7-12-2022 2:08am

Council Approves VVA Pork Roast, UAW Car Show, Postpones Action on Food Truck Event

Saline City Council unanimously approved two applications for upcoming events in the City of Saline.

The local Vietnam Veterans of America chapter will hold a pork roast fundraiser at the Saline American Legion Post 322, 320 W. Michigan Ave., on Aug. 28 from noon to 5 p.m. Besides food, the event will also feature a beer tent, veteran apparel and kids' events.

Council also voted to approve the UAW Car Show at the Local 892 union hall at 601 Woodland Drive from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., July 31. The event features food trucks, fresh-squeezed fruit beverages (adult), participant raffles, a 50/50 raffle, giveaways, a bouncy house, a DJ and more.

Council delayed action on a third application. MI Home Team Saline/Real Estate One is planning a food truck rally for Mill Pond Park from 4-8 p.m., July 30. The event will raise funds for Saline Area Socal Service by selling t-shirts and "taste the festival" tickets at the free event. Unlike the other two events approved by council, this one is on city property. Councillor Janet Dillon listed several concerns. Would there be portable restrooms? Was there a plan to clean up the park? Was there a plan for security? Or power and water?

"I want to make sure that we can kind of walk through that process before going forward," Dillon said. "There are a lot of issues that are putting the city on the hook if there are issues that happen."

Council had previously approved an application to permit food trucks at the park. The community event application is a different ask.

Clerk Terri Royal said the event raised questions in her office as well.

"To be perfectly honest. This is a first for me and this is why we are revisiting the community events and food trucks in parks. So we're all going to get together so that we're all on the same page and there's one application that does it all," Royal said.

Councillor Kevin Camero-Sulak asked whether other families would be able to freely utilize the park during the event.

Councillor Dillon moved to postpone the vote on the request until some of the questions could be answered. Councillor Dawn Krause seconded the motion, which passed by a 7-0 vote.