After about four different fundraising 5K runs hosted in the city‘s downtown area this year, Dallas City Council on Monday decided to put a halt to any more running events that will close downtown streets and potentially harm business.

Council members previously discussed limiting fundraising runs in the downtown area at their August meeting because of the amount of overtime paid to police officers scheduled to work the events and possible lost business to downtown merchants.

“We met last week regarding events held in the downtown area,” said Councilman Chris Carter, chairman of the public safety committee. “Chief [Scott] Halter has concerns regarding overtime paid with runs. The merchants aren’t really benefiting from the runs. So, we have a recommendation that all runs held in the downtown area where streets would be closed be referred to the Silver Comet Trail.”

City Manager Kendall Smith said the restrictions only pertained to running events. Runs which have already been booked will be “grandfathered” in.

“We’re just talking about the runs themselves,” Smith said. “Anything that benefits the merchants is still welcome.”

In other action, Dallas Theater-Civic Center Manager Emily Shipp informed council members that a Paulding resident wanted to donate a whole costume closet to the theater.

“She has upwards of 2,000 costume items she wants to donate,” Shipp said. “She wants nothing from us but a tax write-off.”

As current theater manager Lenay Walker is resigning, Shipp, who is currently the assistant manager, will take her place.

The theater hired Shelley Hubbard to fill the open position of assistant manager.

“She received a bachelor’s [degree] in theatre at the University of West Georgia,” Shipp said. “Her mom is a middle school teacher at East Paulding Middle School, and she has plans to go back and get her master’s in theater management. She’s in it for the long haul.”