Report: No General Funds Used for 2011 Dearborn Homecoming
A report released this week by the Dearborn Community Fund shows that the festival generated $27,313 over expenditures last year.
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The City of Dearborn’s goal of making the Homecoming Festival self-sustaining is on track, according to a report released this week by the Dearborn Community Fund, which oversees the festival.
The report showed that a combination of $3,000 in cuts to expenses and a $26,000 jump in revenue from 2010 resulted in the 2011 festival netting $27,313 above costs.
Increased revenue, according to the city, can be attributed to both ramped up sponsorship efforts and increases in fees–including parking, carnival tickets and booth rentals.
All proceeds will go toward offsetting costs for the 2012 Homecoming Festival, which takes place this weekend, Aug. 3-5.
As a result, no general funds were used to subsidize the festival in 2011. The costs incurred by the city–$63,275 in total–were labor-related, including overtime hours and part-time staff hired to help with the festival in the police, public works, fire, recreation, economic and community development and public information departments.
Community Fund Executive Director EmmaJean Woodyard said that the report was a joint effort by the city and the DCF to show residents the facts about what Homecoming costs, and what it can accomplish.
“Last year was the first year that we came together, and report is meant to demonstrate the responsible approach taken to sustaining Homecoming,” she explained. “It also reinforces the main goal of Homecoming, which is fundraising for Dearborn nonprofits."
That latter point, Woodyard stressed, is both the most important and most overlooked success of the festival.
Nonprofit partners to the festival run the gamut from small groups of residents to large organizations, which run food and drink booths, as well as organize events–suh as the Kiwanis club's Turtle Derby. The effort both supports the festival’s costs, as well as raises funds for the organizations.
According to the report, profits to 19 of the 23 involved organizations totaled $72,085 in 2011. Four groups reported net losses, totaling $5,300.
“When you go down there and spend your money, it’s going back to all these nonprofits,” Woodyard said. “They’re working to raise money that goes back into scholarships and band uniforms and dictionaries and Safety Town–all of these things that make the community better.”
But to many residents, the larger question being asked of the city is: Should Homecoming continue through tough economic times?
In its heyday, the city used to pay roughly a $200,000-per-year subsidy for the three-day festival–including nearly $80,000 on big-name entertainment. Back then, Mayor Jack O'Reilly said, the city did not even keep a detailed budget for Homecoming costs.
Clearly, times have changed.
"We're moving toward a business model (for the city)," O'Reilly told Dearborn Patch following the 2011 festival. "We need to know how much things cost so we can figure out how to save money."
O’Reilly has maintained that if the festival can continue to break even, it should stay.
Woodyard said that one successful year is promising, but certainly doesn’t guarantee sustainability.
“When we finish up this year, we’ll reevaluate again,” she added.
See the attached PDF for full details of the report.
Frank Lee
9:12 am on Wednesday, August 1, 2012
This is simply not true and if it was, it would not take an entire year to produce the report. Another bold face lie by Woodward and Oreilly. The cops and fire and workers who set up and breakdown the event on overtime and double time are paid for by the general fund and. Of the community fund anyways. Good try jack but a day late and a dollar short as usual
Cu
4:05 pm on Thursday, August 2, 2012
You're wrong Frank. The cops don't make a dime of OT for Homecoming. Fire? Yep. DPW? Yep, but not the cops.
M. Imsosure
10:09 am on Wednesday, August 1, 2012
I never missed going to the homecoming until I saw the price of parking at the site and all around it. Later I heard the price of everything at the festival had gone up. My income has not gone up and neither has that of the majority of the people I know. I am done with the city's greed and will never attend this event again.
Frank Lee
12:03 pm on Wednesday, August 1, 2012
This mayor and his appointed chronies have no shame. The Fire, Police, and city workers who work protecting and setting up the event are paid by the city. They are paid overtime and double time by the city and not the sponsors. Anything can be revenue neutral if you have free labor. Secondly there are other things our community fund can raise money for besides supporting drunks and hillbilly music afficianidos. Every dollar raised for this overhyped carnival is one less dollar that will be raised for educating our children, providing recreation or support for our libraries. Instead of raising money from Oakwood, Severstal, Ford, and Bazzi Steel why don't these free loading corporations pay their fair share of taxes. Oreilly has been giving tax abatements to these corporations but he keeps raising taxes on the homeowners. Wake up Dearborn homecoming is not free. Woodward is just another mouthpiece for failed mayor. Does anybody see the resemblance between Ficano and oreilly yet. Two peas in a pod. Both raise taxes on the homeowner and give tax breaks and handouts to appointees and special interests. How come in Dearborn the residents always come last
Donna Hay
1:01 pm on Wednesday, August 1, 2012
I posted a comment on another site saying basically what you are saying Frank - the money spent by the city is money coming out of the budget I don't care what account you want to call it its still city money. This is money that could be used for the pools and libraries and I was shocked at the number of replies that I got saying that they didn't care about the pools or the libraries - they wanted 3 days of Homecoming and didn't care what the cost - don't understand maybe someone can explain what is so important about a 3 day party. Why not start charging admission and see just how many people attend???
Christopher olind
3:39 am on Thursday, August 2, 2012
Frank you should watch what you say about ficano because your nose is not clean from Wayne county!! Remember people here know who you are!!!
Christopher olind
3:43 am on Thursday, August 2, 2012
The bottom line is that the homecoming is a waste of money and has become nothing more than over priced festival that costs the city money. So is the mayor saying that all the police and fire protection is free. Nice try mayor pudding pants!!! You sir are a bold face liar!! Your day will come when you will be held responsible. CITIZENS UNITE AND KICK THIS JACKASS OUT!!!
Next Gen
8:19 am on Friday, August 3, 2012
The title of this news article and the City report it was plucked from is misleading, although factually accurate because of the use of weasel words. Some detailed reading of the Dearborn Community Fund's own report (see PDF) states no general funds were "transferred" to Homecoming, yet p. 3-4 says, "While the festival is in transition, such a hefty plate of goals still requires the involvement of multiple city departments...In 2011, City of Dearborn labor costs specifically incurred because of the festival totaled $63,275. This figure comprises overtime hours for full time staff to setup the grounds or work on the site during the festival, as well as part-time employees...In light of persistent budget challenges, the City is committed to continuing to further shrink, perhaps even eliminate, the need for any tax-dollar support for labor costs. Until that is possible, one measure of the value of the City's investment to the community is the $72k raised by nonprofit groups."
Although it is arguable the rewards of selling beer in exchange for funding nonprofit groups, at least the City and the Public Information Office is publishing written reports on its efforts. This goes a long way in making the City transparent to its citizens, something that Next Gen has been asking for for years so we can make our own informed decisions at election time.
Pam
8:32 am on Friday, August 3, 2012
When I want to give to charity, I can and do write a check. I don't drink beer to make my contributions. This "festival" is a waste of precious resources. Anyone who wants it to continue should vote to re-elect those presently in city offices.