Editor:
The recent article in The Record and The Aegis voiced my displeasure regarding the events on the night of July 3rd.
I feel obligated to clarify my position. Yes, there was a fight that broke out at the carnival and the video I witnessed spoke for itself. It was troubling to say the least. In addition, the Royal Farms store on the corner of Revolution and Juniata had to shut down and close its doors that night because the situation there got totally out of control. Again, safety was being jeopardized. In addition, because of the immense crowds in Havre de Grace that night, if there was a major medical emergency or fire in the area around Tydings Park, our first responders would have had a hard time getting to the scene.
It has been estimated that there was approximately 25,000 individuals in the area that evening. What complicates it even further is that were all located on a small postage stamp piece of real estate making traffic in and out of the area virtually impossible.
Without a doubt, I am concerned because I feel the total collection of events put our officers and residents at risk and I feel status quo is not and cannot be the option of choice. We cannot afford to compromise the safety of our community.
Keep in mind, that if I did nothing, and we had a repeat of the events next year and someone got seriously hurt or shot (which could happen given the recent events around the world), I would never be able to forgive myself.
Also keep in mind that the individuals detained were not from Havre de Grace and the language they used is not for public printing. They showed absolutely no respect for our community. I want to look out for the best interests of "my community" that I am so proud to call home.
This is not a police problem. This is not a Fourth of July Committee problem. This is a community problem. Does that mean we cancel the carnival? I never said that. In fact, I went to the carnival on Saturday afternoon for kids day and it was a family friendly event and reflected most favorably on our community. In addition, the parade and fireworks truly make the Fourth of July celebration a special event for the entire city and surrounding area.
But again, status quo as it currently exists cannot be the answer. There has to be a better way and working together we can find the most viable option that best serves all concerned. There is too much at risk to sit back and do nothing. "Safety first."
David Glenn
Havre de Grace
The writer is a Havre de Grace city councilman – Editor.