Less funding for First Night means event will be smaller

The city upped its
contribution by $1,000,
but it’s not enough.

By DAVID SKOLNICK

CITY HALL REPORTER

YOUNGSTOWN — The show will go on, but without the necessary funding in place, First Night Youngstown will be scaled back.

Unable to raise enough money, First Night officials turned to city council to provide the remaining $15,000 it needed for its eighth annual alcohol-free, family-oriented event held Dec. 31 in the downtown Youngstown area.

During the past few years, the city gave $5,000 to First Night, with the money used for the midnight fireworks display. That also is the standard amount of money city council approves for other downtown events and festivals.

The total cost of the First Night event was to be $31,600.

City council agreed Wednesday to give $6,000 to First Night, a $1,000 increase from its previous annual contributions to the event. With the event $9,000 short of its goal, it will have to reduce the number of entertainers, said Nancy Haraburda, a First Night board of trustees member.

The entertainment cost made up about $22,000 of the event’s cost. Entertainment was lined up at 15 venues for First Night.

“We’ll cut back on the entertainment and focus on the children’s activities, but we’ll still have it,” Haraburda said.

The event has been forced to deal with declining financial contributions over the years.

The budget for its first year was $60,000 with the city contributing $16,500. The event raised $50,000 in its second year with the city giving $15,000 to it.

The city then went a few years providing no money and only in-kind services such as police presence.

A key blow to First Night’s finances this year was a $10,000 annual contribution from FEIC Financial Inc. given annually between 2004 and 2006 wasn’t provided this year, and the organization couldn’t find other sponsors to make up that amount.

Councilwoman Carol Rimedio-Righetti, D-4th, said she loves attending First Night, but $15,000 is too large of a request.

“Something is better than nothing at all, and we upped it to $6,000,” she said.

The city will continue to provide police presence at the event.

Even with dwindling funding, First Night Youngstown is still relevant and a viable entertainment option, Haraburda said.

A decline in funding ended Warren’s First Night in 2002 after the city held the event for the previous 15 years.

Councilman-elect John Swierz, a First Night Youngstown board member and head of its entertainment committee, said that committee would meet later today to go over its options.

“A lot of decisions have to be made,” he said. “We might have to shrink. We might ask some entertainers to reduce their fees and cut back on fireworks. First Night Youngstown will take place.”

Haraburda said she was disappointed city council didn’t provide the requested $15,000.

City council shouldn’t be portrayed as the “bad guys in this” because its members approved a $1,000 increase, Rimedio-Righetti said.

“They need more corporate sponsorship,” she said. “I realize it’s hard with the current economic climate.”

Buttons for First Night are $10 for adults, $5 for students and admission is free for those 12 and younger.

skolnick@vindy.com