With the Exchange Club canceling the annual Independence Day Fireworks Show, the Culver City Council recuperated the $34,000 allocated to support the event. That presented them an opportunity to redistribute those funds to other projects. On Monday evening, they discussed where to put the money.

There was no lack of requests for the fireworks show money and several requests took the total well beyond $34,000. To meet the initial demand, the council needed to place that money in the off-cycle Special Event Grant Contingency Fund. Helping the matter is the fact that the Economic Development Department (EDD) uncovered $25,000 in previously unused sponsorship funds.

One request, by the Exchange Club, was for an additional $15,000 on top of an already approved $30,000 to sponsor the 20^th Annual Culver City Car Show. Another, from the Downtown Business Association (DBA), went beyond the $34,000 to city-sponsor a July 5 Drone Show with a $30,000 allocation. The next was from the nonprofit Share Our Strength for $5,000, and finally another for $9,000 to bolster a Juneteenth celebration that the council had discussed just prior to this agenda item. The EDD has already allocated $11,000 in support of Juneteenth.

Councilmember Freddy Puza asked staff how grants are determined as in-kind versus cash disbursements. Staff informed the council that city policy on event grants discourages 100 percent cash grants, so in-kind grants to swallow the cost of permitting and city staffing are normally part of the gift.

Downtown Business Association Executive Director Darrel Menthe was on hand to encourage approval of the requests, saying they needed to put their request in quickly to support the drone show. He said of the show, “You’ll be able to see it all over town. It’s not the same as fireworks but it’s a 21^st Century experience. It doesn’t have the ‘booms,’ it doesn’t have the fire danger. But this could be a terrific new tradition for our city.”

John Cohn, in support of the Culver City Car Show, told the council, “It’s more than just a car show, but it’s really, truly a cultural event that is a milestone at 20 years in Culver City.” He described the show as diverse and inclusive and said they are envisioning a very “Transportation forward” event using public shuttles, encouraging the use of public transportation, and providing a bike valet to ensure people can get to the event by multiple alternative means to automobiles.

Councilmember Göran Eriksson spoke about the economic development advantages of the events, as they attract participants from neighboring cities to shop and spend while in town.

Puza said he was willing to fund the drone show at $30,000 this year to “try it out,” but hoped the amount could subsequently be found elsewhere. He was also concerned with the lack of balance among the different kinds of events the city funds. He specifically pointed out that the car show is receiving $45,000 while Culver City Pride only received $6,000, and hopes these events will seek more outside sponsorships next year. “Gotta hustle,” he said. “I know that the Pride Committee hustles a lot. All the organizations have to hustle.”

“Moving forward, I think we do have to really figure out how to fund these in a more appropriate [manner],” said Councilmember Albert Vera.

Mayor Yasmine-Imani McMorrin voiced support for the items but suggested the city needs to explain the “how and why” behind the city’s support for events like this with more transparency. She wants the city “Providing justifications that we are supporting as many community, nonprofit, small businesses that we can.”

The allocations were approved 5-0.

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