Event organizers seeking Snyder Chamber of Commerce hotel occupancy tax (HOT) funds for local outdoors events will now have to obtain County Judge Dan Hicks’ authorization.
That’s the decision reached by the chamber board of directors when it met Monday.
Chamber President Linda Molina laid out the issue during the meeting, referencing a recent executive order issued by Texas Governor Greg Abbott.
“I know that we have some events that we’ve already voted on, and voted on the money to hand out, but on his (Abbott’s) orders, it says for outdoor gatherings you can only have 10 people in a group, and then you have to wear a mask or do the six-foot social distancing,” she said. “If we were to do the White Buffalo Days, maybe we could spread out the vendors and put the little marks where they’d be six feet away. But it also says on here, since July 2, that it’s up to our county judge.”
Board members unanimously approved adding Hicks’ authorization as a requirement to receive HOT funds for outdoor events.
White Buffalo Days is organized by the chamber. Diez y Seis de Septiembre festival and the Snyder Bike Rally will also be affected.
White Buffalo Days is scheduled Oct. 2 and 3, and will include a street dance, pumpkin patch and a car show by Snyder Wheels will be part of the event.