Committee postpones resolution on city‑supported special events after questions on locations, costs and nonprofit status

The Annapolis Finance Committee on June 4 discussed a resolution (R 22/25) that would waive certain fees for city‑supported special events in fiscal 2026. Committee members extensively debated how construction at City Dock could shift event locations and costs, whether the city should cap waived amounts, and whether some listed events are run by for‑profit entities.

Staff described the long-standing practice of waiving certain fees for events with a history of city support and said the staff report contains an estimate of the fiscal impact based on last year’s city support. Alderman O'Neil asked whether it is prudent to blanket‑waive fees while City Dock construction may force events into different locations. Staff said options include maintaining the status quo, waiving up to last year’s amounts with later adjustments, or approving known events now and revisiting others once locations are confirmed.

Committee members suggested practical fixes: limit the waiver to fees listed in the staff report; allow staff to cap a waiver at a percentage above the estimate and return to the committee if costs exceed that cap; and verify the applicant type for events such as the holiday market, which staff said was incorrectly labeled in the report and would be corrected. Members debated whether waivers should be restricted to nonprofit event sponsors; some argued for flexibility because for‑profit events can produce public benefits like downtown advertising and foot traffic.

Given the number of outstanding clarifications staff and aldermen requested—particularly on City Dock impacts, exact applicants and whether to set a "stop‑loss" threshold—the committee voted to postpone R 22/25 to the June 10 meeting to allow staff to prepare amendments and correct the staff report.