As the threat of cuts to millions of dollars in federal government funding looms over the Town of Los Gatos, Council cancelled plans for a new Harvest Festival this fall, during its regularly scheduled meeting April 1.
The Town had been considering getting rid of Screen on the Green—an outdoor movie night that has seen declining attendance—and replacing it with the multicultural event.
In gathering information to flesh-out the costs involved in putting on Town events, Council was able to take a hard look at which events give the best bang for the buck.
“There’s no doubt that special events enrich the character of Los Gatos and promote community vitality,” said Monica Renn, the Town’s economic vitality manager.
However, she added, there were several factors that made Council’s initial idea to hold a Harvest Fest at Town Plaza Park look less than idealistic at this point.
For one, there are already non-Town-organized events happening six out of the eight weeks in September and October.
“Staff heard the conversation that took place at Council,” she said, referring to discussion of the top strategic priorities this year—the top three being emergency preparedness, prudent fiscal management and then the character of the town in regards to housing.
“We also heard the subsequent discussion about concerns with balancing what the needs are going to be under a constrained budget. So, hearing all of that, staff felt that it was important to come back with additional options for the Council to consider tonight that did take into account resources as far as staffing,” she said.
One such idea was a partnership with the Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce on Taste of Los Gatos.
Jennifer Lin, the organization’s executive director, was seeking $20,000 to enhance their offering.
There’s a lot of interest in a food-based festival, Lin said during public comment.
“Our inaugural event last year drew 800 culinary tasting participants, with the wristbands selling out in advance of the event and approximately 2,000 additional attendees who came to enjoy the festival,” she said. “The festival’s dynamic programming, including live entertainment, diverse food and wine offerings, and family-friendly activities, attracted visitors from throughout the Bay Area.”
Despite the welcoming atmosphere, the production costs caused them to break even, she added, noting this was “primarily due to the logistical cost associated with safely closing North Santa Cruz Avenue, expenses related to staffing, private security and those anti-vehicle barriers.”
And costs are going up, she added.
Renn said cancelling Screen on the Green would free-up $5,000 and noted an additional $2,000 might be saved by moving the timing of Independence Day events.
One vendor has already raised their price for this year, according to Renn.
Town Manager Chris Constantin said there’s plenty of belt-tightening happening over at Town Hall.
“In the course of the next 2-3 weeks, your directors will be sitting to review their entire budgets and to propose some very significant reductions,” he said.
‘Your directors will be sitting to…propose some very significant reductions.’
Chris Constantin, Town Manager
And so, everything we do is a tradeoff decision. And so, our events are fantastic, the Chamber does a wonderful job, but to the extent we increase funding in one area, we’re potentially decreasing in another,” he said. “I would ask that you be mindful of the long term.
“Every dollar will count in trying to shore-up the budget.”
Mayor Matthew Hudes said he believes the Town—in addition to making cuts—should be looking at ways to generate economic activity.
“I don’t think that we can cut our way to success here. I think that, given some of the challenges, we need to really focus on the things that can stimulate our local economy, that gives us sales tax revenue and TOT. That is substantially down or flat.”
He said he wondered if perhaps the Town was currently spending more money on events that promote the local economy than the two-day food festival envisioned by the Chamber of Commerce for next year.
“I’m looking at, for instance, the Halloween activity,” he said, referring to the $41,000 in police costs associated with that calendar date. “I would guess that doesn’t drive very much business at all. And it is a heavy burden on our police department.”
He compared the $212 an hour the Town spends on Spring on the Green for policing with the $424 and $524 an hour the Town spends on Halloween and the Children’s Christmas / Holidays Parade.
“I’m wondering if we’ve thought about trying to optimize the police services that are being provided,” he said.
Staff said by the time you get to Halloween and towards the end of the year, you face more overtime costs.
Police Chief Jamie Field said she and her executive assistant account for the majority of police costs associated with Spring Into Green, on top of parking control; but Halloween, Los Gatos in Lights and the Christmas / Holidays Parade there are “robust” planning efforts.
And, as far as the Children’s Christmas / Holidays Parade is concerned, “It’s the entire police department,” she said. “It is a mandatory work day for us.”
Field added that, whether the Town assigns police for Halloween duties or not, there will more than likely be calls for service they’ll have to respond to.
In the end, Council voted to cancel Screen on the Green—but not commit any additional money to a new festival or to Taste of Los Gatos (at least for the time being).
