Mateel Announced Deal with High Times for Reggae on the River

Reggae on the River 2016 image

Reggae on the River 2016 image

The Board of the Mateel held a three hour meeting this evening in which a new fundraising effort was proposed and the Board announced a contract with High Times Magazine to produce Reggae on the River.

At the Mateel Board of Directors meeting, Darryl Cherney engaged the room with his fundraising proposal that was well received. He explained to them that he doesn’t need a title, but he needs authorization to act on behalf of the Mateel. And he said he needs staff or board to work with to help him direct his efforts in compliance with the Mateel’s existing bylaws and other rules the organization runs under. He was granted his needs and will begin the adopt a debt campaign forthwith.

The Board was already moving into ’truth and reconciliation’ mode which Cherney had said should be part of the fundraising campaign before he spoke. There was a palpable difference in tone.

Before Cherney spoke during the public comment period, the board heard more from the community of volunteers about their reluctance to talk to people.

During public comment, the crew who create the Kidlandia area of Summer Arts gave feedback about getting a “Dear Coordinator letter’ which was perceived by many in the community as summarily dispensing with the services of longtime workers. Board Secretary Anna Rogers read a letter from longtime Mateel member, and former board member Andrew Burnette, aka Burner. Burner’s letter also expressed frustration that he received one of the letters and asked how the Board can move forward if they don’t work with the community.

And then finally under new business, the Mateel Board of Directors decided it is going to enter a contract with High Times Magazine to produce Reggae on the River for 2018 at French’s Camp. The Board heartily thanked the Arthur Family for concessions made by them in the negotiation process. As yet, there aren’t many details available (See the press release from the Board below).

The news was disclosed in a manner that really highlighted the complexity of a public non profit raising funds by working in a business world as complex and contract driven as the music industry has become.

The Board was going to vote without a word of discussion because they have been meeting and negotiating the deal for 6 months…out of public earshot because of non-disclosure agreements.  But the Board wasn’t allowed to vote until it gave a lot of explanation about why.

All the Board revealed is the deal isn’t forever…so they aren’t selling Reggae on the River.

The Board also said the Mateel does not have to spend a cent to make Reggae happen this year. The new producer will take on all the fiscal responsibility.

Board Member Eryn Snodgrass seems truly pleased. Snodgrass feels it will be a well-needed infusion into the local economy that keeps Reggae “in its spiritual home at French’s Camp.”

author’s note

It should not be inferred by the reader that Darryl Cherney’s fundraising proposal was accepted in full by the Board of Directors.  The Board agreed to have Cherney work on the Adopt-a-Debt campaign, but did not adopt all Cherney’s recommendations.  

With regard to Cherney’s demand of ‘truth and reconciliation’ the Board is making progress, but it should be noted that the Board overall continues to struggle with how to meaningfully include the community in their process.

And finally, the public present at the meeting expressed reservations regarding the proposed Reggae on the River contract.

Press release from the Mateel Community Center:

Reggae on the River Festival Announces New Strategic Partnership with High Times

High Times Productions, Mateel Community Center Pair to Grow Iconic Music and Culture Celebration

REDWAY, CALIF. – March 21, 2018 – High Times Productions, the event-management team for High Times Media, today announced an exclusive partnership with the Mateel Community Center to breathe new life into the iconic Reggae on the River festival.

High Times will assume all responsibility for the upcoming festival’s talent lineup, marketing, and monetization efforts. The brand will also provide the Mateel Community Center with best practices learned from it’s long and successful production history in an effort to ensure the experience is on par with what the industry has come to expect from it’s premiere brand.

Reggae on the River is a beloved institution in the Northern California music and countercultural scene, and a natural fit for High Times,” said Adam Levin, CEO of High Times Media. “We already operate numerous music and lifestyle events across three continents and see Reggae on the River as an extraordinary addition to the amazing experiences we curate annually for tens of thousands of fans.”

The festival has been connected since 1984 to the Mateel Community Center in Redway, and held on land controlled by the Arthur family. Originally, it was a one-day musical event to raise money to replace Mateel’s hall, which had been destroyed in a fire.

Under the new partnership with High Times, the center will have the resources to continue growing and developing the festival, said Garth Epling, the MCC Board President.

