Council approves transfers for city events amid questions about a new "Electric Boba Fest"

The West Covina City Council approved a budget transfer on May 19 to cover costs for annual and one-off special events run by the Community Services Department, while several council members and residents questioned a staff-driven relabeling of the prior spring festival as an "Electric Boba Fest and Night Market."

Assistant City Manager Roxan Lurma explained staff replaced the two-day spring festival with a one-day, youth-focused Electric Boba Fest after evaluating prior attendance and cost-effectiveness. Roxan told the council staff chose the concept to better attract youth and small local businesses and to give vendors low-fee access to a larger audience.

Opponents on council and several residents said they were surprised by the last-minute pivot and said senior- and volunteer-led commissions should have had input on the change. Council member Gutierrez voted against the transfer, saying the public needed more transparency and community input; other council members defended staff creativity and noted the underlying appropriation existed in the approved fiscal-year budget.

Staff said the transfer would move appropriation within the approved community-services allocation rather than add new city funds; Finance staff cautioned that some events (Memorial Day and Boba Fest) had near-term vendor commitments and delaying the transfer could prevent timely payments. Assistant City Manager Roxan also said staff would return financial details and confirm which events would be supported by the foundation versus the city operating budget.

Why it matters: Council approval allows upcoming events to proceed and vendors to be paid, but the debate highlighted tensions about process, transparency and how limited foundation or department funds should be prioritized for youth programs, seniors and large-scale festivals.