The controversy over illegal parking during the Oct. 2 Mars Applefest could have been averted by better pre-festival planning.

Prior to the event, the borough should have made clear to the Applefest sponsor, the Rich-Mar Rotary Club, what was expected regarding all aspects of the festival, including parking — and that the club might want to use some of its members to help ensure that parking and other rules were observed by those who attended.

And, if enough police manpower could be mobilized to issue approximately 60 tickets — each carrying a $25 fine — for vehicles parked on the wrong side of the street or against traffic, there should have been enough officers on duty to ensure that most of the illegal parking would not occur.

Most people would agree that Mars Borough won't win any public relations awards based on its handling of the Applefest parking situation — as well as at a council meeting on Monday.

On Monday, the council expressed support for the police department's action and indicated that the tickets would not be voided.

The council might have lessened some of the anger over the tickets if on Monday, after having made its feelings known, it had voted to donate the ticket proceeds to the Rich-Mar Rotary for good works that the club sponsors.

Many of those who received tickets will not be eager to attend future events in Mars and expose themselves to the possibility of similar "hospitality" from the borough.

While it's obviously the intent of the borough government that all laws and local ordinances be enforced — and there's nothing wrong with that — the borough should be willing to do something extra to ensure that ordinance compliance does occur.

That obviously didn't happen for Applefest. And the irritated festival goers who received parking tickets created unwanted and unnecessary negative publicity for Mars.

There should have been adequate signs to avoid confusion and discourage people from committing violations, and out-of-town visitors who might not have been familiar with the borough should have been helped to avoid parking tickets.

Instead, the borough failed in that endeaver — amid hopes of attracting a large attendance and, in the process, showcasing the community.

Some communities, in such instances, turn a blind eye to minor violations that do not pose a safety hazard.

Community leaders should be proactive in comprehensive planning for special events such as Applefest — in Mars and everywhere else. Their role should not have to be reactive or defensive, the type of scenario with which Mars officials currently are dealing.

The borough's first responsibility is to defend the community's best interests. The mistakes surrounding Applefest show that the borough failed in part regarding that responsibility.

More proactive effort and planning by Mars officials in the future will promote the community's positive image better than the Oct. 2 ticketing spree.