Reggae on the River has been a treasured part of Northern California’s cultural scene for decades, and Mateel’s board has been committed to finding a long-term, sustainable partnership to ensure the festival thrives for years to come,” Epling said. “This High Times partnership ensures that Reggae on the River will remain a cornerstone of life in Humboldt county.”

High Times Productions produces a series of Cannabis Cup events annually as well as several other lifestyle and music events tied to High Times magazine, the oldest and best-known brand in the business of legalized marijuana. Given their production chops, knowledge of the landscape, and successful history in both events and media, High Times was the perfect partner for the Mateel Community Center. Reggae on the River marks an important step for High Times Production to manage a broader music event not explicitly tied to the legal cannabis industry, Levin said.

About Reggae on the River:

Reggae on the River is an annual music festival in Northern California, nestled along the south fork of the Eel river amongst the redwood trees. 34 years running, this cultural gathering has grown into North America’s premier live-reggae concert destination. Originally conceived as a fundraiser for the Mateel Community Center, the event has become known from Jamaica to Humboldt as the place to be on the first weekend in August. Visit us on the web at http://www.reggaeontheriver.com/

About Mateel Community Center:

The Mateel Community Center has fostered the arts in rural Northern California for approximately forty years. Serving as the cultural hub of the Southern Humboldt community, we provide arts, educational, and social service programs, and present a myriad of multicultural musical, theatrical, dance, comedy, film, craft, and rental events- earning our non-profit organization international acclaim.

Located in the town of Redway, CA, the Mateel Community Center hall is a showcase of fine woodworking, craftsmanship, and solar design that first opened in 1988. Owned and operated by the MCC, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, the Center is well utilized by the entire community and serves as a venue for both commercial and non-profit rentals, as well as in-house Mateel productions.

About High Times:

For more than 40 years, High Times has been the authoritative voice of authentic cannabis culture, leading the fight for legalization and empowering the burgeoning industry’s legal entrepreneurs. High Times content spans digital, social, video and print platforms as well as location-based events highlighted by the Cannabis Cup global franchise and the High Times Business Summit conference series. Visit us at HighTimes.com, and follow @HIGH_TIMES_Mag on Twitter, @hightimesmagazine on Instagram or like us on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/HIGHTIMESMag/

 

 

 

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148 Comments
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Susy Barsotti
Guest
Susy Barsotti
6 years ago

A perfect match.

Just maybe
Guest
Just maybe
6 years ago
Reply to  Susy Barsotti

Hope so Susy- hope it’s not ” takin candy from a ( broke) baby.

Diesel Dually
Guest
Diesel Dually
6 years ago
Reply to  Susy Barsotti

Listening to citizens is one thing. Strictly accounting for, and properly handling receipts and making sure the proceeds are deposited, and that the funds are applied to bills from creditors, is quite another.

The constituents of GBV/RDWY need to insist that “this is the absolute last chance” for the current leaders, and that appearances of impropriety, and fiscal irresponsibility, will be met with sanctions.

Watch carefully, folks, as I don’t think MCC is run by trustworthy people… Druggies, growers, and folks that think that “every time is time to get high”, probably should not be involved in NPO’s or businesses in general, as they do not have appear to have adequate moral structure or possess common social values…

dawni
Guest
dawni
6 years ago
Reply to  Diesel Dually

diesel dually. wow those are strong slanderous accusations about MCC BOD volunteers and staff. how many of those folks do you personally know or have you worked with? most were raised to be productive Working Employed citizens of this community.
I know most of them personally and would vouch they are quite the opposite of what you are saying about them. some of them don’t even smoke weed and/or hardly even drink!
they are trying to save MCC in honor of their elders that mostly started the place.
and you work where? what volunteer services have you afforded our community?

Sonia Baur
Guest
Sonia Baur
6 years ago
Reply to  Diesel Dually

You should have been at the meeting. Minimally, if you want to take a responsible place in your community you should take responsibility for you own words. What is your name?

Diesel Dually
Guest
Diesel Dually
6 years ago
Reply to  Sonia Baur

Interesting that you are so defensive. The pathetic self-pity and the tone of the excuses I am hearing whenever this subject comes up just makes me wonder how bad at business you have to be to make a half-million in receipts from a single event just disappear, leaving your NPO $350,000 in debt?

