In light of the Wrangell Chamber of Commerce’s operating deficit over the past six years, it has sought to cut costs and find added revenues to continue the popular Fourth of July celebration.
To that end, the chamber board of directors will be asking the borough’s economic development department to support funding for this year’s event.
The borough this fiscal year contributed $27,000 toward the chamber’s general budget — not specifically designated to the Fourth of July. That is a small increase over $23,000 in the previous year.
At a work session meeting on April 5, the chamber board discussed its options for additional borough funds targeted for the Fourth, with input from Kate Thomas, the new director of the department.
Since time is tight, Thomas suggested the chamber submit a proposal before Friday so that it can be added to the agenda for a possible vote at the next economic development committee meeting April 20.
“I think it would be good to say, ‘Here are all the descriptions of expenditures for the Fourth of July,’” Thomas suggested. “’Here’s the dollar amount. Here are some contingencies we’re considering, some strategies for recovering that revenue, and here’s what we need to cover the bare minimum and here’s what we would request of you to run this event as we have in the past. Essentially two dollar amounts.”
She said Borough Manager Jeff Good has requested any funding request for the Fourth of July be “routed through the economic development department committee for this particular issue.”
Chamber board president Bill Burr said the request should be a list of everything it takes to run the Fourth events as has been done in the past and also showing the bare minimum needed. “We want to do it all on our own and we don’t want to lose that incentive if the economic (development committee) is supportive.”
Typically, the royalty competition (fundraising raffle) held the entire month of June will fund the next year’s Fourth festivities. As participation in the competition has dwindled over the years, so too have ticket sales.
Brittani Robbins, the chamber’s executive director, said last year’s royalty competition was the first in its history to lose money. “The overall costs with the royalty for wages as well as supplies and whatnot came out to … almost $83,000,” versus the $56,260 raised in ticket sales.
Burr pointed out the entire Fourth celebration costs approximately $115,000 to $120,000 and the organization fell short in its fundraising by about half last year.
In addition to seeking borough help for the Fourth, the chamber is soliciting sponsors for each event, such as: $100 for the tiny tots scrap fish derby, $300 to sponsor toddler games and $550 for log rolling.
Along with the request for funding from the borough’s economic development committee for the Fourth, the chamber board will make a request to the borough assembly in May for additional help with the nonprofit organization’s general operating funds.
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