HADLEY — Living on West Street, former Select Board member Gerry Devine appreciates that New England Public Media continues to use the historic Town Common to stage its Asparagus Festival.

“What is a better sounding board for the rest of the world than to come to Hadley and check out our asparagus?” Devine told the Select Board last week.

In fact, while he sees people walking dogs and throwing Frisbees regularly on the nearly mile-long green, Devine said the town should be using it for more events, not less, and that the town gets more out of the annual event than it loses, with the promotion and publicity for all Hadley farms, including those that produce Hadley grass.

Devine weighed in as the board, prompted by complaints received by member Jane Nevinsmith from residents who live on the street, are concerned about maintaining the common, the parking of vehicles on it, and that the annual festival doesn’t benefit the town.

The New England Public Media Aspargus Festival is set to return June 1 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m, in its 10th year offering local food, drink, music, games and fun. Hadley has unofficially proclaimed itself asparagus capital of the world since farmers began growing the sweet green spears in the 1930s.

While there are costs to hosting the event, Police Chief Michael Mason said NEPM is required to pay any expenses.

“It’s not an undue burden on the taxpayers, the officers don’t mind doing it, because it’s basically a road detail, they’re there for security and traffic,” Mason said.

Mason said it’s also an opportunity for his officers, along with town’s firefighters and paramedics, to talk to thousands of residents and non-residents as part of community policing.

Still, there are concerns that the common, which was laid out in 1659 and is now bisected by Route 9, has ruts left in the ground and holes from tent posts, and it does make it more difficult in the days following for public works to take care of the common.

Hadley charges nonprofits $100 for use of the common, while for-profit entities pay $500. All applicants are required to make a $500 refundable deposit.

Licensing Coordinator Jennifer Sanders James said in the future the town may add costs associated with public works and any clean up.

Mason explained that his department, like firefighters, send bills after the fact.

A set cost for whatever the real impact could be assessed, rather than having a deposit, said Town Administrator Carolyn Brennan.

Mason said his biggest worry about the event is walking people across the busy Route 9, with the parking on the north side of the state highway and the activities and vendors on the south side.

“Yeah, it makes me nervous, any large event does,” Mason said, adding that their job is to make it safe.

Devine said he recalls complaints in the initial years of the festival that it interfered with residents trying to get to the transfer station off Cemetery Road, so the main activity moved to the southern part of the common.

And Devine said the next day there’s no evidence the event has even occurred.

“From the next morning, there’s not a shred on the common,” Devine said.

Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.