Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Event Funding topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Osage Beach denies $4,000 event-support request after attorney warns against charitable donations
Summary
The Board rejected a request to spend up to $4,000 in city funds to support the Midwest Blue Oval Club car show after the city attorney said direct donations to charity from municipal funds raise constitutional concerns; members debated whether funding could be justified as tourism support.
City Administrator Devon Lake presented a request from the Midwest Blue Oval Club seeking up to $4,000 in promotional support for an October car show that the club says benefits local charities. Lake recommended reducing the request to $3,000 based on prior city practice.
"They do not have a representative here," Lake said, summarizing the application and noting the event’s charitable beneficiaries.
City Attorney Cole Brev warned the board about the legality of using taxpayer dollars for charitable donations. "Legally, we can't donate to charity," Brev said, explaining that the city may only fund events when the expenditure directly supports tourism or economic activity and meets the ordinance’s criteria.
Several aldermen said they were sympathetic to the event but concerned about the budget details and how the money would be used. Alderman Rucker objected to the explicit statement in the applicant’s budget that city funds would be added to the amount that is donated to charity, saying that made the request legally problematic.
After debate, the board took a roll-call vote and the motion to approve the $4,000 request failed. Members discussed tabling the item to obtain clarifying documentation showing the funds would support event costs rather than be added to charitable donations.
Next steps: Staff and the applicant may rework the request to emphasize allowable event-support activities (marketing, logistical costs) and return with clarified documentation for a subsequent meeting.