Do you have a defense against the specific idea that ROTR receipts, much of which is undoubtedly cash receipts, could have been misappropriated, never deposited, and never used to pay bills?

You are attacking the wrong people, and you could be defending the wrong ones too!

Fact is, the test of character here should not be measuring whether the doors are closed permanently. This is a business, NPO or not. It needs to be operated responsibly, or not at all.

PTnvSthS
Guest
PTnvSthS
6 years ago
Reply to  Diesel Dually

Diesel Dually,

Thank god. A voice of reason! I agree 100%. I’m consistantly amazed at the inpeptitude of RoRT financial management. I’ve experienced first hand the indelicacy of RotR budgeting and expense reconciliation.

When I confront RotR representatives about this glaring issue, I’m met with excuses and disdain. As if I’m somehow at fault for pointing out the inaccurate details of their poor bookkeeping.

MCC forever
Guest
MCC forever
6 years ago

High Times to produce RoR. Does the MCC benefit from this agreement?

kelley lincoln
Guest
kelley lincoln
6 years ago
Reply to  MCC forever

yes, but we do not know by how much.. Eryn Snodgrass said the Mateel will receive a good deal, but he couldn’t give details.

fuckwalterwhite.com
Guest
fuckwalterwhite.com
6 years ago
Reply to  MCC forever

I’d bet the river doesn’t benefit..

David
Guest
David
6 years ago

Dude it’s cool it’s gonna happen again but prepare for a terrible line up and almost prefictable amount of shitty vendors, bye ROTR, it will never be the same,

dan
Guest
dan
6 years ago
Reply to  David

Having a ‘do’ on the river at that time of year is environmentally indefensible .

Tragedy of the commons;

The Tragedy of the Commons is “a term used in social science to describe a situation in a shared-resource system where individual users acting independently according to their own self-interest behave contrary to the common good of all users.”

Lost Croat Outburst
Guest
Lost Croat Outburst
6 years ago
Reply to  dan

So you would have it in the winter or early spring, like right now? In this weather? Raging river? Specifics, please. “Tragedy of the Commons”?!? WTF are you talking about? Oh, OK, I have to be nice. Hating it. Please explain your solution if a summer festival held in the summer is problematic. Howzat?

Patriot in Willits
Guest
Patriot in Willits
6 years ago

If you actually read dan’s comment he actually explains precisely what the ‘Tragedy of the Commons’ is. Pay attention

J Dubbs
Guest
J Dubbs
6 years ago
Reply to  dan

Sure, Dando, it’s been going on for 30+ years, not a huge deal.

Sonia Baur
Guest
Sonia Baur
6 years ago
Reply to  David

What is your name?

fuckwalterwhite.com
Guest
fuckwalterwhite.com
6 years ago
Reply to  Sonia Baur

Slim Shady

Ding Dong
Guest
Ding Dong
6 years ago

Please stand up!

Patte Rae
Guest
Patte Rae
6 years ago

It would bring me great joy for High Time Production to see the benefit of going grass roots, using local non profits and old school Reggae music. I believe it would be wonderfully successful. It is a good coupling, excited to see what forthcomes. Special thank you to Darryl over seeing the fundraising. Also boost and recognition for so hum, a very important time for this!

Hmmm
Guest
Hmmm
6 years ago

Losers
Sellouts
Do little’s

Nice job

Sonia Baur
Guest
Sonia Baur
6 years ago
Reply to  Hmmm

What is your name?

fuckwalterwhite.com
Guest
fuckwalterwhite.com
6 years ago
Reply to  Sonia Baur

You spelled Baur wrong. It’s spelled B-A-U-R.

Katy Gray
Guest
6 years ago

#HumboldtHostsHighTimes

David
Guest
David
6 years ago

@ patte Rae, I hope your right. That would be optimal, no On said high times will be doing this Indefinitely

John Rose
Guest
John Rose
6 years ago

Why High Times? Partner up with Time/Warner and Reynolds Tobacco then there’s no ambiguity in the sell-out of the community

Humboldt local
Guest
Humboldt local
6 years ago

I’m excited to see what they do.
Reggae has needed help for a long time as it is.

