By Debbie Carson, Online Editor
SEBASTIAN – The Sebastian City Council is expected to take up a proposed agreement to provide free event parking at the old Wal-Mart parking lot at its meeting Wednesday night.
The agreement would cost the city $1 and would allow the city to use the lot for overflow parking for events at Riverview Park, including the upcoming Clambake Festival in November and the Holiday Parade in December.
The issue of event parking came up after the Fourth of July, when Sebastian resident and businessman Damien Gilliams’ children charged $5 for parking in the lot. Gilliams had worked out an agreement with the property owner to provide security and cleanup on the lot, in exchange for charging for parking. The move angered Sebastian residents and at least one council member, who felt that parking should have been free – as it had been in the past.
Gilliams approached the council at the next meeting following the Fourth of July celebration to present the city with a check for more than $400 to be used to reestablish a citizens police academy.
The council tried to hold off on accepting the funds, wanting first to look into the legality of accepting funds that were to be used for the donor’s purpose. Instead, Gilliams withdrew the offer.