, these criminals and gang members,” said Banks.

Mayor Myra Campbell first suggested event organizers move the party to a school property or a park. Relocation to a park produces a steeper fee of $400, according to Gilmour, and Banks expressed a need for the party to stay close in close proximity to the homes that will prepare food.

As an alternative, Campbell suggested the organizers ask for private donations of $1 each from those who would attend the event. She offered $10 of her own money. Her suggestion impelled several members of the public to donate. By the end of the meeting they had surpassed their goal.

“I believe that there are more people in this community that want to do good,” said Mayor Campbell. We have more in common than we think, but our differences are what is capitalized on.”

The block party will be held this Sat., Sept 21, from 2 to 8 p.m. on Union Avenue between Springwood and Atlantic avenues. All members of the community are invited to attend.

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