I may actually go again

T
Guest
T
6 years ago

What’s gonna happen with all the volunteering?

I’m excited and scared to see how different it will be.

Farce
Guest
Farce
6 years ago

Cool- So there’s going to be corporate weed vendors setting up stands, right? Makes sense! Yay for the corporate takeover! We’re saved!!!

Tuffer Gong
Guest
Tuffer Gong
6 years ago

Los Angeles based Oreva Capital owner of High Times also owns LGBT magazines The Advocate and Out, it will be good to see how they navigate through the homophobia that is prevelant in reggae music.

Watchit
Guest
Watchit
6 years ago

MeSo fucking stupid. A buncha sell out like emerald family. Still no one takes responsibilities.. it’s the economy. Whatever. Weed was still 1300 a lb until this year. The mateel is full.of fake hippies and capatlist mongers who grew up with cool.parents who don’t even grow their own food anymore. Grass Roots my ass. wonder if they’ll hook up the neighbors? Don’t drink the Koo aid

Blah blah blah
Guest
Blah blah blah
6 years ago
Reply to  Watchit

$1300 a lb…
Your high..u need to stop drinking the kool-aid!

Watchit
Guest
Watchit
6 years ago
Reply to  Blah blah blah

Sorry you don’t have good friends.

Sonia Baur
Guest
Sonia Baur
6 years ago
Reply to  Watchit

To take responsibility, you need, first of all to have a name.

Adam Harrold
Guest
Adam Harrold
6 years ago
Reply to  Sonia Baur

Those who choose to are allowed to remain anonymous on Kym’s site. By demanding everyone’s name you are coming off as a bully. It’s great that you have the confidence to use yours. Not everyone wants to.

Sonia Baur
Guest
Sonia Baur
6 years ago
Reply to  Watchit

Yes I take responsibility for my words and my actions. Why don’t anyone, if they want to be taken seriously?

fuckwalterwhite.com
Guest
fuckwalterwhite.com
6 years ago
Reply to  Sonia Baur

Because your hippie tweeker neighbors might not like your anti-drug views.
And drug-users greatly outnumberer non-users here.

JoshSour
Guest
JoshSour
6 years ago

Wow! Our local fundraiser has been sold out to a corporate entity. Good Job MCC, you just couldn’t go a summer without a VIP wristband. My favorite part is that money, and not our community is now clear and simple the bottom line.

Besides I thought ROTR failed because the cost of Ganja went so low, or wait was it the taxes levied by the county that made people not be able to afford tickets?

Sonia Baur
Guest
Sonia Baur
6 years ago
Reply to  JoshSour

What is your name, and why were you not at the meeting?

Patriot in Willits
Guest
Patriot in Willits
6 years ago
Reply to  Sonia Baur

Sonia,

There is moral superiority in using your name online. Do not assume, for that matter, that people will magically becomemre. Honest or less troll-like if they do.

Patriot in Willits

E.B. Gaona
Guest
E.B. Gaona
6 years ago
Reply to  JoshSour

@JoshSour PREACH!

Ed Voice
Guest
Ed Voice
6 years ago

So who will have the justification to degrade the South Fork Eel with Reggae in the River wastewater this year? It’s always been the MCC in past years, they always play the “greater good” card to justify its existence. And someone needs to go before the Planning Commission and renew the conditional use permit since the old one expired in 2017. Wonder if High Times knows what they’re getting into…

I guess Reggae on the River is no longer a public benefit or non-profit fundraiser; it’s just another vulture capitalists festival to profit from and degrade the river, along with Northern Nights…

Sonia Baur
Guest
Sonia Baur
6 years ago
Reply to  Ed Voice

And whatever it is, nothing here will never meet your high standards for ? I hope you enjoy your new life in Lake County, and can bring the people there some positive help and energy.

