Posted on Tuesday, 6/09/2009 - 4:32 p.m. PDT — by danielopez
City Council received a letter from the Pittsburg Chamber of Commerce offering $20,000 for Public Safety and Public Works $70k-$80K per year.
City Manager explained: Prior the General Fund and/or Redevelopment agency for Public Safety and Public Works $70k-$80K per year.
Citizens twice told in surveys if cut something, Festival should one of those cuts.
If Council approve budget Chamber will be notified as to NO FUNDS.
If City Council decide they can use contingency fund to fund this vs Redevelopment Agency's responsibilities.
City Manager's position is NO FUNDING.
Major Parent's comment: "Within your scope. We'll take care of it."
Why instead of giving that money, we land that money and get paid back from the money made there, with some kind of FEE?
Joined: Mar 2009
Current Posts: 67
They need to cancel those car shows as well. Most of the officers are getting overtime for those events. And instead of the seafood festival, why not just incorporate it into a weekly farmers market on Sat/Sun. and get people downtown!.
Funkateer
Joined: May 2009
Current Posts: 10
Car shows got to go for sure, but Sea Food festival stays just don't bring the air show!
Joined: Dec 2006
Current Posts: 16
Isn't the SF festival a money maker for Pittsburg? I don't know. Just asking.
Joined: Mar 2008
Current Posts: 166
Please explain... : )
Joined: Dec 2006
Current Posts: 16
The Seafood Festival brings in money from booth rentals, entrance fees. Maybe the cost to put on the event is more, but just wondering if perhaps it made money for the city.
Joined: Mar 2008
Current Posts: 166
My point is even if Chamber pays 20K of the 80K it takes for Public Safety and Public Works, we the community loose out on 60K to "HELP" The Seafood Festival. NON SENSE.
Even if you get a loan FROM A BANK you MUST PAY IT BACK. Why should we TAX PAYERS pay for it now that the City of Pittsburg decided to cut Youth programs, and instead create a "Arts Foundation" to keep control of that "Seafood Festival" and other moneys.
Joined: Mar 2009
Current Posts: 67
So why don't more people attend city council meetings and make them show what is spent and what is profited on the festivals and anything less than a profit would call for a cease of said festivals until a profit could be shown or cuts somewhere?.
Seems to me all the monies already spent downtown have done nothing to boost any sort of shopping or dining atmosphere, period. One new restaurant hasn't really done much.
With the loss of those 2 buildings sunday morning, are we just back peddeling here? Magic 8-ball points to yes. I was there went the fire broke-out at 329 Railroad, it was a real shame, we all just stood in utter disappointment at the whole thing.... A real loss.
I still remember shopping the National Dollar Store with it's creaky-wooden floors and large dump tables filled with sale items galore!.
Funkateer
Funkateer
Joined: Dec 2006
Current Posts: 16
Don't forget Reeves shoe store...next door to the Dollar Store.
Joined: Mar 2009
Current Posts: 67
yes!
Joined: Sep 2006
Current Posts: 655
i know this is not possible but why not keep the air shows and other events that bring people to the sea food fest going and charge seeno homes for it, they have gotten theirs from the city and citizens over the years and if they dont want to contribute they dont build here. i mean come on all ready a few twenty thirty grand out of their pockets is nothing hey they can always write it off.
Joined: Sep 2006
Current Posts: 655
hey danny why not have seeno kick down some money for the festivities after all they helped build pittsburg.lol
Joined: Mar 2008
Current Posts: 166
Scaled-down Pittsburg Seafood Festival hopes to reel in visitors
East County Times
Though it may be scaled down from previous years, Pittsburg's marquee event is still set for September.
The 25th annual Seafood Festival will be held Sept. 12-13 at the East Contra Costa city's waterfront. Currently, the Pittsburg Chamber of Commerce — the event's host — and the city are hashing out plans to accommodate the festival's needs.
Some of the attractions and activities at the two-day event have been eliminated or downgraded to save costs. A June 8 letter from the chamber to the City Council indicated several exhibit areas would be removed in favor of a more open area for visitors to experience the city's new marina promenade. The number of vending booths, kids play areas, chairs and tables also will be reduced.
Popular events such as the air show and boat races will not be held, but there will be a new Mexican cultural display by Club Yahualica and some other fun things such as jet ski races, said Meredith Ladich, the chamber's director of operations.
Large crowds are still expected, especially given how some other summer events in Pittsburg and other communities have been canceled, Ladich said.
In past years, Pittsburg spent between $70,000 and $80,000 in general fund or redevelopment fund money to provide police and public works for the weekend, City Manager Marc Grisham said. The city simply cannot absorb that cost given its tight redevelopment budget and looming budget losses to the state, he
said.
However, Grisham said, a contingency account that allows him $150,000 in discretionary spending for redevelopment purposes could be used.
The Seafood Festival is a great promotional tool to draw visitors to revamped Old Town Pittsburg, "plus, it's the 25th anniversary," he said.
When Grisham brought up the topic at a June 8 City Council meeting, Mayor Nancy Parent said, "Within your scope, we'll take care of it."
The chamber and city are trying to whittle down the costs for police and public works. So far, about $30,000 has been knocked off the city's costs. Further, in the June 8 letter, the chamber agreed to contribute $20,000 in event profits to the city to offset costs.
Pittsburg should be able to come up with the rest needed to put on the event, Grisham said.
Reach Paul Burgarino at 925-779-7164 or pburgarino@bayareanewsgroup.com.
Joined: Mar 2008
Current Posts: 166
So, it takes $80,000 in general fund or redevelopment fund money to provide police and public work.
SCALE DOWN EVENT has nothing to do with the money in question.
Chamber willing to pay 20K of the 80k. So Officials disregard the will of the people as Pittsburg Citizens overwhelmingly suggested to cut Seafood Fest due to economic situation.
At the end of the day as City Manager explained this event requires this amount of expense in police and public work, so as to keep event reputation intact.
We TAX PAYERS will pay $60,000 for the Chamber to execute this event with City's name on it. CRAZY!
I strongly suggest City make a loan to the Chamber, Chamber pays back from the money they make at the event. Then we really know if the Seafood Fest is making money for US TAX PAYERS or not instead of giving the money to controlled City non profit organizations.
Mayor Nancy Parent said, "Within your scope, we'll take care of it." — Interesting, what's so important for her to execute this event? I would really like to see published where this money go specifically in the past couple of years.