Interim city manager won’t fund Palm Bay sustainability fair; board to seek sponsors

The Palm Bay Sustainability Advisory Board learned that the interim city manager will not authorize city funding for the planned sustainability fair and associated 5K run, and members directed staff to pursue private sponsorship and report back at the March 13 meeting.

The nut graf: Without city funds the board must either secure sponsorship, scale back the event, or postpone. The advisory board’s outreach coordinator was asked to pursue sponsorship packages and return with a feasibility report at the March meeting.

Board members were told Running Zone — the vendor the board contacted for the run — quoted a flat fee of $2,750 plus $2.50 per registrant for race services; the vendor also suggested a smaller, family-friendly 3K as an alternative. The venue and tentative date (May 3) remain reserved, but no money has been allocated. “The city manager will not support, using funding to support the fair,” the chair said during the meeting.

Board outreach plans include tiered sponsorship packages (several board members discussed $200–$2,000 tiers) and offering comp tickets to sponsors; staff cautioned that sponsorship uptake is uncertain and recommended outreach to potential corporate partners such as local utilities or developers. The board asked Derek (the outreach coordinator) to pursue sponsors and provide an update on vendor commitments and a vendor list before the March 13 meeting; staff said vendor responses will be circulated by email.

Ending: The board kept the May 3 date reserved but set a March 13 deadline for a sponsorship feasibility update and to decide whether to proceed, reduce scope, or postpone the fair.