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Board questions who will pay public-safety costs for ABICA Food Festival co-sponsorship
Summary
Mount Vernon recreation staff said fire prevention inspections will be required for the ABICA Food Festival on May 24; board members asked whether police, DPW or fire staffing costs will be charged to the event sponsor or the city.
The Mount Vernon Board of Estimate on Jan. 13 approved a Department of Recreation ordinance to co-sponsor the Antigua and Barbuda International Cultural Association (ABICA) Food Festival on May 24, 2025, after questions from council members about who would cover public-safety and departmental support costs.
Why it matters: Co-sponsorships can carry city costs for public-safety staffing, public works support and inspections. Knowing which expenses the city will absorb affects departmental budgets and event permitting.
During the meeting Council President Daniel Brown asked how the referral letter’s breakdown would be reconciled with departmental staffing costs. He noted the referral listed an estimated $25,100 for certain items and staffing by recreation, and asked whether police and fire costs would be charged back to the event sponsor or remain city expenses. Recreation staff responded that the fire component consists of pre-event fire-prevention inspections and a fire prevention truck (not an engine). Staff said inspections ensure vendors’ equipment is certified and that open-flame cooking requires additional checks; most food operations are from trucks or small tabletop heating units rather than large grills.
Recreation staff explained that the fire prevention office conducts pre-event inspections and that the chief and deputy commissioner typically walk the event, but those actions were described as inspections rather than assigned firefighting personnel. On staffing for police and DPW, staff said the referral indicated the festival organizer would pay some police costs, but council members asked staff to confirm which public-safety or DPW staffing elements would be billed to the sponsor versus the city budget.
What’s next: The ordinance to co-sponsor the festival passed by roll call. Recreation was directed to confirm vendor compliance, fire-prevention checks, and which departmental staffing costs (police, DPW, fire prevention) will be charged to the event sponsor or borne by the city.
