Organizers ask Dougherty County for $32,500 to launch Pan‑African festival at Riverfront Park

Daya Salam, principal consultant with Artesian Solutions Group LLC, asked the Dougherty County Board of Commissioners on April 27 to consider a $32,500 county commitment to help launch a Pan‑African cultural festival planned for the third weekend of September at Riverfront Park. "We have submitted a formal letter with you all requesting, $32,500 of commitment from you all," Salam said, describing the county request as matching a $32,500 request to the city of Albany as part of a three‑year plan to phase down government support over time.

Salam said a planning committee of eight community members — including current and former K‑12 teachers, businesspeople and other residents — had surveyed nearly 30 local high‑school students and incorporated youth suggestions into programming. "They have committed to being a part of the committee and volunteering for the festival itself," she said, naming art contests, a Jollof rice cooking competition and a fashion show among planned events.

A community organizer who also spoke described outreach at other regional events and said multiple organizations have already committed to participate, including offers to help lead a children's parade. Salam said the county health district provided guidance for food‑safety regulations around cooking competitions and that the festival plans include clothing and food drives to donate leftover items to shelters and nonprofits.

Commissioners praised the concept but asked for procedural clarity about how the county handles requests for fiscal partnerships and sponsorships. "I would love to see it clarified so that we're all on the same understanding of how these requests are handled," one commissioner said; the chair asked the county attorney to bring back recommendations on a standard approach.

The presenters did not receive a vote at the work session; the organizer left materials and a formal letter for the commission. The commission did not take a final funding action during the April 27 work session; the chair asked staff to follow up and to provide a process recommendation for handling similar requests in future meetings.

The commission asked staff to provide any additional documentation on festival budgeting and draft terms of a fiscal partnership before taking a formal vote. The next procedural step is for county staff and the county attorney to advise the commission on the recommended process for sponsorships and fiscal partnerships.