The Waukegan City Council voted not to deny Fiestas Patrias appeal to seek a permit review to hold their Mexican Independence Day parade and festival on September 17, 2023.
By H. Nelson Goodson
Hispanic News Network U.S.A.
July 19, 2023
Waukegan, Illinois - On Tuesday, the Waukegan City Council voted 7-2 not to deny Fiestas Patrias appeal seeking approval for the September 17, 2023 City permit to hold their annual parade and festival in celebration of the Mexican Independence Day weekend, which is celebrated in Mexico on September 16.
The majority of the City Council on Tuesday decided that the City didn't follow it's policy and procedures when it denied a City department permit to Fiestas Patrias.
The City Council sent back the Fiestas Patrias appeal to the City departments for a permit review and decision whether Fiestas Patrias or Puro Futbol will get a City Special Events permit for a parade and festival in celebration of the Mexican Independence Day on September 17th.
During the City Council hearing on Tuesday, Margaret Carrasco, the President of the Fiesta Patrias Organization, a non-profit organization claimed that the City events department failed to fully investigate whether Puro Futbol operated by Oscar Zepeda was legally registered with the State of Illinois. According to some Waukegan officials, Puro Futbol didn't have to be registered with the State to operate as a Spanish language publication. (Waukegan City Council hearing dated July 17, 2023 of the Fiestas Patrias appeal at time stamp 4:40:00: https://www.youtube.com/live/wCNM4uk2Qlc)
Carrasco informed the City Council that she recently registered the Puro Futbol name with the State and that Zepeda doesn't own the business name, since it was never legally registered in his name with the State.
The City of Waukegan Special Events coordinator confirmed during the hearing that Fiestas Patrias permit application for a parade and festival was not accepted the first time because the Fiestas Patrias organization applied for the permit on January 1, 2023, for their anticipated event dated September 17th, which the actual day to begin applying for a City special events permit was on January 9, 2023.
Zepeda submitted a Mexican Independence Day parade and festival permit application under Puro Futbol in February 2023 for a September 17th event, and Fiestas Patrias also reapplied for a City permit on June 2023 for their special event on September 17th, according to the City of Waukegan Special Events coordinator.
Fiestas Patrias organization had been organizing and holding a Mexican Independence Day parade and festival for more than 40 years in the City of Waukegan and has always paid the costs for police service during the one-day event.
The Waukegan City Council majority vote automatically referred Fiestas Patrias appeal back to the City departments to review and decide whether Fiestas Patrias or Puro Futbol will get the City permit to hold their Mexican Independence Day parade on Sunday, September 17th.
Zepeda on Tuesday did not appear before the City Council's hearing nor did he contest Fiestas Patrias appeal to challenged Puro Futbol's permit application for the same day Mexican Independence Day parade and festival event.
The City of Waukegan doesn't have the police resources to provide services for two similar events on the same day, the Waukegan City Council and the Waukegan Police Department confirmed.
Update:
Fiestas Patrias released letter dated July 19, 2923 to the Waukegan City Attorney’s Office.
Margaret Carrasco, President
FIESTAS PATRIAS
Waukegan, IL. 60085
Dear Attorney Stewart Weiss and Kelly Gandurski,
On Monday July 17, 2023, in response to my appeal submitted on June 17, 2023, of the denial of my two special event permit applications
I submitted to the City of Waukegan, for the Fiestas Patrias Parade and Celebration on Sept 17, 2023, the City Council conducted a hearing at its Regular City Council meeting on Monday 7/17/23 under agenda Item:
#8 Special Order of Business
A. HEARING ON APPEAL of DENIAL of SPECIAL EVENT PERMIT requested by Petitioner Margaret Carrasco /FIESTAS PATRIAS PARADE & CELEBRATION
The meeting commenced at 7:00 pm and Waukegan Aldermen were given an opportunity to hear my appeal along with a review of my supporting additional documentation I distributed to City Council Members and my witnesses Elizabeth Marrero and Uriel Vieyra as did the City of Waukegan's Licensing and Finance Department Staff members Carlos Parrada and Shawn Nunag.
At the conclusion of the hearing, the City Council Members voted 7-2 in favor of our Appeal with 9th Ward Alderman Tom Hayes and 8th Ward Alderman Lynn Florian casting their vote against our appeal.
To date, I have not yet received any communication about this matter and have several questions. I have a meeting TONIGHT with all my volunteers and want to communicate the ACCURATE information to them to avoid any confusion or create any more chaos to the matter.
Our group would like to move forward in a POSITIVE format and avoid any more drama and focus on the celebration especially since the event is less than 2 months away.
1) Please forward the minutes to agenda item reflecting the voting on the appeal and/ or advise what are the procedures to attain them or if I have to submit a FOIA request.
2) What is the approximate time frame that we can expect a formal letter from the City regarding the outcome.
3) What are the next steps?
4) What is the timeline of events of the next steps?
5) What are the possible outcome options, especially in light of the fact that the other applicant submitted FALSE informatio and I together with the members of FIESTAS PATRIAS are legally effective JULY 14, 2023 now the OWNERS of the opposing applicants “ FAKE “ company-
a) PURO FUTBOL - official registered " Assumed Business Name "
b) PURO FUTBOL NEWSPAPER - File # 13501939
c) PURO FUTBOL NEWS - official registered " Assumed Business Name "
Respectfully,
Margaret Carrasco
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