By Charlie McKee

In one of the shortest Town Council meetings on record, lasting approximately 10 minutes, the Council heard application for two separate items relating to the Mimbres Region Arts Council's (MRAC) 19th Annual Silver City Blues Festival to be held May 23 through 25, 2014.

The first item included two Public Celebration Permit Applications for Friday, May 23. Little Toad Creek Brewery and Distillery at Bullard and Broadway will be a new venue for the Blues Festival's traditional Friday night Kick-off Dance. Sam Costello, representing Little Toad Creek, explained to the Council that the celebration would include blocking off Bullard Street in front of the Little Toad Creek establishment and serving customers on half of the blocked street. He also noted that the Silver City Police Department had approved the closure and that Little Toad Creek is providing insurance coverage for the event. Town Manager Alex Brown confirmed to the Council that the application was in order and all requirements had been met by Little Toad Creek. Costello stated that this event was a fundraiser for MRAC and, as such, was an excellent "partnership between a non-profit, a small business, and the Town."

The second item was a Special Dispensers Permit Application for the Beer Garden at the Blues Festival on May 24 and 25. MRAC Executive Director Faye McCalmont thanked the Mayor and Council very much for convening the Special Meeting to accommodate last minute changes in plan for the Festival. She stated that had the Mayor and Council not done so, the event was in danger of not happening. The new vendor for the Beer Garden, if approved, would be W & N Enterprises. McCalmont explained that the Beer Garden space would also be expanded to encompass the entire width of Pope Street between 12th and 13th Streets. Motorcycle parking will be moved farther down Pope Street.

The Council approved the two Public Celebration Permits for Little Toad Creek Brewery and Little Toad Creek Distillery, respectively, for May 23, 2014, and approved the Special Dispensers Permit for Snappy Mart #4 for May 24 and 25, 2014.

The Special Meeting of the Town Council was subsequently adjourned.