Council debates $6,000 volunteer-donation tied to Sunny King / Noble Street festival

Anniston council members debated whether to authorize a $6,000 donation to cover volunteer support services at the Sunny King/Noble Street festival after staff explained the payment reflects a continuing informal arrangement tied to the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life event.

One council member summarized the historical arrangement: a previous event organizer provided a $10,000 donation in exchange for 60 volunteers (10 teams of 10). “When the city took it over, that was a continuous verbal agreement that the city stated at that time that they would continue to give that donation,” the member said, describing the prior practice. He said the organization provided 60 volunteers this year, which aligns with the $6,000 figure under discussion (roughly $1,000 per corporate-team convention).

Other council members questioned continuing the practice and cautioned about setting expectations for future donations. “I think that we’re giving up too many high donations all over the city when we’re not really … So yeah, we need to really look into that,” one member said. A council member noted the city had not provided invoices in recent years and that the arrangement had lapsed in some prior years.

Council and staff clarified that the volunteer labor was used by the contractor running the festival. The chair described the item as a standalone resolution set for a future vote; no formal vote occurred at the work session. Council members indicated support for providing some donation this year given the volunteers were provided, but several expressed reservations about continuing the full amount long-term.