AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – Some Augusta city leaders are having a “here we go again” feeling when it comes downtown events. 

“We knew this was going to happen once we went down that road so here we are again,” said Commissioner Alvin Mason.  

Augusta Pride requested $8,100 for offset costs for security for its events next month. 

Another $7000 was requested for a Juneteenth parade. 

City leaders already this year approved $3,500 for the St. Patrick Day parade.  

And $20,000 to another organization to hold the city’s Juneteenth festival. 

“This Pandora’s box is going to stay open, and I’m not in favor of keeping giving money away if somebody is going to start doing a parade, etc. They’re going to have to start funding it themselves,” said Commissioner Wayne Guilfoyle.  

Worried about the precedent, commissioners have directed the Interim Administrator to sit down with the Convention and Visitors Bureau to work on plan for funding these types of events in the future.

The Administrator says recommendations will be coming in soon.   

“What we need to do is establish some guidelines and some policies and procedures we need to follow when it comes to issuing money,” said Commissioner Bobby Williams.  

“Next year, these requests won’t come before us. They’ll go through the CVB, and there will be stipulations there that they have to go through and meet,” said Mayor Pro-Tem Brandon Garrett. 

In the end, commissioners approving $5,000 for each event, which is not as much as they requested, but more green than what was approved for St. Patrick’s Day.