City Commission approves Blue Crab Festival contract negotiations with RQ Music

The Palatka City Commission meeting on February 13, 2025, was marked by significant discussions surrounding the upcoming Blue Crab Festival and the hiring of a new city manager.

A key focus was the ongoing negotiations with RQ Music, the festival organizer, which have been fraught with delays. Despite a $50,000 advance payment made in September, a formal contract has yet to be finalized. City officials expressed urgency in securing an agreement, as the festival is just months away. The city manager highlighted that negotiations had stalled due to the organizer's health issues and scheduling conflicts, complicating the process.

Commissioners reviewed a draft contract that included several counter-offers from RQ Music. Notably, the city is willing to reduce the festival duration from four days to three and is amenable to extending cleanup time from 24 to 36 hours. However, they rejected requests to shift emergency service responsibilities to the city and to reduce the number of national music acts from three to two, emphasizing that these elements are crucial for the festival's success.

Commissioner Davis raised concerns about the lack of a contingency plan should negotiations fail, underscoring the precarious position the city finds itself in. The city manager assured the commission that they are actively seeking alternatives but stressed the importance of finalizing the contract soon.

In a separate announcement, the commission confirmed the hiring of Redmond Jones II as the new city manager, with hopes for him to start by March 1. This decision follows interviews with the top candidates and reflects a majority consensus among the commissioners.

As the city moves forward, the urgency to finalize the festival contract and the new leadership appointment signals a pivotal moment for Palatka, with both events poised to impact the community significantly in the coming months.