It took most of Monday night’s meeting and several contentious exchanges but the Leesburg City Commission agreed to extend a lifeline to the organization that puts on the city’s highly popular Bikefest as it struggles through the COVID-19 crisis.
In the end, commissioners approved a relief package of just under $150,000 for the Leesburg Partnership that is experiencing extreme financial difficulty after having to cancel this year’s Bikefest event scheduled for April. The package includes the city purchasing a parking lot for about $60,000 after getting an appraisal; a loan for $78,120; forgiving $7,500 in utility bills through April 21; and forgiving the 2020 Mardi Gras invoice of $3,500.
The Leesburg Partnership puts on 34 events each year, including the Christmas Parade, the Fourth of July celebration, the Wine and Food fest and a highly popular Craft Beer festival. Clearly, Bikefest, which is billed as the “World’s Largest 3 Day Motorcycle & Music Event,” is the cash cow of all of the events the organization hosts. It’s tentatively been rescheduled for November but it isn’t a certainty because of the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.
On Monday night, Commissioner Jay Hurley didn’t hold back when offering his thoughts on the plan that he labeled as a “Band-Aid” – a sentiment shared by Partnership President Sandy Stokes.
“I’m actually surprised that we’re having this discussion in this manner,” he said, pointing out the agency’s success over the past 25 years. “We’re basically giving them $11,000. We’re buying the piece of property, so big deal. We’re giving them a loan that they’ve got to pay back for $70,000. So we’re going to give them $11,000. If this happens, it will be the end of the Partnership.”
Hurley also pointed out that the Partnership had done nothing wrong and couldn’t control the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. He said he believes the Partnership, which will furlough two employees – Main Street Manager Joanie Smalley and Operations Manager Cathie Reel – will find itself in trouble when it’s left with just CEO Joe Shipes trying to handle events with volunteers.
“People are looking forward to all these events and now we’re just going to say, ‘Here’s a Band-Aid, hope you can pull some kind of event off,’” Hurley said. “I really think we have got to step up to the plate, guys and girls, and we have got to make sure that the one thing that keeps all of our events happening in this town and makes us Leesburg doesn’t go away because of the setbacks of COVID-19.”
Commissioner Dan Robuck III said he had mixed feelings. He praised the Partnership but said while it couldn’t have anticipated the Coronavirus crisis, it could have anticipated things like Bikefest being rained out and had reserves built up for such an issue.
Commissioner John Christian said he is anticipating other groups like the Chamber of Commerce, the CDC and the Center for the Arts coming to ask for help in the coming months. He also suggested the Partnership present a plan to show how it will build up reserves.
That didn’t set well with Hurley.
“Listen, guys, if you want to do away with them, do away with them,” he said. “Just be frank enough to tell people in our community we don’t care about your family events. The Partnership is not like any other nonprofit that we have in the community. They’re an extension of the city of Leesburg.”
Mayor Elise Dennison reminded Hurley that the money being used to help the Partnership is taxpayer money.
“So we have to make sure that it’s handled correctly,” she said. “That if they come back in two months and ask for another $150,000, there’s reasons for that. So please, turn off the ‘Oh God, don’t do this to the city.’ This is a business decision.”
Hurley told Dennison he fully understood that it was a business decision.
“I’m as astute in business as you are mayor,” he said. “I understand we’re spending the city’s money, so we can make it where they have to come back every month by nickeling and diming them and putting a Band-Aid on. But don’t rebuke me.”