Ed Voice
Guest
Ed Voice
6 years ago
Reply to  Sonia Baur

Yes, I have “high standards” and so should the Mateel and anyone else who operates Reggae on the River. For starters you can stop dumping 44,000 gallons of wastewater into on-site leachfields on the river bar. It raises the e-coli level in the river more than 3 times only during and after the event. Its from thousands of people taking showers everyday during Reggae. It needs to be collected and taken off-site to a licensed septic water treatment facility. You know karma is a bitch! What goes around comes around. Lets hope in another life, you don’t come back as an eel, chinook, steelhead or coho salmon in the South Fork Eel, that has to swim up past Reggae. If the Mateel is a real community organization, they have forgot about the wildlife community that calls the South Fork Eel its home. Maybe someone can remind the Mateel of the origin of its name…

concerned
Guest
concerned
6 years ago
Reply to  Ed Voice

Ed. Do you have time to contact the Nonprofit Division of the IRS at: (877) 829-5500 (toll-free number). The IRS call center is open 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Eastern Time. To see if it is even legal for a nonprofit to enter into a non disclosure agreement with a for profit company?

Ed Voice
Guest
Ed Voice
6 years ago
Reply to  concerned

concerned, not an easy question to answer. BTW, its the Exempt Organization Division (EO) of the IRS and you can email them any question you want: [email protected]

You can also email them on this form: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f13909.pdf

The Mateel EIN 94-2624598

To answer your question, sorry no. You can research your question with google. However, 501c3 organizations do form partnerships with for-profit businesses or form a for-profit subsidiary all the time. And there are allot of hoops they need to jump through; along with State and Federal laws that regulate them.

Just remember, all 501c3’s are required to disclose this information on their Federal 990 tax return and State RRF-! Financial Statement. And all 990 and RRF-1 forms are “OPEN TO PUBLIC INSPECTION”

https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/exempt-organization-public-disclosure-and-availability-requirements

Sonia Baur
Guest
Sonia Baur
6 years ago
Reply to  Ed Voice

Your comment is utter nonsense. Everybody exists, and there is an outfall of their existence where ever they are, and we deal with it as best they can. Like your family home on the South Fork of the Eel; you all consumed water on a system maintained and initiated by the late Dr. Phelps. You personally did nothing to help maintain that system, and your family was not happy with your interference in its maintenance.
Work at being a productive member of your community, where ever you are.

Ed Voice
Guest
Ed Voice
6 years ago
Reply to  Sonia Baur

Where do you get your facts, fortune cookie or cracker jacks? The house we owned at Rivercrest (1966-2015) had its own Mutual Water Co, that was put in by Jim Johnson when it was subdivided for 8 lots he sold there. Our water system/diversion and the Phelps were two completely different systems, just like the one for Pancoast

So when the Mateel dumps its wastewater at Reggae, it affects everybody and everything downstream.

“we deal with it as best they can”

So dumping the wastewater in the river bar is the “best” they can do? Outta sight, outta mind, right?

Ernestine
Guest
Ernestine
6 years ago
Reply to  Ed Voice

Good lord almighty. The leachlines catch grey water from the food vendors. There are no flush toilets nor industrial manufacturing onsite. Give it a rest please

Ed Voice
Guest
Ed Voice
6 years ago
Reply to  Ernestine

Ernestine, the majority of the wastewater generated from Reggae comes from the showers. And the river water testing shows the e-coli jumps from 2.0 before Reggae to 6.2 during and after Reggae.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B1qq4OlQcPfdNEJKRUR1NVoxNVE

You need to re-read what I said and read the link…

Sonia Baur
Guest
Sonia Baur
6 years ago
Reply to  Ed Voice

Please try to do something constructive for and in the community in which you now live. It can be a new start on life. Feel the positive “vibes” when you are working with people you like to help each other.

Scooter
Guest
Scooter
6 years ago

So lets double down on the belief that young concert goers want a Reggae/cannabis event. Rastafarianism is intolerant christian bullshit and the youth of today want very little to do with it. In addition no one needs a safe venue to smoke herb anymore, its legal. Did anyone do any marketing research on the demand for this kind of gig?

Sonia Baur
Guest
Sonia Baur
6 years ago
Reply to  Scooter

Why were you not at the meeting and what is your name?

Scooter
Guest
Scooter
6 years ago
Reply to  Sonia Baur

Being at that fucking meeting would have mattered not. The decision was decided already. They were not asking for input. They were announcing their decision. I have done more for the MCC than you have Dr Baur, and I am allowed my opinion.

