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Concerts won't force Main Street's money down the toilet
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MONROE - Thanks to the Monroe Public Library and Chocolate Temptation, Monroe Main Street (MMS) won't need to order extra portable toilet facilities for the Concerts on the Square this summer.

At the MMS Promotion Committee meeting Tuesday, Executive Director Barb Nelson said the library and store will let the public use their restroom facilities. That allows MMS to meet the city's special events requirements within budget.

A special events manual approved June 3 by the Monroe City Council outlines the number of facilities needed at events, using FEMA charts.

"If we go by this, we're going to have to double or triple our budget for next year," committee member Tom Miller said.

Based on 700 to 1,000 expected concert-goers, Nelson said MMS would have needed to order eight portable restrooms. With the library's and store's restrooms available, only three will be needed.

Nelson said Police Chief Fred Kelley and City Building Inspector Dave Powers approved of the cooperative plan.

But if the popularity of the concerts increases in the future - and they draw more than 1,000 people to the Square - the number of required facilities will rise to 11 or 12.

For the five remaining concerts scheduled for this summer, $1,500 will be spent for two regular bathroom facilities, one handicapped facility and a sink.

MMS still needs $1,500 in sponsorships to fund two concerts in August. The MMS Board of Directors approved the added concerts, provided the extra funding could be found, on June 9.