For nine years, the St. Patrick’s Day parade in the town of Hudson was organized by a group of volunteers, many of whom are business owners in the area.
That changed last month, when about a dozen volunteers resigned and handed over organization of the parade to the town’s government.
“I think it’s a little too micromanaged,” restaurateur Jim Beauchamp told Global News.
Beauchamp added that he wants the town to succeed in putting the 10th edition of the parade on this year, but specified that his concern going forward is how long the parade would continue.
“It’s six and a half months of planning by volunteers,” he said. “Can the town do it? I really hope it can.”
Mayor Jamie Nicholls said the parade “is definitely something that’s going to continue.”
Part of what volunteers called micromanagement Nicholls said were incorporation requirements for not-for-profit organizations to receive public money.
The 10th parade is slated for March 2019.