Councilmen discuss parade candy issue

Cairo city leaders continue to be concerned with the litter left by those attending the Cairo Christmas Parade as well as those who ignore parade rules and throw candy out to children along the parade route.
On Monday night city councilmen discussed both the litter issue and the throwing of candy from parade entries and walking units.
Councilman Kermit Gilliard complimented city crews for having Broad Street and the central business district cleaned up by early Friday morning following last Thursday night’s parade.
“It sure didn’t look very good Thursday night, but by 8 a.m. Friday it looked really good,” Gilliard said.
However, Gilliard recommended City Manager Chris Addleton have crews also address trash issues in the Northside Elementary School and surrounding neighborhood where the parade forms.
According to Gilliard, the streets around that part of northwest Cairo needed the attention of the clean up details.
“It’s just something to consider for next year,” Gilliard said.
Mayor Pro Tem Ernest Cloud complained that many parade participants are ignoring the Cairo-Grady County Chamber of Commerce’s rules prohibiting the throwing of candy to the crowd.
“Either the chamber needs to have people stationed along the route to monitor as they come through and tell them to stop or put them out of the parade,” Cloud said.
City manager Chris Addleton, who was helping film the parade to be broadcast on CNS cable, said he observed first hand the safety problem caused when candy is thrown out in the street.
“Kids naturally migrate into the street. I’m not so sure we should say no candy at all. It was definitely a safety issue where I was located filming,” Addleton said.
Councilman James H. (Jimmy) Douglas agreed that the “simple solution” would be to cut out candy completely..