Story Created:
Mar 4, 2010 at 12:27 PM PST
Story Updated:
Mar 4, 2010 at 12:27 PM PST
SOUTH GATE — The city can save about $61,250 in the coming year by trimming the cost of some community events, according to Finance Director Julia James.
Most of the savings would come from higher charges to the Tweedy Mile Association, a merchant’s group in the city’s main business section.
The City Council Feb. 23 directed city staff to return with the recommendations during upcoming budget studies.
No reductions were proposed for the Azalea Festival, held in April, as the city will make about $8,000 profit from that weeklong event which includes programs by civic groups and a carnival; and for the July 4 festival, on which the city breaks even.
James said the estimated revenue is $24,000 with $6,000 spent for promotions, $4,000 for a car show and $6,000 for police department overtime.
The schedule can be arranged so most work by city crews takes place during their regular working hours, she noted.
She said the estimated revenue from the July 4 carnival is $21,000. Cost of fireworks is $18,500 and police overtime is about $2,000.
Proposed reductions include:
• Asking the Tweedy Mile Association to cover all of the $70,000 cost of the annual Street Fair in June, 2011, on the city’s main shopping area. This year the city has agreed to pay $18,000, James noted.
• Request the Tweedy Mile Association to pay the cost of $5,000 for Christmas lighting at Tweedy and Garfield Avenue while dropping the street lighting at City Hall. Instead the city could have a tree lighting ceremony and serve light refreshments with entertainment. That would save $10,000.
• Request that the Tweedy Mile Association reimburse the city $3,250 in public works overtime for the Navidad on Tweedy holiday event. In the past the city has waived the fees. James says the Tweedy Mile Association has a bank balance of more than $100,000.
• Reduce the annual $80,000 given to the South Gate Chamber of Commerce for the Christmas Parade to $50,000. Of that amount $10,000 would go toward televising the parade via local cable channel instead of network television Savings would be $30,000.
RSS Feeds 
