Byline: Associated Press
ROME -- The police already are getting set for what could be the law enforcement challenge of the century. But there's a group of people angling toward trying to prevent Woodstock '99 from coming to town this summer.
About 60 residents who live near the former Griffiss Air Force Base, where the concert is to be staged July 23-25, have signed a petition requesting a public forum. The petition was given to City Councilor John Barry, who presented it to the rest of the Common Council last week.
A dozen residents met privately earlier this week to discuss the concert and their strategy. ``We exchanged our ideas and concerns,'' Bonnie Goodman said.
Goodman said the group has contacted the Saugerties Alliance for information about Woodstock '94, which was staged in that Hudson Valley town to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the original concert. Saugerties Alliance was against Woodstock returning to the Town of Saugerties this year.
Goodman said she felt the public and Common Council had the right to know what had gone on in the closed sessions the Griffiss Local Development Corp. held to seal the deal to bring the concert to Rome.
The GLDC was created through the office of Gov. George Pataki to oversee business development at the former air base, which has been converted to a technology park.
Goodman said the local group was leaning toward hiring an attorney to determine what legal steps could be taken to stop the concert. She said the group talked about whether their civil rights would be violated since they didn't think they would be allowed to move freely around the city.
Also of concern is whether the concert, which is expected to attract a crowd approaching 250,000, would violate health codes or public nuisance laws.
Meanwhile, authorities said a unified command would be set up to ensure the safety of area residents, festival workers and concert goers while minimizing inconveniences caused by the three-day concert. Police are concerned the situation could spin out of control with so many people crowded into so small an area.
State Police will assume overall command of the operation and will work out of a temporary barracks at the concert site. The barracks will be equipped with computers to perform instant motor vehicle and criminal records checks, State Police Capt. Jack Van Steenburg said. Officials also said they will set up a temporary, 24-hour court not far from the stage to handle arraignments for an anticipated spate of drug arrests.
