Baxter Residents Upset About Christmas Parade Turnout

Some Baxter residents expressed concern about this season’s Christmas Parade, saying it did not meet the usual standards.

Alderman Dustin Stanton helped organize the parade. He said he could not answer for a lack of participation other than the cold weather prevented people from getting out. Baxter Resident Richard Waller said he was not buying it.

“I’ve been at this parade just like everyone else up there when it’s been snowing, when it’s been icy, when it’s been warm, when it’s been cool, and when it’s been cold and I do not believe for one minute that weather had anything to do with it,” Waller said.

Waller said if it was not for the contingency of Jeep enthusiasts there would not have been any participants. Baxter Mayor Danny Holmes said he wants to see the city do a better job at increasing participation.

“I would have liked to see a larger participation myself and I would like to see more float,” Holmes said. “Hopefully next year we want to bring all of our resources together and that’s what I’ve always wanted. You know this is our town and you know it’s like I’ve said before we do things different in Baxter. We will shut the whole town down and that’s almost unheard of anywhere else.”

One of the discussion points was a lack of participation from Upperman High School. Holmes addressed the public on why Upperman was not included.

“I can shed a little bit of light on our schools because I personally reached out to them and they did not want to do it,” Holmes said.

Holmes did not give a reason why Upperman High School did not participate. Alderman Jeff Herald said he believes the city should give out a prize to floats to incentivize more participation.