Non-profit agency that promoted downtown events says vendors may not get paid
Read more: Local
TOLEDO, OH -- Citifiest, the non-profit group that used to run the Erie Street Market, is in more debt than previously known. At a Tuesday Citifest board meeting it was revealed that the agency owes vendors $260.000, NBC24 learned.
NBC24 was the only Toledo television station at the Tuesday board meeting. it was the first time anyone heard publicly just how much Citifest owes. Tuesday meeting was called to discuss ways to come up with this money.
On Monday, NBC24 reported the story of Craig and Jennifer Simpkins who own C-3 Services. Citifest owes the cleaning company nearly $6,000 for work they did at Citifest events at Promenade Park last summer. So far, Citifest is four months late paying the Simpkins and told NBC24 that they still don't know if or when the Simpkins --- or anyone else --- will get their money.
Brian Epstein, Citifest board chairman says the agency is consulting with lawyers to see what options are available. Those options could include filing bankruptcy.
Citifest is hoping for a $90,000 federal grant and wants the city to reimburse the non-profit for operational losses it has from running the failing Erie Street Market. But the city says it has no plans to do so. And it's hard to imagine why the federal government would want to fund a dissipated organization.
Tuesday wasn't the last meeting for the Citifest board. NBC24 will continue to follow this story and bring you information as soon as we can.
