Cultural Affairs committee approves preliminary events budget, authorizes negotiation for July 4 performer

The Miami Lakes Cultural Affairs Committee approved a preliminary events budget that sets $63,030 in "need" funding for next fiscal year and a $71,300 "wish" total to request if additional funds are available.

The budget review covered multiple event line items: concerts around town, Main Street Live, a July 4 celebration, Hispanic Heritage Month, and a proposed art festival. The committee added a new line item for an art festival and recommended putting $7,500 in the need column to enable a county-matching grant application; staff said matching grants require the municipality to show a committed dollar amount before a county match is awarded.

Councilmember J.C. Fernandez attended the meeting and introduced a separate item asking the committee to collaborate on a commemorative plaque (see separate item). The committee then returned to the budget and to a time-sensitive request for entertainment at the town’s July 4 event.

Committee members discussed a proposal to hire a professional singer, Christine Paradis, who has Broadway credits; the performer requested $300. Committee members debated whether to pay the higher honorarium or use the committee’s usual $150 honorarium; staff reported the committee’s available sponsorship cushion could cover modest increases. The committee voted to authorize Felicia (committee member/organizer) to negotiate with the performer to accept the committee’s standard approved honorarium of $150; if Paradis will not accept that fee the committee directed staff to seek alternate performers.

The committee approved the preliminary budget and the delegation to negotiate the performer’s fee by voice vote. Staff said they will continue recruiting sponsors, finalize W-9 paperwork for some performers, and coordinate logistics for Main Street Live, book talks and the July 4 event.