MARS -- A comprehensive event policy for the borough is expected to be voted on and approved at a borough council meeting Dec. 15.

The passing of the event policy was listed as an action item on the agenda for the meeting on Monday night, Dec. 1. However, multiple borough council members, including Chairman G. Michael Fleming, stated they had only received a draft copy of the proposed policy earlier that day and had no time to read it over.

The municipal building on Grand Avenue was packed for Monday night’s meeting, almost entirely with local business owners who have had a vested interest in the event policy situation for most of 2025. Several of them expressed frustration the issue was not resolved by now.

One key point in the proposed policy is a stipulation every major borough event be helmed by a nonprofit of some kind. According to borough solicitor Christopher Reese, this requirement is in place to shield the borough from liability.

“From the borough’s side, there’s a desire to have a liability shield, to have an entity putting it on that would have the appropriate insurance and things like that,” Reese said. “And one of the goals of borough is to not have it be a private entity that is putting on an event for business purposes for profit.”

“I almost feel like we are being sabotaged as business owners, because it feels like people don't want the town to go anywhere,” said Danielle Doebereiner, owner of the Nosh & Curd restaurant. “It’s very frustrating.”

However, the situation eventually cooled as council members and residents were able to work out their differences on key issues such as police staffing and compensation, as well the responsibility for checking to ensure alcohol is not being served to underage patrons.

“We're meeting again in two weeks, and (the council) pretty much said that it should be good to go,” said Tessa Leviere, owner of the Grand Candy Shop. “So, fingers crossed.”

Leviere said the majority of Mars’ business owners are in the process of forming a business association, similar to those that exist in Saxonburg, Zelienople and Slippery Rock. The business association, when formed, would serve as the nonprofit of record to take responsibility for handling most Mars borough events.

“We just met with all one another, probably about a month ago to kind of start it, but we don't have an actual one right now,” Leviere said.

In May, the borough agreed to set up a five-person “advisory committee” to consult on the adoption of an event policy, consisting of two council members, two members of the business community and two taxpaying residents.