Council Leaves Mardi Gras Decision to City Manager

Standing room only in city council chambers as hundreds gather to persuade council. The parade`s opposition greatly outnumbered it`s supporters, but Mayor David Jones gives each side 30 minutes to make their point. Few surprise arguments as those opposed line up at the mic. They include residents young and old, one after another, they claim the parade has gotten out of hand, and encourages behavior that violates city ordinances, specifically public nudity. "People probably get raped and mugged...if the police cant control it, why do we have it," asks one St. Joseph teenager. The parade`s opposition says they pride the city on being a great place to raise children. Parade supporters fire back, saying parents need to take responsibility for their own childrens` actions. Ultimately council decided not to decide at all, voting 5 to 3 that City Manager Vince Capell should make the decision as to whether the Mardi Gras Parade should continue. As councilman Jerry Russell put it, council is a legislative body, and they cannot legislate morality. Capell on the other hand is responsible for issuing parade permits, on the basis that they wont cause safety issues for the community. Capell says he`ll make a decision by the middle of next week. He says he`ll decide after determining how prevalent alleged violations of city ordinances really are.