Batavia City Council members on Monday night decided to make the city a bit more "vibrant" this summer by passing a resolution to allocate $4,000 to the Picnic in the Park event at Centennial Park on the Fourth of July weekend.
The funds will be transferred from the committed fund balance -- money from the now-defunct Vibrant Batavia initiative -- to the general fund. As of March 31, the committed fund balance was $52,611.
Council's vote was 8-1 with Rose Mary Christian dissenting.
"I stated before that this would get a precedent started -- and I think that is what is going to happen," she said.
City officials and event organizers have said that the Picnic in the Park was in danger of not continuing beyond this year due to budget constraints.
With the contribution, the city will be named as a sponsor of the 2017 event, which reportedly will include a Beatles tribute band.
