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Council approves $3,500 donation to help cover Railroad Days trackless train cost
Summary
The city approved a $3,500 contribution to help fund the trackless train ride at the upcoming Colfax Railroad Days. Organizers said the rental this year is $4,800 and that last year's event left about $1,800 in seed funds; the group will continue fundraising for the remainder.
The Colfax City Council on July 9 approved a $3,500 donation to Colfax Railroad Days to help cover the cost of a trackless train attraction planned for the festival. Organizers told the council the rental cost increased by roughly 27 percent this year to $4,800 and that they would continue fundraising to cover the balance.
Caroline McCully, president of the Railroad Days organizing group, told the council last year the train ride was free to attendees and that the organizers wanted to repeat that arrangement. "Last year was the first year that we did the train ride as a free event for the kids or anybody who wanted to ride it," McCully said. She told council the group carried about $1,800 in seed funds from last year and expects to raise the remainder through donations and raffles.
Council action and context
City staff introduced the request and said the organizers asked for $3,500 of the projected $4,800 cost. Councilmembers asked about the group's leftover funds and fundraising plans; staff confirmed the event raised roughly $12,000 in total last year and that organizers planned additional fundraising and a donation bucket at the train boarding area. The council voted to approve the $3,500 contribution.
Quote
"We do have a donation bucket that stays over there, and my mother-in-law gets parked over there as well because she is phenomenal," Caroline McCully said about the event's local fundraising efforts.
Next steps
Organizers will continue local fundraising and expect the city contribution to cover the bulk of the train rental; councilmembers asked the organizers to return if additional funds are needed.
