A split Soldotna City Council upheld Wednesday a mayoral veto of the use of federal COVID relief funds to help Triumvirate Theatre put on a production this summer.

Council members voted 4-2 during the body’s March 23 to provide up to $25,000 of the city’s roughly $1.1 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to help Triumvirate Theatre put on a free community production of “Tarzan” in Soldotna Creek Park.

Council members who initially supported the funds said the production would bring the community together and was consistent with the city’s use of federal CARES funds to support Triumvirate’s 2021 production of “The Little Mermaid.” Those who opposed the funds said it could set a precedent for more groups coming forward and asking for money and that it was a financial risk for the city.

The day after the council’s March 23 meeting, Soldotna Mayor Paul Whitney, who had previously voiced his opposition to the financial support, vetoed the resolution. In a letter accompanying the veto, which the Clarion obtained via records request, Whitney cited the process through which the funds were approved as the reason for the veto.

“I cannot support the action taken last night on this Resolution, not because the event is not a worthy project, but because of the process in which the funding is being appropriated,” Whitney wrote.

Attendees at Wednesday’s meeting, however, said Triumvirate followed the proper process for requesting funds.

Council member Justin Ruffridge, who sponsored the initial resolution requesting financial backing, moved Wednesday to override Whitney’s veto. Per Acting Soldotna City Clerk Brekke Hewitt, mayoral vetoes can be overridden by a two-thirds vote of the council within 21 days after the veto is exercised, or at the next regular meeting, whichever is later.

In explaining his call for an override of the veto, Ruffridge on Wednesday said the veto unintentionally fuels negative perceptions and damages the reputation of Triumvirate Theatre. Additionally, Ruffridge pointed out the council in the same meeting approved the use of ARPA funds for other purposes and said the production likely will not happen without the city’s support.

“Frankly, I find (it) incredible that we would not override this veto,” Ruffridge said.

Triumvirate Executive Director Joe Rizzo told council members Wednesday that even though the veto cited the process by which the funding was approved, Triumvirate followed the process in place: A council member sponsored the request, the council voted on the request and, in this case, the request was approved.

“It’s very hard for me, as the executive director, to write those grants and persuade these folks to support this partnership with the council, or with the city of Soldotna when it’s in the headlines that it’s been vetoed,” Rizzo said. “If, tonight, it’s sustained, that basically tells the people I’m asking for funds from to support this event for the City of Soldotna … (that) the city is not truly in support of it, even though four people voted for it.”

Tyson Cox, who also represents Soldotna on the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly and whose daughter participates in Triumvirate programs, was one of several people who testified in support of the performance Wednesday.

“Unless there was a process in place already for that, I think that what we’re going to end up doing is we’re penalizing this group for trying to accomplish that,” Cox said. “But we’re really who we’re penalizing is we’re penalizing our community.”

Council member Jordan Chilson said he feels “completely” that the process was followed, because any council member can bring a proposal forward to appropriate money for something in the community.

“We are in a position thankfully, where we have a lot of unallocated ARPA funds that are intended strictly for this purpose of helping our community rebuild and come back together as a community,” Chilson said. “This event is a great example of something that does just that.”

The council voted 3-2 to override Whitney’s veto. Council member Dave Carey, who voted in support of the resolution during the council’s March 23 meeting, had an excused absence from Wednesday’s meeting. Because three of five votes does not come out to two-thirds, the veto was sustained. Council members Ruffridge, Chilson and Vice Mayor Lisa Parker voted in support of overriding the veto while council members Dan Nelson and Linda Farnsworth-Hutchings voted against overriding the veto.

Nelson echoed comments he made at the council’s March 23 meeting, such as his concerns about the financial risk the city would take on by agreeing to back the production up with $25,000. Farnsworth-Hutchings said she would have liked to amend the amount of money to be less, but that she also has “a lot of concerns” with the original resolution.

Whitney reiterated Wednesday that his veto was not meant to indicate a lack of support for Triumvirate’s production, but that he thinks the city should have offered grant programs for ARPA funds, as it did with CARES funds.

“The process I would like to see is the same way we’ve done it for the CARES Act money,” Whitney said. “You apply, it’s evaluated and everyone … has the opportunity to put in an application for those funds.”

Ruffridge, like multiple community members, took time at the end of Wednesday’s meeting to voice his disappointment that Whitney’s veto was not overturned.

“Performance has a way of bringing people together and giving somebody a little bit of hope,” Ruffridge said. “Just a little bit. I think our barrier to being able to help that process was incredibly low and then we chose not to and for that I am discouraged.”

Wednesday’s Soldotna City Council meeting can be streamed on the city’s website at soldotna.org.

Reach reporter Ashlyn O’Hara at ashlyn.ohara@peninsulaclarion.com.