TO: Mayor and Commissioners
FROM: Jeffrey L. Oris, CEcD, Assistant City Manager
THROUGH: Terrence R. Moore, ICMA-CM
DATE: August 18, 2026
Title
DISCUSSION REGARDING POTENTIAL AMNESTY PROGRAM FOR OUTSTANDING SPECIAL EVENT COSTS OWED TO THE CITY FOR EVENTS HELD PRIOR TO SEPTEMBER 30, 2024
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Recommended Action:
Recommendation
The City Commission is asked to receive a presentation regarding a potential amnesty program for outstanding special event costs owed to the City for events held prior to September 30, 2024 and provide direction on whether to proceed with a formal program for the Commission's adoption.
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Background:
After recent questions about overdue invoices for City services provided to special events, staff investigated and reviewed all outstanding such invoices. What was found was 44 distinct unpaid invoices due from 23 different Special Event Producers for city services provided to these events that are more than 12 months old (It was determined that anything from within the last 12 months was still active and was expected to be paid) The circumstances of many of the outstanding invoice has long been lost to time, while others are known and/or are a little more current. Several of the Producers whose costs had been waived in the past indicated they were unaware they would have to pay for city services a the time of the event in question, some are to businesses or organizations that are no longer operating and thus the City does not expect it will receive payment, and others have reasons that are lost. All of the outstanding invoices and related Producers with event dates are shown in the Table attached to this agenda item.
It should be noted that the City has not experienced significant issues with payment of invoices for such fees since the September 30, 2004 date that is noted. Some of the issues seem to have arisen from the change in the Special Event Policy in September of 2025. As previously mentioned, some of the Producers indicated they were not made aware that the City was not waiving fees any longer and that all costs would be due. Additionally, since this time, the City has also hired a Special Events Manager who has been managing payment of invoices with regular reminders to Producers. Additionally, the City has in its Special Event Policy that penalties for not adhering to the Policy include temporary or permanent loss of the ability to apply for or host future events (the Policy will be updated shortly to make this even clearer and out outline additional penalties). Additionally, to ensure payment in a timely manner, another alteration to the Special Event Policy is being made to provide for a 1.5% late fee for each month an invoice is late.
This still leaves the City with a number of unpaid invoices for such costs. In an effort to clear these outstanding fees, it is proposed that the City offer a one-time amnesty program to those that still owe. Under this program, if the Producer of the event pay 10% of their outstanding invoice(s), prior to October 31, 2026, the other 90% due will be forgiven and their ability to submit an application for and host new event will be reinstated. To ensure any no one benefiting from the Amnesty Program becomes a future burden on the City, any Producer that participates and receives a discount via the program who has any invoice related to future special event that becomes past due more than 90 days, shall be declared to be “delinquent” as is outlined in the “Receivables” section of the City’s Budget and Finance Policies. Once their account is declared delinquent, the invoice will be referred to a collection agency and the Producer's ability to apply for and host additional special events in the City shall be revoked until such time as the amount due is paid and their eligibility is reinstated by the City Commission after a period of no less than five (5) years from the original due date of the amounts owed.
This program should ensure that the City receives some of what is owed while continuing to keep our financial records in order and allowing continuation of events available to the public.
City Attorney Review:
N/A
Funding Source/Financial Impact:
This program will allow some of the outstanding amounts owed for special events to be collected from Producers
Timing of Request:
It is desired to solve the issue of outstanding special event costs and ensure that future Event Producers reimburse the City for event-related costs in a timely manner.