ROY -- The city council won't give any money to a former Roy woman who is competing for the Miss Utah title in two weeks.
Janet Baird, mother of Jessica Baird, has been working with the council for several months to try to secure a $500 donation to go toward her daughter's run at Miss Utah.
Jessica Baird, a former Roy resident and graduate of Roy High School, was crowned Miss Dixie earlier this year, but is short funding for all the items to be purchased for the Miss Utah pageant at the end of this month.
A public hearing was held Tuesday night to get public input about the donation. No one spoke against or for the donation but Janet Baird, who answered questions from the council.
She explained that her daughter's platform as Miss Dixie and for the Miss Utah bid centers around literacy.
Jessica Baird visited many schools in St. George to promote literacy, and when she was in Roy, she visited elementary schools wearing her crown and her Miss Dixie apparel to promote literacy and the importance of attending college, her mother said.
Janet Baird teaches at Valley View Elementary School and said her daughter visited her classroom several times.
The council asked if Dixie College -- as well as schools in St. George -- had donated very much to her daughter.
"If she is representing Dixie, why is she not getting donations from Dixie?" said Councilman Brad Hilton. "That's where I'm having a hard time with this."
Councilman Michael Stokes agreed. Both said they admire her accomplishments and are proud of what she has done, but it's hard to justify the donation when she doesn't live in the community.
"That $500 comes out of the pockets of the citizens," Stokes said.
He noted that the city is considering raising taxes and doesn't think there is justification for donating money to one person when there isn't enough money to fund other things the city so badly needs.
"It's easy to make a donation when money flows easily and there is fat in the storehouse ... but times are hard," Stokes said.
Councilman Dave Tafoya pointed out that the city needs to focus its efforts on the Miss Roy pageant, which has grown tremendously in the last year.
"Our pageant is the only business in town," he said, noting how North Ogden and Weber County each have put a hold on their pageants this last year.
"That's where our support needs to be. She isn't Miss Roy, she is Miss Dixie," Tafoya said.
He went on to say how proud he was of the growth of the Miss Roy pageant, with 14 girls already entered and paid. That's quite a change from two years ago, when there were only three girls, and last year, when the city almost canceled the pageant because of lack of support.
"Our support stops with Miss Roy," Tafoya said.
Councilman Willard Cragun went so far as to say that donating to most things should be off the table until the economy turns around. The rest of the council agreed it needs to be very prudent.
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