Ongoing financial troubles in Port Gibson have resulted in the cancellation of this year’s Heritage Festival, a 20-year tradition in the city, just weeks before it was set to happen March 31.

A member of the board of directors of the Port Gibson Main Street program, sponsors of the festival, said there was not enough time to prepare.

“After 20 years we are taking a break,” said Cathi Dodgen. “It was the board’s decision. We weren’t ready. (But) it is just until next year. We’ll be back.”

Dodgen referred comments to program manager Kenneth Ross. Ross did not return messages left at his office and on his cell phone.

Ross’ salary was cut in January from about $39,000 to $25,000 by the Port Gibson Board of Mayor and Aldermen, Mayor Fred Reeves said. The move led to Ross cutting back his work hours.

Reeves said no one from Main Street notified city officials that the festival had been canceled but instead published an open letter to the community as an advertisement in the Port Gibson Reveille.

In it they said the festival requires “a significant commitment of time by the program manager to develop/solicit sponsorships and coordinate the… activities.” The 2011 Heritage Festival had a $68,000 budget, and sponsorships are necessary to keep the event admission-free, the board stated.

In response, Reeves said he formed a committee to try to stage an alternate event but could not get the aldermen to vote their approval.

Instead, he said, a private group, Citizens Taking Action, organized The Taste of Port Gibson Festival which will be held outside the city limits on March 31 and is not sponsored by the city.

The alternate festival will be at the Ark on U.S. 61, about three miles south of the city, beginning at 10 a.m.

“This is a family- and community-friendly event with lots of fun and games for the children, entertainment and different concerts for every age group,” CTA announced.

The city of Port Gibson, which pays Ross’ salary and provides an office and certain travel expenses for him, has struggled with money shortfalls for a number of years. Problems have included having to borrow in anticipation of tax revenues to pay the city’s electrical bills and make retirement contributions.

Reeves was first elected to office in 2007 after running on a platform of financial reform. In his first term, he often failed to win board approval of spending cuts such as including cutting out the aldermen’s travel expenses to attend annual Mississippi Municipal League conferences and voting themselves raises.

Reeves won his re-election bid in 2011, defeating Ross in the November primary and then running unopposed in the city’s December general election.

A number of new aldermen also won election, and began the year “trying to get our finances in order,” Reeves said. “It’s much different.”

In addition to cutting Ross’ salary, the board cut Reeves’ pay, which had been $40,000 since 2008, to $35,000 and their own pay by half, to $600 a month. Other city employees were demoted, transferred or fired, including Chief Financial Officer Elvin Parker.

The Heritage Festival traditionally has included sales of plants and crafts, food and other items, music, a road race and a poker run. Reeves said he has requested a list of vendors who had purchased space for this year’s event, an accounting of the funds and Main Street’s “plan of action for the next nine months.” He also wants to see the minutes of their last meeting, he said.

If you go

The Taste of Port Gibson Festival, a citizen-organized event to replace the canceled Port Gibson Heritage Festival, will be March 31 at the Ark on U.S. 61 South beginning at 10 a.m. Car, bike, truck and four-wheeler clubs are welcome, and activities will include a talent show, train ride, dunk the clown and blues concert. For more information, call Linda Walker at 601-218-5998.