Festival committee gets financial surprise

The Celina Lake Festival Committee members got more than they bargained for, as Celina city council members this week approved donating $3,000 to the festival.

The festival committee originally asked council for $1,000 to help finance the firework show as sponsor funding is lower this year. The city's personnel and finance committee discussed that request at a June 30 meeting.

According to the minutes from the meeting, Lake Festival Committee Co-chairperson Michelle Emerine told council it would cost $92,000 to put on this year's festival. However, her committee only had about $80,000 in cash, which includes a $46,000 CD used as an emergency backup.

She further stated the committee works hard at fund raising so they don't have to sell alcohol at the festival.

Emerine then questioned why council members allocated $3,000 to the Governor's Cup Regatta. Councilman Bill Sell said council also should give the Lake Festival committee $3,000 since it gave that amount for the regatta.

Safety Service Director Jeff Hazel said the city's current $21,000 contract with Pepsi is equally divided among the city, the regatta committee and the Lake Festival committee - each receiving $7,000.

An additional $3,000 - now given in lieu of coupons Pepsi no longer gives to the city - is at the discretion of city council members. Hazel said the city just received a $3,000 check in February for the 2007 contract year and that money was put in the general fund. Although he has made a request to Pepsi, he doesn't expect to receive the $3,000 for 2008 until at least late summer.

At a personnel and finance committee, regatta Co-chairman Lou Schiavone said his committee's marketing budget is around $5,700. The budget, however, is dependent on the city's $3,000 sponsorship and AMP-Ohio's annual contribution of $1,000 - both of which initially were removed from budgets this year. After that meeting, council approved the $3,000 from the general fund to the regatta committee.

After further discussion, the $3,000 funding ordinance for the Lake Festival was passed as an emergency measure. All council members voted yes except for Councilman June Scott, who abstained from the vote.