Imperial Valley Chamber asks city for sponsorship and public-safety support for July 5 drone show

The Imperial Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce asked the Imperial City Council on Wednesday to consider sponsorship and operational support for a drone show called “Celebrate America,” planned for July 5 at the Imperial Valley Fairgrounds.

The request came during the public-comment portion of the meeting. “I'm here today to discuss the opportunity for sponsorship from City of Imperial for the drone show,” the chamber representative said, adding that the organization had emailed council members and the city manager earlier in the week with sponsorship levels and event details.

A city staff member said the city is open to discussions but noted logistical concerns that could require overtime for officers or public‑works staff depending on the level of support requested. “We need to have those discussions sooner rather than later because a lot of those aspects might implicate overtime for officers or public services folks,” the staff member said.

The chamber representative said the fairgrounds contract was finalized the same day and that the fairgrounds and event organizers would coordinate on logistics; the city will include the chamber in follow-up planning meetings. “Sheriff Mary Montez is kind of leading the charge as well as far as the logistics for the event,” the chamber representative said. The council did not take formal action during the meeting and moved the item to discussion at a later date.

Why it matters: the city could be asked to provide police and public‑services resources that may carry overtime costs; early coordination will determine potential city expenses and staffing needs ahead of the July 5 event.

No fiscal commitment or formal sponsorship was approved at the meeting; staff said they will continue coordination with the chamber and fairgrounds and report back to council.