A week after major public conversations were had about the financial perpetuity of the annual Trigg County Country Ham Festival, one local official is offering some clarifications and apologies to the community.
City Administrative Officer Jack Lingenfelter said several former Ham Festival Committee members recently approached him to “set the record straight” about its transition to municipal governance — noting “financial stability” was not one of the reasons for the change in authority.
Lingenfelter said while he can’t truly verify those beliefs, he also cannot officially verify the information he was given regarding finances during the swap.
A big reason Lingenfelter even finds himself in the middle of these discussions, though, stems from a desire to make costs, expenditures and earnings more clear and transparent.
This transfer of power occurred in 2008, which means the City of Cadiz has now been in charge of the festival’s organization for more than 17 years.
Lingenfelter confirmed the committee that exists for the festival now is not constructed as it was then, when it came under Renaissance On Main as a subcommittee.
Lingenfelter also said he was glad to be corrected.
Last week, Lingenfelter pointed out the fact that while the 2025 festival did bring in thousands of visitors and created spending in the community, it also cost the City of Cadiz more than $100,000, and that proper accounting was needed.
