Two residents urged the Board of Aldermen to restore event funding cut from the tourism budget and to reverse reallocations that moved partnership funding into general funds.

Christine Slusser, a resident of Highway F and Pacific Mill, told the aldermen that the Red Cedar Inn "is an asset" and called the board to "restore funding for the new events, to support Red Cedar," saying events proposed by the tourism commission — a Fourth of July parade, Railroad Days and a turkey trot — had been cut. "This budget affects what kind of city we want to be," she said.

Brian McKenna, who identified himself as both a resident and a business owner, told the board that short-term rental owners had driven bed-tax dollars into the tourism fund and criticized the aldermen for redirecting funds. "Are you guys legally allowed to just redirect these funds?" he asked in public comment. Attorney Jones replied during the meeting that the tourism commission is a recommending body and the Board of Aldermen is the legislative and administrative authority for the city.

McKenna and Slusser also asked the board to return $27,000 in general-fund support to the tourism fund; the tourism commission had recommended $5,000 from tourism and $27,000 from the general fund for the Pacific Partnership events because those events typically do not generate bed-tax revenue. McKenna emphasized the upcoming centennial of Route 66 and said the city should "be ramping things up" to welcome visitors.

During the budget review the board restored some tourism revenue and expense lines after staff clarified sponsorship and event accounting. Tourism Director O'Malley and staff provided breakout figures for the barbecue festival: sponsorships (including a $25,000 state-level sponsorship/sponsorship-like grant), vendor and other event revenues and expenses. Staff presented a higher projected revenue figure for future barbecue events, noting that sponsorships and vendor fees made the event net positive in recent reports.

The board also restored a $10,000 line for the tourism commission to support small event requests after staff noted the commission incurred about $9,000 in expenses through May. With the revised sponsorship and event revenue figures and the restored commission line, staff reported the tourism fund was in the black by about $41,108 on the draft spreadsheet.

Ending: Board members said they heard public concerns and asked staff to circulate the event revenue breakouts that informed the budget adjustments; they also requested that tourism director O'Malley continue outreach to sponsors and that department heads be cautious on spending until contingency and cashflow issues are settled.