St. Augustine’s annual Nights of Lights celebration is less than three months away, but officials still don’t know how much money they’ll have to manage the Old City’s signature event.
The topic arose at this week’s St. Johns County Board of Commissioners meeting after panelist Sarah Arnold called for an urgent workshop on the issue as the event draws near.
The City of St. Augustine initially requested $1.2 million in additional funds — six times the prior amount — to help address swelling crowds and infrastructure strains.
After hearing the city’s pitch, the St. Johns County Tourism Development Council voted to ask the County Commission for the lesser total of $850,000.
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But Arnold said there is ongoing “confusion” about the matter.
“I think that there’s been some confusion with the TDC board and what these funds may or may not be able to be used for,” Arnold said. “And quite frankly I think the city just needs our help.”
Arnold indicated that organizers are “really struggling” just months from the event and that time was of the essence. She said that the St. Augustine City Commission has to vote on its budget Sept. 1.
Commissioner Clay Murphy said bluntly Tuesday he would be loath to back the $850,000 allocation without further clarity on exactly how the money would be spent.
“I’m going to go out on a limb and maybe go early, but I would be hesitant to support spending money when we don’t know where it’s going, and without the sheriff’s involvement in the mobility issue for Nights of Lights,” he said.
Commissioner Christian Whitehurst also backed a timely gathering on the matter.
“Frankly the fact that it’s August and we don’t have a solution already ready to roll — I think we need to get to work,” he said. “So I would support a workshop.”
The panel agreed to convene on the issue but did not set a specific date.
In the city’s original $1.2 million request, the funding breakdown included $320,000 for portable restrooms at the Bank of America parking lot, $550,000 for expanded shuttle service, and $190,000 for crowd-control measures such as barricades.
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