It might be in the community's best financial interest to cancel the Balloon Rally for this year, especially if it hasn't been profitable in recent years. If we weren't able to get enough volunteers for it, it may continue on that way.

We just can't predict how long it will continue. Sure, it is a beautiful sight to watch the balloons, but if there are fewer entrants and sponsors each year, which will affect how much revenue could be brought in, then it's probably a wise idea to cancel it for at least a year.

Let's see what kind of fund-raising ideas the community can come up with so that we can get the Rally back again. As far as the Taste of Monroe goes, keep it for this year, but maybe tie it in with some other event that we may have going on through the summer. The Taste of Monroe is a moneymaker for the businesses that take a part in it.