In a unique year of events, a casualty of the wild year has been treats on the Streets in Navasota had to be canceled.
City manager Brad Stafford, speaking during the most recent episode of Grilling Stafford, received a question about why it was ultimately canceled, instead of being held, like other city events have been during the pandemic. And he said there were many things that had to be taken into consideration.
“We average over 3,000 participants in that, in a really confined area, and they are all very close. Then, our participants who pass out the candy are business people, and other folks in town. So, you are really exposing a lot more than those 3,000 people. It is really close proximity, and there are lots of hands and things happening…it is not something that me or the police chief really wants to do,” Stafford said.
Stafford added that certain provisions at the state level with COVID dictated the decision.
He said as for comparing it to the other events, such as July 4th and various parades, is not the same, because Treats on the Streets sees more people than those events do.
“Out of precaution…you have to take some hits you do not want to take, and that is one of them that we really do not want to do, but had to happen,” said Stafford. “Like I said, there are a lot of things that go into that…it is not just something that [Chief Myatt] sat back in his chair and said ‘we’re canceling,’ no. There were a lot of things that went into that.”
If you have any questions for the city, you can contact them at 936-825-6475.