Public commenter alleges Island Jam procurements avoided competition and used taxpayer funds; committee took no action

During the non‑agenda public comment period a speaker who identified himself as Mr. Ferguson raised allegations related to Island Jam procurements and town funding.

Mr. Ferguson said his team reviewed procurement records and asserted that the town entered a sole‑source agreement in 2023 with Hilton High Jam Entertainment, that subsequent town support in 2024–2026 increased, and that the total taxpayer support for the event now exceeds $1 million. He also alleged that the mayor’s brother remained directly involved with organizing the event and that town policies were not followed. “Town policies were ignored and use of taxpayers' money has been abused,” the commenter said during the allotted public‑comment time.

No staff or council response occurred in the hearing record beyond the public‑comment period, and the committee adjourned. The claims were not adjudicated at the meeting; a committee representative did not request follow‑up or commit to investigating during the session.