Council directs one-day July festival; fireworks contract previously secured

The council directed staff to hold a one-day July festival in 2025 after a lengthy discussion on staffing, budgets and safety. The motion passed on a 4-0 roll call vote.

Recreation Superintendent Jackie Benoit told the council staff recommended the council set the size and duration of the event and consider a multi-year decision to allow timely contracting and budgeting. Benoit said contracts for fireworks must be secured months in advance and that 2025 would be the third year of a three-year fireworks commitment obtained earlier.

Longtime volunteer coordinator Julio Valadez provided itemized 2024 figures and context, saying the festival historically ran three days with a carnival, vendors, beer garden and live entertainment. Valadez reported that under the $60,000 allocation he had been given, additional city expenses and vendor-coordination fees expanded the total expenses; he supplied carnival onsite-sales breakdowns for specific days and said the city received roughly $27,000 from the carnival company under revised revenue-sharing terms.

Ashley Macias, who has served as vendor coordinator, said many vendors do better at a one-day event and recommended a single-day format. Several speakers from the public and council members expressed concern about staff capacity, security lines and heat for multi-day operations.

Councilmember Roth moved to make the festival a one-day event; Councilmember Ruppel seconded. The vote was 4-0 in favor. Council and staff asked volunteers to submit specific needs and budgets so staff can process required funding and logistics and to consider forming a committee in the fall for planning future years.

Staff also said the city had been approached about alternatives to fireworks, such as a drone show, by the air pollution control district and that half of the fireworks payment for 2025 had already been made.