Sonia Baur
Guest
Sonia Baur
6 years ago
Reply to  Scooter

I think you are wrong. (How would you know, if you were not there.) I’m sorry, I cannot connect “Scooter” to a face or name. Please help me.

fuckwalterwhite.com
Guest
fuckwalterwhite.com
6 years ago
Reply to  Sonia Baur

Read the content,not the author.
Would you skip a good sounding song because you didn’t know the artist?
Get off the internet if you can’t handle an anonymous perspective.

Ding Dong
Guest
Ding Dong
6 years ago
Reply to  Sonia Baur

Pete, and Repeat sat on a wall, Pete fell off. Who was left?

Ice
Guest
Ice
6 years ago
Reply to  Scooter

Just because it’s legal, doesnt mean people can smoke it wherever they want in public. May want to brush up on the current law on that…

Ed Voice
Guest
Ed Voice
6 years ago
Reply to  Ice

Good question “Ice”. Here is what State Parks recently said about it:

Cannabis sale or consumption is illegal in California State Parks. I am forwarding your inquiry to the superintendent for the region so that he can provide more detail to you.

Best regards

Dennis Weber, Manager
Communications Office/California State Parks
(916) 651-8724 /[email protected]
P.O. Box 942896, Sacramento, CA 942896-0001

And then this person emailed me back the same day:

State Parks will abide by the regulations set forth in Prop 64. Vendors will not be allowed to sell marijuana. State Parks would like to keep Summer Arts and Music Festival a family friendly event and limit it to vendors who represent Arts, Music, and Food and not the sale, production, and business aspect of marijuana. If you have any questions please email me.

Thanks,
Greg

Gregory J Hall
Supervising Ranger
Eel River Sector
North Coast Redwoods District
(707)247-3319 office

So do some of the SAMF Sponsors and vendors that represent the local cannabis industry know this?

The new 1960's
Guest
The new 1960's
6 years ago

Adam Levin

Chairman and CEO at HIGHTIMES

Greater Los Angeles Area
Venture Capital & Private Equity

Current

Oreva Capital Corp, HIGH TIMES

Previous

Vert Capital Corp, Bebo, Criterion Capital Partners

NYC ON THE RIVER
Guest
NYC ON THE RIVER
6 years ago

New York City has come to Redway.The event is still an Environmental crime-ridden Disaster.

Tuffest G ong
Guest
Tuffest G ong
6 years ago

No, Los Angeles, you’re stuck in the past just like the rest of Humboldt.

Sonia Baur
Guest
Sonia Baur
6 years ago

Why were you not at the meeting, and what is your name?

Notmyrealname
Guest
Notmyrealname
6 years ago
Reply to  Sonia Baur

How do u know they weren’t? How about stop attacking everyone that doesn’t use their real name. That’s be good.

WTF
Guest
WTF
6 years ago

Now we have a real entity to sue and hold responsible.Just more of the green rush mentality with advertising that will cause this event to trash the community and trash the river

Sonia Baur
Guest
Sonia Baur
6 years ago
Reply to  WTF

Why were you not at the meeting and what is your name?

Watchit
Guest
Watchit
6 years ago
Reply to  Sonia Baur

R u bored?

Hick
Guest
Hick
6 years ago

Maybe HT could help get the Eel River water back from Mendo. And Son. Counties.

Ayala Talpai
Guest
Ayala Talpai
6 years ago
Reply to  Hick

YESS!!

Anon Forrest
Guest
Anon Forrest
6 years ago
Reply to  Hick

Not speaking for HT of course, but we’ve been working on cutting the Eel Free for awhile, now. It’s patient work. Stay tuned.

Whiteman Idiot
Guest
Whiteman Idiot
6 years ago

So the mateel has high hopes for High Times to get them out of the financial shitshow they created for themselves by themselves. That’s not going to change the fact that people don’t have money to go to any sort of Reggae on any sort of river bed. High Times isn’t going to be able to help everybody financially that has been paying the county taxes for growing not to mention the Sacramento water board, Fish and Wildlife and all other agencies involved in the cash grab. It’s over! Another feeble attempt to drag out and along the inevitable shut down of the mateel. The turnout is going to be the same as last year if that. Trimmers are getting paid a hundred bucks per pound this year so there will be no extra funds for Coke and ecstasy hot rape on the river get it through your heads!

