Hoghead organizers present finances, urge historical‑society governance and new officers

Jim Schwarzbar, who identified himself as the fiscal agent for the Hoghead Festival and a member of the Proctor Area Historical Society (PAHS), told the Proctor City Council on Sept. 2 that the event brought in about $21,000 in total revenue and listed major costs and funding sources. Schwarzbar said about $14,000 went out in dispersals, with the single largest expense a $4,000 payment for a “Ninja Anywhere” attraction that was covered by a $5,000 Irving Club grant.

Schwarzbar described roughly $3,000 in in‑kind donations and said the city provided nearly $20,000 in support—everything from administrative assistance to public‑safety presence and fireworks—which he said made the festival financially viable. He said $1,000 of savings is earmarked specifically for next year’s children’s programming.

Jared Hanks, who gave an operational report and recommendations, urged the council to keep Hoghead operating as a subsidy of PAHS rather than forming a new 501(c)(3). Hanks said forming a separate nonprofit would cost several hundred dollars and require time and a full slate of officers, and he recommended integrating the Hoghead organizers with PAHS to simplify bookkeeping and oversight. Hanks reported a carryover balance of $6,947.89 to support next year’s organizers.

Both presenters emphasized an urgent need for officers: Schwarzbar and Hanks said PAHS will have multiple officer vacancies and asked the council to help recruit four PAHS officers by Jan. 26, 2026, warning that failing to fill those positions could jeopardize the museum and the festival. Hanks recommended that the PAHS president and treasurer positions be paid stipends (he suggested combined funds drawn from PAHS and Hoghead accounts) to attract candidates and described a two‑treasurer model—one with access to PAHS funds and a separate treasurer with access to Hoghead funds—to maintain fiscal safeguards.

Councilors responded with offers to help spread recruitment messages and asked for clarification about how stipends would be funded and how accounts and signatories would be separated. Schwarzbar said he would share organized financial records, email access and a Google Drive of files with incoming organizers to ensure a smooth transition. Chief Gatis and other staff volunteered to assist with museum displays and other tasks.

The presenters said they would post lessons learned, the detailed financial records and event documentation to a Hoghead website and Facebook page for transparency. Schwarzbar and Hanks said Jim Schwarzbar will remain available to help incoming organizers but will step down as treasurer by the end of the year; Hanks said he is scheduled for military deployment and will be unavailable for roughly six to seven months.

The council thanked presenters and volunteers, acknowledged social‑media criticism that had circulated about the event, and encouraged community outreach to recruit officers and volunteers. The council did not take formal action on the governance recommendations during the meeting; presenters asked the council to help publicize the vacancies and support onboarding new officers.