Commission allocates remaining marketing-support grants by district; several local events receive small awards

Brevard County commissioners approved the remainder of the marketing support program grants at the Oct. 14 meeting, directing district-level awards to several local events and organizations.

Staff described the item as the distribution of funds defined in the program criteria as $20,000 per commission district to award to events that did not meet original program criteria. Commissioners identified recipients for their districts: Commissioner Goodson said he would allocate $5,000 each to the Wizard of Oz Museum, the Space Coast Art Festival, the 30th Annual Veterans’ Reunion Memorial Wall and the Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival. Commissioner Delaney said she would return with a request for her district at the next meeting pending confirmation from an event organizer.

Several commissioners also agreed to allocate additional funds toward the moving Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Wall in Wickham Park; the record shows separate district contributions totaling $10,000 discussed during the meeting.

Commissioner Goodson moved the J1 allocations and Commissioner Delaney seconded. The clerk called the roll; the motion passed 5-0.

Commissioner Atkinson noted he was returning his portion of these discretionary marketing funds because he believed the program’s original criteria should be enforced; he said he would prefer to change the program rules instead of reallocating funds to events that had missed initial eligibility requirements.

The board’s action authorized staff to finalize the awards consistent with commissioners’ allocations and to return any outstanding district-specific recommendations at a subsequent meeting if needed.