Not enough special events funds in Naperville

A number of Naperville organizations are likely to be disappointed next month when the city council finalizes its annual budget.

During a Tuesday workshop meeting, the council gave preliminary approval to allocating between approximately $1.9 million and $2.5 million in Special Events and Cultural Amenities grants after receiving $3.6 million in requests from 99 organizations.

The $600,000 difference comes from the council's indecision as to whether they will fund the single largest allocation, of $600,000 to pay down debt service on the Millennium Carillon from the city and the Naperville Park District.

A majority of council members agreed months ago to transfer the $600,000 from the special events fund, in each of the next three years to the city's general fund to draw down the $1.8 million debt. But between then and Tuesday, some council members had changed their minds about whether to move the $600,000 from the special events fund to the general fund so they left the allocation blank until the April meeting when the entire budget is set to be approved.

By not transferring the money, the council would be left with allocating $1,889,204 from the special events fund and a remaining balance of $310,796.

If the $600,000 is moved to the general fund, and no other proposed allocations are decreased, the total grant amount increases to $2,489.204 and adds $289,204 to the city's already $700,000 budget deficit for next year.

City Manager Doug Krieger said adding to the deficit would put the city “a little further behind the 8-ball than expected” but said he would talk with finance staff members to see what other options are available.

Councilmen Grant Wehrli and Dick Furstenau were most vocal in their disappointment that the $600,000 debt payment was now in question.

“Six people supported putting $600,000 toward the Carillon debt and now I kind of feel as if this whole meeting was hijacked by the minority and now we've allocated funds,” Wehrli said.

Councilman Bob Fieseler said he was pleased to see the lengthy conversation and people's minds being changed.

“I think this is a great example of local government in action. People came to a meeting, dialogued and decided to do something different,” Fieseler said.

The Special Events and Cultural Amenities grant program began in 2004 and is funded by a 1 percent tax on food and beverages citywide. Some of the other large requests included $385,000 from the Century Walk Corporation. $187,000 from the Xtreme Dance Troupe, $170,000 from the Exchange Club for Ribfest and $148,000 from the Naperville Jaycees for Last Fling.

The council was generous to some groups, including Ribfest and Last Fling but trimmed many of them and preliminarily decided to give Century Walk $200,000 and nothing to the dance troupe and several other organizations they did not believe qualified for the grants.

The council will approve all of the 99 recommendations in April when they approve the city budget.