Sonia Baur
Guest
Sonia Baur
6 years ago
Reply to  Whiteman Idiot

Why weren’t you at the meeting, and what is your name?

Kim
Guest
Kim
6 years ago

The Ideals. Year one. ROTR
What along strange trip it has been.

Watchit
Guest
Watchit
6 years ago
Reply to  Kim

JWhite boys on heroin stealing another cultures music. Yes I. Please don’t use Robert Hunter words to describe reggae on the river. Reggae on the river and the mateel wish they had the roots that gd has, and the family, and the turn out..

Sonia Baur
Guest
Sonia Baur
6 years ago
Reply to  Watchit

So much interest. Why weren’t you at the meeting, and what is your name?

Ernestine
Guest
Ernestine
6 years ago
Reply to  Watchit

Rod was his own epic force for good around here. The people needed his voice then. His music and heart gave everyone courage in a scary time. Besides, there’s not a competition. It takes all the music to make a good life

Mattatat
Guest
Mattatat
6 years ago

Yo mateel your tickets cost more than pounds do. How about you do some adjusting on your price if you want to see a good turnout just saying

Veteran's Friend
Guest
Veteran's Friend
6 years ago
Reply to  Mattatat

Best comment on the thread💖

EyeRee
Guest
EyeRee
6 years ago

Well I am happy to hear thia festival may go on. I’ve had nothing but good experiences with it. All in all most people who attend are good, well meaning folks, that just come to share the good times and have fun. There have certainly been an influx of bad seeds recently that have tatnished it a bit. But I do think the original rootsy crowd of reggae lovers didnt fit that bill. If we can get back to that vibe and do it in a responsible, both fiscally and environmentally, way then I dont see why it cant be a win for everyone.

Mendocino Mamma
Guest
Mendocino Mamma
6 years ago

Hope that High Times was well informed. So many local issues,specific to the genre and environment. It’s a rough place for a “city” dweller to land and navigate. Security, the ever present “pirates” theving from camping areas, lack of power supplies and hygiene. It’s not as cut and dry as High Times may think…no pun intended. Hope they keep local staff and volunteers involved to keep the flavor and not be a complete takeover.

Jorge Cervantes
Guest
Jorge Cervantes
6 years ago

Having attended the High Times hemp extravaganja in Eugene Oregon in 1997. Where I hung with Jack Herer and Bill Conde the owner of the site. I can attest to HT capabilities to put on a great event for our community. Now if PB and Carol & Johnny B. Would come out of retirement you know this would be one for the history books. However hearing from the oldest vendors last year that it was not profitable for them I wonder if many won’t return this year. Reggae last year had a totally different vibe. There wasn’t many folks. Best of luck this year!

Perspective
Guest
Perspective
6 years ago

Puke! Everything about Hightimes sucks.

Yellow
Guest
Yellow
6 years ago

I hope this will work it will become a much different community without Mateel and and it’s Reggae festival I will cross my fingers for everybody and hope they can turn this around and make this the best Reggae year let’s hope the Reggae rainbow 🌈 respect and protect dose not get drained by a bunch of greedy goblins.

MCC forever
Guest
MCC forever
6 years ago

That must be one helluva agreement. How will be MCC benefit from this? Think of all the details. The RoR folks are going to have to train the HT folk in how to pull this off. There are so, so many details. For example, are the RoR staff and MCC board going to help HT navigate all the various permits and arrangements with the CHP and county? Will they be paid to do that? Will we get back the lower cost food booths for the local non profits? Will HT emphasize the environmental protection issues that come with our land and river and that happen with big festivals? Or are they going to be like the Outside Lands producers who seem okay with mountains of trash as long as they can sell another $12 plastic cup of beer. Is the MCC going to run the booze booth? I assume it’s going to be a big canna fest, which could come with its own set of issues. HT says they produce events on 3 continents. Wow. That is a huge enterprise if that can pull that off successfully. But I expect they have never pulled off a festival like our homespun RoR. Once again we are entrusting the board of the MCC to make the right decisions and not lead us down another money pit. I don’t have a lot of faith considering where we are now. But an influx of out of towners will help the local economy. So there is that.

