LINCOLNTON – Commissioner Carrol Mitchem voted down a revised ordinance June 18 that would require event organizers to get a permit for crowds of  300 people or more.

State law requires that commissioners pass new ordinances unanimously on their first reading. Because Mitchem opposed the ordinance, the document will come before the board again at its July 16 meeting.

On the second reading, the board only needs a majority to pass it, so the ordinance will likely pass at the July meeting.

Mitchem voted for the ordinance at the June 4 meeting, when Commissioner Jim Klein voted against it.

The law could require special events organizers to get a permit 30 days before holding events and pay hourly fees for having emergency services on site.

Assistant County Manager Martha Lide said the measure would help emergency staff prepare for major events, since those events tend to increase the number of 911 calls. When fire and emergency medical personnel are aware of scheduled events, they can plan to have more employees working.