![The Milton High band’s second annual Crawfish Festival will take place 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. April 8 at the school, located at 5445 Stewart St. The band will use all proceeds to purchase instruments and equipment. [Pixabay.com]](http://127.0.0.1/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/ghows-DA-4a8ab6ac-edf8-5878-e053-0100007fa9b8-dc37b6c2.jpeg)
MILTON — The Milton High School band can use the city’s stage and a generator at no cost for its upcoming Crawfish Festival, but Tuesday’s Milton City Council vote wasn’t unanimous.
Council members Mary Ellen Johnson, Jeff Snow, Casey Powell and Pat Lunsford supported the proposal. Council members Sharon Holley and Ashley Lay were absent for this vote. Councilwoman Peggi Smith cast the lone dissenting vote.
The band’s second annual Crawfish Festival will take place 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. April 8 at the school, located at 5445 Stewart St. The band will use all proceeds to purchase instruments and equipment.
Before the vote, Smith questioned the band’s request to use city property at no charge.
“I understand it’s a fundraiser, but Mardi Gras couldn’t be on Stewart Street because it was $1,000,” Smith said, referring to the charge. The nonprofit Main Street Milton could not afford the cost of closing Stewart Street for the parade and instead held the event on Willing Street, she said.
Natural Gas of Milton could sponsor the Crawfish Festival, according to City Manager Brian Watkins. In exchange, the MHS band could display an ad for the utility, he said.
The city’s Public Works department operates the utility, according to Milton’s municipal website.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Milton High Crawfish Festival gets city's support