Council to Vote on Funding May Fair Parade

For the past 135 years the Dixon May Fair Parade has kicked off May Fair festivities and showcased the best of what the fair has to offer. For two years, the Dixon Chamber of Commerce has been able to facilitate the parade with the assistance of Dixon Redevelopment Agency Funds.

But ever since Gov. Jerry Brown proposed the dismantling of redevelopment agencies throughout the state, cities including Dixon have scrambled to protect RDA funds from the state – which in Dixon’s case meant allocating a little over $1 million to the Core Area Drainage Project – leaving little room for projects like the May Fair Parade.

Tonight, the Dixon City Council will vote to allocate $3,700 from the city’s General Fund to the Dixon Chamber of Commerce in an effort to help the Chamber of Commerce hold the event this year.

According to a staff report: “The Chamber of Commerce has been the major sponsor of the May Fair Parade for many years. The May Fair Parade has occurred consecutively for over 100 years and is the longest standing main street type parade in the state.”

The staff report also shows that the chamber has seen a decline of revenues associated with the parade – most of the funding generated by the parade came from corporate sponsors and private funders – and began asking the city for funds to put on the parade two years ago.

Before the governor announced his proposal to do away with RDAs, the Dixon Chamber of Commerce received approval for $7,000 in RDA funds for fiscal years 2010-2011. Tonight, the council could vote to grant the chamber a grant of $3,600, award them a grant for a lesser amount or vote to revisit the RDA budget to perhaps include the May Fair into the equation.

Speaking of the Dixon Redevelopment Agency, the city is also expected to vote on a resolution that will change title to two RDA-owned properties over to the city.

According to a staff report, the Dixon Redevelopment Agency owns the property in which the Dixon Police Department is built on as well as the property that houses the Dixon Engineering Department.

“The Engineering building and the land for the Police Station were originally purchased by the City, which approved title being placed in the Agency’s name. The Police Station building itself was paid for through the issuance of leave revenue bonds by the Dixon Public Financing Authority, a joint powers authority composed of the Agency and the City.”

The staff report also claims that it would be unlikely for the state to require the city to sell property in which vital City services are houses, “it appears prudent to transfer the properties to the City now.”

The city has already made moves to protect Dixon RDA properties by placing liens on three RDA-owned properties including the Pardi Market and Ace Hardware sites along with a linear strip near the Ace Hardware site.

The Dixon City Council meets at 7 p.m., in its chambers at 600 East A Street. Anyone who cannot make it to the meeting can stream it for free at the city’s web site.