Taste of Lombard gets temporary reprieve

The Taste of Lombard survived a special village board meeting this week that could have sealed its fate, buying the fest's supporters time to figure out how to make it financially viable.

The village is considering contributing 50 percent or less of its typical subsidy for the Taste, and it's up to the Lombard Jaycees to balance the books.

"We're still going forward. We're just trying to figure out how to do it," said Tim Piper, co-chairman of Taste of Lombard 2010. "We're working with the village and the park district to come up with some solutions."

The popular, five-day party over July 4 is sponsored by the Jaycees and subsidized by hotel-motel tax revenues. Last year, the village kicked in $110,000 to help cover the costs of fireworks, security, bus service and more, but the hotel-tax revenues are expected to drop 25 percent in the coming fiscal year.

The village will probably be able to contribute $50,000 to $60,000 this summer, Village President William Mueller said.

That will cover the fireworks - at a cost of $25,000 to $35,000 - and a portion of the other expenses.

The village board asked the Jaycees to come up with projected revenues, expenses and how much additional cost the organization can absorb.

"Whether they can get corporate sponsors or come up with the manpower to do some of the things they used to do before we took them over, (such as) setting up the fencing, I don't know," Mueller said.

Piper said one option is cutting back to a four-day event, which would reduce costs for things such as police protection.

"We've got a lot of things we're looking it," he said.

The Jaycees will be pushing hard to come up with a plan during the next few weeks, because some contracts with bands and food vendors are signed in February.

"We understand (the village's position)," Piper said. "Yes, these are hard times and we appreciate everything the village and park district have done for us all these years."

This summer would mark the 27th Taste of Lombard.

"It's a great event, and we hope to continue to support it," Mueller said.