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Committee approves $50,000 contribution to Akron International Soapbox Derby
Summary
The City of Akron Budget and Finance Committee approved an ordinance authorizing the mayor to contract with the Akron International Soapbox Derby for a $50,000 contribution to support operations, planning and the organization’s July event.
The City of Akron Budget and Finance Committee voted to authorize the mayor to enter into contracts with the Akron International Soapbox Derby for a $50,000 contribution to support operational planning and implementation for the 2025 Derby.
The funding was presented as the same annual contribution as the prior year. Jill Coloser, chair of the International Soapbox Derby board, introduced Dennis Van Fossen as the organization’s interim executive director and described community outreach and youth participation. "The derby experience not only teaches STEM education, but values that really transfer to kind of all aspects of life," Van Fossen told the committee, adding that the event supports STEM outreach, special-needs programming and other community events.
Committee members moved to suspend the rules and give the ordinance a favorable report; the motion passed on a voice vote. Committee discussion was brief and centered on the Derby’s community and economic impacts. Van Fossen told the committee the Derby reaches tens of thousands of youth through programs and estimated roughly $5,000,000 in economic impact and about 6,000,000 in annual media impressions tied to Derby activities.
The ordinance authorizes the mayor or the mayor’s designee to enter into contract(s) with the Derby to provide the stated support. No changes to the proposed contribution amount were suggested during the committee session. The committee placed the item on the consent agenda for the council meeting later in the day.
