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Veneta Park Board recommends $4,000 for Veneta 4ths and Veneta Haunts, debates sustainable event staffing
Summary
The Park Board voted unanimously to recommend $4,000 in Board funding for each of two community events and discussed options — including a potential part‑time coordinator — to make the events sustainable without overloading existing staff.
The Veneta Park Board voted March 4 to recommend that the City Council fund Veneta 4ths and Veneta Haunts at $4,000 each, and discussed longer‑term options to sustain events without adding workload to already‑capacity‑strained staff.
City Administrator Matt Michel presented four options for Council support: ask existing staff to absorb the work (staff said they lack capacity), add a parks fee to utility bills, hire new staff (the Board previously discussed roughly $9,000 for a part‑time coordinator), or invite proposals and fund up to $4,000 for outside organizers. Council Liaison Alexa Benson said she wants to focus on transitional housing work and stressed that relying on a single organizer is not sustainable; she offered to mentor a successor but urged the Board to find someone else to coordinate the events.
Member Joanna Richa said she would consider taking responsibility for Veneta 4ths if she had support, but expressed reservations about Veneta Haunts dates and weather conflicts with local sports tournaments. Several community members — including Sarah Bradley, Ryan Bradley, Kamie C. Keegan Clouser and others — spoke in support of the events and offered volunteer help. The Veneta Fern Ridge Chamber of Commerce indicated plans for a July 4th parade and vendor event and offered to coordinate so activities do not conflict with the Board’s events.
The Board moved, on a motion by Member Joanna Richa and seconded by Vice Chair Crystal Donagan, to recommend $4,000 for each event using the option to invite sponsored‑event proposals; the motion passed unanimously (10–0). The Board also discussed the idea of a part‑time coordinator (estimated at about $9,000) as a longer‑term option to relieve volunteer and staff burden.
