Covington council members spent a large portion of their Oct. 25 budget workshop debating whether the city should sponsor or fund a Pride event. The discussion covered questions of equity and inclusion, use of limited city dollars, the scope of city sponsorship, and the precedent created by city support for community events.

Outcome: small grants pool, limited city support

Rather than fund a single city‑sponsored Pride celebration outright, council directed staff to establish a small grants pool of $3,000 to be administered by the Equity/Cultural/Social Justice (ECSJ) commission. Council members also recorded consensus that the city will support eligible community events with non‑monetary assistance where a public benefit is demonstrated — for example by expediting permits, waiving certain permit fees, offering a city presence (booth), and selective promotion on city channels when the event meets application criteria and insurance/contract requirements.

Council and staff emphasized that any public funding or city sponsorship must follow the same criteria and application process as other community grants and sponsorships; the council also asked staff to work with the ECSJ commission and Human Services staff to create an application and timeline so awards can be made in time for next year’s events if possible.

Why it matters

Councilmembers who supported the action argued a visible city‑supported event and greater access to resources reduce isolation and improve safety for LGBTQ+ residents and their families; councilmembers who opposed direct city funding cited limited general‑fund resources and the need to treat all applicant groups equitably. The final approach — a small grant pot plus administrative and permit support when a clear public benefit exists — was presented as a middle ground intended to support inclusion while subjecting any funding to the same application, insurance and public‑benefit tests used elsewhere.

Evidence from the record

Discussion began at about 02:45:40 in the workshop and moved through many council members’ comments. At about 03:31:00 councilors and staff discussed available models used by neighboring towns and city responsibilities; by the workshop’s end councilors agreed to a grant pot of $3,000 administered by the Equity/Cultural/Social Justice commission and to provide limited non‑monetary assistance for qualifying events. Staff noted the commission currently has quorum challenges and that staff will coordinate application administration if the commission is unable to meet the timeline.

Next steps

Staff will prepare a simple grants application, set a timeline for awards, and return the criteria and administrative plan to council. Staff also will define what promotional support and fee waivers the city will provide, and will work with the ECSJ commission and Human Services staff to ensure timely administration.