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DDA approves $38,000 chili cook-off budget and raises volunteer stipend to $25 per hour in 6–2 vote
Summary
Garden City DDA approved a not-to-exceed $38,000 budget for the 2026 chili cook-off and voted 6–2 to set volunteer compensation at $25 per hour after debate over whether to keep it at $20.
The Garden City Downtown Development Authority approved a proposed $38,000 budget for the 2026 chili cook-off and voted to increase the volunteer stipend to $25 per hour.
Staff presented a budget based on last year’s financials and sponsorship commitments and recommended a not‑to‑exceed total of $38,000 for the event. "These are proposed, budgetary numbers... not to exceed 38,000," staff said.
Board members then debated the hourly rate to credit volunteer groups that staff said are paid by the hour to support nonprofit partners. Some trustees argued $20 would allow the DDA to recruit more volunteers; others favored $25 to match a recent higher payout and recognize rising costs.
After discussion, a motion "for $25 an hour volunteer hours" was moved by trustee Benuen and seconded by trustee Hyder, per the transcript. The board conducted a roll-call vote that was recorded in the meeting transcript as follows: Mayor Jacobs — Aye; Trustee Waconis — Nay; Trustee Berry — Aye; Trustee Nasruddin — Aye; Trustee Peridore — Nay; Chairperson Taylor — Aye; additional aye votes were recorded to reach a final tally announced as 6 in favor and 2 opposed. The chair declared the motion carried.
Staff then noted the exercise of procuring a special liquor license for beer sales at the event, which the board approved so the DDA can satisfy Michigan Liquor Control Commission requirements for the cook-off.
The board also approved a related set of event sponsorships and logistics: a quarter-page DDA sponsorship ad for the Autos for Autism fundraiser ($200) and a $300 sponsorship for the Garden City Police Officers’ golf outing. The board debated ad sizing briefly and agreed to revisit ad formatting in future years.
The funding decisions set the DDA’s event spending framework for the upcoming summer season; staff said sponsorship commitments and vendor registrations put the board in a position to break even or better, based on last year’s outcomes.
