Freddie’s In A Fix

Takeover? Or rescue assistance?

Those are the two vantage points on a brewing dispute between organizers of the annual Freddie Fixer Parade and City Hall.

The 54th annual parade — which is the largest and most visible public event in New Haven’s black community, and originally had a community clean-up theme — is scheduled for May 15.

In anticipation of the event, the Harp administration is asking parade organizers to up their fund-raising and community-engagement game.

Jason Bartlett, a City Hall staffer dispatched by Mayor Toni Harp to deal with the matter, said the parade still owes the city $4,000 from last year. He said there’s no sign of money being raised to cover an anticipated $20,000 to $30,000 in police costs for the upcoming parade.

At a recent meeting, Bartlett asked chief Freddie Fixer organizer Maurice Smith to work on some pre-parade fundraising ideas and to greatly expand the not-for-profit group’s three-member board.

“They’re trying to take it away,” Smith subsequently told the Independent. ​“That is not going to happen. The city stands to be sued, and they’re going to lose, because the parade is protected under First Amendment freedom of speech.

“Freddie Fixer has been around over 54 years. The attorneys I’ve dealt with said the papers are already prepared. If they try to use any excuse like, ​‘You guys have to raise money,’ they’re not going to win a case.”

He said Bartlett sought to have people with whom the administration is ​“comfortable with” on the board so that it could have more control. He said the organization’s bylaws require only three board members.

“I have a lot on my plate. Taking over the Freddie Fixer Parade is not on my list of things to do. I think Maurice needs to take a breath,” Bartlett responded. ​“We’re trying to help him. He turned around making accusations all of a sudden.”

Bartlett argued that other organizations that hold parades begin fundraising a year in advance. The only major Freddie Fixer fundraiser, a drill competition, takes place the week of the parade rather than in advance and comes up with at most $3,000. And the other groups cast a wider net with boards and committees to include business people and active community members who can help raise money and participate.

City small business development director Jackie James, another official involved in the meetings, said she has received complaints from community members that the parade should have a broader focus.

“They need to have more than motorcycles and drill teams,” James said. She said she has ​“great ideas” for helping to raise money, including an African-American-themed mini-food-truck festival.

Smith responded that city officials know he has been working to bring back a Freddie Fixer pageant, which also raises money. He said it makes sense to have the drill team competition the same weekend as the festival because that’s when out-of-town teams and their families are here to participate.

He said he has lost support for a Freddie Fixer basketball tournament because of a new similar event Bartlett organized called ​“Hoop It Up.”

“Jason’s a liar, Jackie needs to back down,” Smith said.

All that aside, Smith said he will expand the board and will try with the city. ​“But they can’t bully us.”

“We’re a small organization,” he added. ​“We can’t raise $20,000 in four months.”