A local organizer has scuttled plans for a new Farm to Table event scheduled for October after the Town Council turned down a request that it waive fees for use of town facilities.

The council voted 3-4 at its Aug. 18 meeting to reject the waiver request from Fountain Events, Inc. The group was planning to use the Community Center ($2,300), the outdoor Centennial Circle ($900), and also sought the waiver of permit fees ($75) and a $500 damage deposit.

Council members Cassie Hansen, Dennis Brown and Henry Leger supported the fee break for the event. Mayor Linda Kavanagh led the group including Vice Mayor Nick DePorter, and Council members Alan Magazine and Cecil Yates in opposing the waiver.

Christine Colley with Fountain Events told the council this type of event is growing across the country. The group proposed a one-day event with a farm-to-table dining experience, farmer’s market style vendors, a demonstration stage with speakers, a pumpkin patch, tractor display, food trucks and a beer and wine garden.

The event was planned as a fundraiser for the proposed Community Garden project.

“We decided to cancel (the event),” Colley told The Times later. “If you can’t get a majority of the town leadership behind you there is no sense in putting it on.”

During the council discussion, Hansen described the plan as a “win-win.”

“This is pretty exciting,” Hansen said. “Fountain Events does a great job, and any expense by the town will be well spent.”

“I support the event,” Kavanagh said. “I am concerned with waiving the fees.”

She cited a tight budget and having to drop popular activities such as Movies in the Park and Musicfest due to budget constraints in past years.

“I’m concerned about using taxpayer money and then making taxpayers pay to get in,” Kavanagh said.

Recreation Supervisor Rachael Goodwin told the council that the direct expense to the town would be about 20 staff hours. The fee waivers would be money not collected and are not anticipated by the budget.

“I hear and understand the budget issue,” Brown said. “But this is the start-up of a possible annual event. Let’s help them get off the ground. I support a one-year waiver.”

“I remember in the past (the council) waiving fees for long-standing, ‘legacy events’ like St. Patrick’s Day or Oktoberfest,” Leger said. “I agree with Councilman Brown’s observation – let’s help them get started then review the success going forward.”

Goodwin said she has worked in communities where the practice was to recognize “launch costs” with a three-year plan. It was a tiered schedule with the event organizers expected to be self-sufficient by year four of an annual event.

It was discussed by council members that perhaps the town needs a more defined policy with regard to such events. Current fee schedules do account for non-profit vs. for profit entities, as well as charity and local sponsors.

In cases where the town would waive fees, the town would be recognized as a co-sponsor of the event.

Town Manager Grady Miller told The Times he and Goodwin would be leading staff efforts to address the concerns on how to handle this type of request in the future.

“We anticipate coming back to the council with a staff recommendation within about 60 days,” Miller said.

“I would like to see this addressed going forward with a standard process,” Colley said. “Something that local non-profit groups can work with.”

Fountain Events has organized events in town including Fourth of July and Oktoberfest. Colley said all proceeds benefit local organizations. She said in the case of the Farm-to-Table event the Community Garden was the beneficiary. The group also supports the high school booster club and band, also Fountain Hills veteran’s groups and the local food bank.