Mardi Gras Clarification.

["Jerry L. Schutz" <jschutz@moscow.com>]

Dear Visionaries;

Thanks to Vera and Ink, most of Moscow knows I am currently out of the
country, and spending the winter in Costa Rica.  While I have been able to
occasionally read posts to V2020, I have not had the ability nor the desire
to weigh in on any of the topics.  However, my name has show up on this
particular issue, so I will state my piece, and get back to the rainforest.

First:  Last year, I was not an officer, I was a member.  I was VP 2 years
ago.  I did make collections from the door sales at the various locations
and took them to the counting site; but, I was not involved in the counting
of money from last years event nor was I in the counting room.

Second:  The Mardi Gras Ball Tickets were numbered, as I personally stamped
4000 of the buggers, with a numbering stamp. Only about 2000 were sold.

Third: Moscow Mardi Gras is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation which files
and annual tax return with the IRS, and I'm sure the accounting is/was/will
be accurate.  Tim Brown is the Treasurer.

Fourth:  As I was planning on being out of the country and was not going to
be available to help plan and execute the event this year I resigned my
position, I am not a current member, nor have I been to any meetings this
year, so I can not nor will I comment on the current situation.

I will say that from an historical view, Shelly Roderick has her nose out of
joint for about 3 years with the Mardi Gras Committee.  After she stormed
out of a Board Meeting and resigned her position on the committee;  because
a vote didn't go in her favor.

At that time Shelly thought that MG should put more than $4000 in FREE
entertainment in her 3 clubs, so that she could reap the benefits of the bar
sales. The Committee voted not to do that and only paid for Main floor and
Ballroom entertainment, at the time The Underground was not in use regular
use, did not have a name and CJ's management was still trying to find a
niche for the basement space

The Management of CJ's has made each of the successive MG Organizing
Committees collective life hell, by missing deadlines,  stalling contract
negotiations with bands, and NOT making themselves available to proof copy.
Maybe that's why a typo got through. Even with 12 people proofreading
mistakes happen.  It was only one year, not every year.

As far as returning a $2000 check to the Beach, this was the first I had
ever heard of it, The Beach has been approached every year I was on the
Board and asked to participate, we always received an negative reply by the
Management.  As far as I know in the 6 years I served, Barry neither
directly attended nor responded, it was always his local people.

I think it would be great if Mardi Gas could turn into a weekend long event;
however, for that to happen more people need to get involved.  Quite frankly
in 5 years there has been very little momentum for planning a bigger, better
celebration, just keeping the event alive has been the major task.
Recruiting Board Members and volunteers to serve has been extremely
difficult, and the handful of members can't do more without help. It amazing
it happens at all really.  The Parade is a good example of the lack of
community interest (which has now been replaced by the daytime activities);
Because we could not get groups to be in a Parade the effort that it took to
produce was channeled into a new activity which seems to be doing well.

Canceling the Parade and creating The Daytime activities were not without
their own controversy.  Moving the daytime events to the Eastside
Marketplace, where the weather could be controlled, was seen as taking
something away from Downtown, however, Downtown hasn't been involved in MG
planning for years nor did they participate in the Parade.  How many parents
would let their kids play in the street in Downtown Moscow in a March snow
storm?  That is why the event is now held in a climate controlled space.

If you are interested in joining the committee, volunteering, or want
information contact the current President of the Moscow Mardi Gras
Committee, Kathy Sprague at her place of business 892-9100, I am sure your
help will be appreciated.

Regardless of whether this issue was brought up on V2020, it has always been
the policy of the MG Board to NOT get into pissing matches in public.
Shelly has her ax to grind and she won't be happy until she destroys the
event and can remake it into her own personal profit center.  Now that is
sad.

Jerry L. Schutz
San Jose, Costa Rica
Life a Beach, and I'm loving it!

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Single-mindedness is all very well in cows or baboons; in an animal claiming
to belong to the same species as Shakespeare, it is simply
eful.        - Aldous Huxley
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