WINNSBORO, La. (KTVE/KARD) — The Winnsboro City Council failed to pass a resolution to move forward and bring Southern Food and Music Fest back to the town.

Jerry Johnson, Marteze Singleton, and Rex McCarthy voted against the resolution.

“They gave no reasons. They just voted against it. They gave us absolutely no reasons. I think they may have spoken with the local newspaper and told them some reasons why they have concerns with our budget or something,” said Winnsboro mayor Alice Wallace.

The City of Winnsboro was awarded an $18,000 grant from the Department of Tourism for advertisement only. Other funds come from private donations.

“We went out and raised the money. We have between $15,000 and $18,000 cash on hand, and we have other donations that are coming. Now, we are at a point where we have the council that has voted it down, three nays and one yay? People are hesitant about sending that money. Will there really be a festival,” said Wallace.

City councilman for district 4 Jerry Johnson says the city doesn’t have the budget to front this festival.

“The reason we voted against it was that we didn’t have the money allocated in the budget for the festival.”

Wallace says the proposed budget was presented to the board in July, 2022.

She says vendors and performers have been booked for the scheduled day. She says peddler license fees were brought down to $75.00 from $250.00.

“We got it down to $75.00 and they voted for that too. Now, we have the festival but they won’t vote for the festival.”

“The town is going to put some money in front for a lot of this stuff. It is not that we don’t want the festival, but we are not budgeting for the festival right now,” explained Johnson.

“Now we have this festival that she is trying to get, and the city councilman won’t show up. That is sad for the City of Winnsboro,” said Jamie Johnson, a resident.

“It’s not about the mayor, it’s about the city of Winnsboro. With the taxes that they get, they can put this together,” said another local, Love Jones.

“Hopefully it can bring it back here, and people can have a good time, and it will bless more people,” said Dusty Jagneaux with Clark’s Crawdad Hole.

Winnsboro City Council will meet next week to discuss this resolution.

The Southern Food and Music Fest is scheduled for April 15, 2023.