Council conditionally backs Juneteenth partnership with Amon Ra pending legal opinion

A nonprofit’s proposal to expand Franklin’s Juneteenth activities into a four-day cultural celebration prompted lengthy discussion about city contributions, insurance, staff impacts and possible conflicts of interest.

Councilmember Macklemore, who said he is affiliated with Amon Ra Incorporated, presented the organization’s plan for a four‑day celebration that would include youth events, an awards ceremony and a leadership forum. Macklemore asked the city to partner by providing limited financial and in‑kind support, including a $2,500 band payment, $1,500 sound system for two days and a $5,000 advertisement in the event brochure. “Our event will go on whether the city decides to partner with us or not,” Macklemore said, adding he would accept the city’s support in the form of a brochure ad and the listed contributions.

Council members expressed general support for a unified Juneteenth event but raised several concerns: potential conflicts under the state’s conflict-of-interest rules because a sitting councilmember advocates for an organization, the short timeframe for planning, insurance and liability, expected overtime and staffing needs for police, public works and recreation, and whether fee waivers should be granted.

The city attorney and staff recommended obtaining a written opinion from the Commonwealth’s Attorney or the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Advisory Council (COIA) before finalizing a partnership. “I would advise you all to take some consideration and then … get that opinion from COIA, from the Commonwealth’s Attorney,” a councilmember said. Council asked staff to draft specific bullet points describing exactly what the city would provide and requested that staff forward that list to the Commonwealth’s Attorney for written guidance.

Council reached an informal consensus to proceed with a partnership only if the legal opinion shows no ethical conflict; if the opinion finds a conflict, council said the nonprofit and the city should remain separate and the nonprofit should proceed independently. Several councilmembers reiterated that Amon Ra must provide event insurance if the city is not covered by its own event policy.

Staff and council also discussed operational details, including security planning and the city’s desire not to waive standard user fees without a clear policy. The city’s past event expenditures were cited for comparison: the council heard figures for prior events including a fireworks show and fall and spring festivals to illustrate current event spending levels.

No contract or city payment was authorized during the meeting. Councilmembers asked staff to prepare a detailed list of requested city contributions, seek a written legal opinion on potential conflicts and return to council with that information before committing funding or services.