Columbus Parade Paid Its Bills

The city’s Columbus Day Parade ended in the black this year, and paid the city back for the thousands of dollars worth of police overtime that it incurred.

City spokesperson Laurence Grotheer stated in a release that the 2018 Columbus Day Parade and Heritage Festival brought in over $35,000 in sponsorship revenue, and incurred over $17,000 in expenses.

“After all bills – including police department overtime – were paid,” Grotheer wrotes, ​“net proceeds of $17,940.07 were donated to the Columbus Day Committee Scholarship Fund.”

The festival’s bills shows that the festival paid the police department $4,259.46 for overtime, and also paid the parks department $3,122 and the fire department $686.47 for services rendered during the event.

See Grotheer’s full press release below:

City officials and organizers of the 2018 Columbus Day Parade and Heritage Festival today provided a debriefing of last month’s series of events, including a detailed financial report likely to please all parties.

The Columbus Day Parade and Heritage Festival Committee report showed revenue from sponsorships totaling $35,470, with total expenses totaling $17,529.93. After all bills – including police department overtime – were paid, net proceeds of $17,940.07 were donated to the Columbus Day Committee Scholarship Fund.

The Columbus Parade and Heritage Festival committee was formed in late July, to organize, coordinate and raise revenue to host a parade and multi-cultural festival for the City of New Haven the weekend of October 5 – 7, 2018.

It was important to committee members that the parade and festival be representative of the city’s diverse culture, and also promote the Italian heritage associated with Columbus Day. It was also a priority for all financial obligations to be met by the committee so the City of New Haven would not be financially responsible for any portion of the weekend activities.

In ten weeks, the committee raised the funds, helped sell out the Columbus Heritage Dinner, organized and hosted a festival highlighting Italian heritage and the cultural diversity of the City of New Haven.

The committee wishes to thank Mayor Toni N. Harp, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Carol Birks, Deputy Chief of Staff Patty Lawlor in the Mayor’s Office, Department of Parks, Recreation, and Trees Rebecca Bombero, Bill Carone in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Trees, Department of Public Works Director Jeff Pescosolido, New Haven Police Department Lieutenant Mark O’Neil, and the many city employees of each department who worked to ensure the event was a success.

The 2018 Columbus Heritage Festival Committee Members are:

Sara Amato
Paul Criscuolo
Sal DeCola
Anna Festa
Edward Flynn, Jr.
Aaron Greenberg
Bill Iovanne, Jr. – Chair
Vin Mauro
Charlie Murphy
Lt. Mark O’Neil
Samantha Palumbo
Alphonse Paolillo, Jr.
Alphonse Paolillo, Sr.
Michael Smart