John Rose
Guest
John Rose
6 years ago

I find a lot of hope in these comments. Unfortunately, ‘hope’ should never be a structural part of a business arrangement.

dawni
Guest
dawni
6 years ago

it would be nice to see all the nay sayers step up and do something productive than hide here and bully the volunteer BOD and long time dedicated staffers @ MCC.
can you put your service where your words are, implying you could do it better?
no matter what happens i won’t be attending as i was/am over ROTR years ago. i put in my time, long hours and overtime.
but i wish the best for a decent outcome.
yes, MCC forever, i would love to see less trash and environmental destruction all around also.

Koastdog
Guest
Koastdog
6 years ago
Reply to  dawni

Last 2 years cleanest reggae ever. Hands down no contest. Thank you board for your service and reggae recycle crew. The community said they didn’t want their community center to be a production company so this looks like they heard you

wants to know
Guest
wants to know
6 years ago

whut dey gonna tink up nex?

Sonia Baur
Guest
Sonia Baur
6 years ago

Wow. I was at the Mateel meeting last night, feeling lonely, but it seems many nameless people actually are interested. Why weren’t you at the board meeting, expressing yourselves? Why don’t you have names? Take responsibility for your words, at least.

kaivalya
Guest
kaivalya
6 years ago
Reply to  Sonia Baur

I didn’t know about the meeting otherwise I would’ve attended.
Their webpage lists meeting dates and locations for 2017. http://mateel.org/the-mateel/

How did you know about the meeting, Sonia?

kaivalya
Guest
kaivalya
6 years ago
Reply to  kaivalya

And why is attending the meeting the only way to give input, Sonia? There are lots of ways to communicate with the Board besides attending a meeting. And it looks like they’ve made up their minds about the big stuff anyways.

When they address long time volunteers with “Dear Coordinator” letters and others not at all – it doesn’t really give the impression that they are willing to take time for thoughtful consideration.

Personally I don’t use my real name online because my experiences with retaliation and bullies – and I’m not even saying mean things like some of the others.

Whole Mateel
Guest
Whole Mateel
6 years ago
Reply to  kaivalya

The meeting was announced the day before (for other reasons) RIGHT HERE on RHBB!
The Board now meets EVERY TUESDAY, even though the Board (populated by capable people with busy lives) generally only meets monthly, if that. The frequency that the Board now meets is one way of knowing that BOARD MEMBERS ARE DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS who are working, as best they can, to move the MCC forward.
BTW. The Board vote for the planned deal with High Times was UNANIMOUS (with most in the audience at the meeting agreeing)!

kaivalya
Guest
kaivalya
6 years ago
Reply to  Whole Mateel

I was addressing Sonia’s badgering but thanks for chiming in “Whole Mateel”, you seem like you are in-the-know. I never meant to indicate I wasn’t appreciative of the board members, I tell them so personally every chance I get. And despite being an anonymous commenter, I don’t actually troll the blogs everyday, not my style.

What’s with the all caps? You seem upset.

I’m glad the MCC Board is unanimously confident about their deal, I can’t wait to learn more about it. So the next meeting is April 17 at the hall?

Whole Mateel
Guest
Whole Mateel
6 years ago
Reply to  kaivalya

Thanks for your reasoned reply.
I use ALL CAPS when I want to emphasize a point (can’t bold words here), but mainly to catch the eye of the reader toward the most important part (of what I am wanting to communicate), or one that I hope will draw them in to my point. Am not “upset”. No. But admittedly, do use CAPS sometimes as a way to say “duh!” between the lines. 😉
I will keep thanking the Board members. Glad you are doing that too. It’s a serious commitment they have made!

Sonia Baur
Guest
Sonia Baur
6 years ago

What is your name?

Dick
Guest
Dick
6 years ago
Reply to  Sonia Baur

At least its not “Sonia”

Richard Eastman
Guest
Richard Eastman
6 years ago

High Times owner is a greedy bastards! Free the weed and end corporate greed! Richard Eastman and friends of medical marijuana in Hollywood California is praying for you to know that they are only interested in the money!

Poster formerly known as Matt
Guest
Poster formerly known as Matt
6 years ago

FWIW, I recommend they move it to mid-July. The first weekend of Aug is too close to Outside Lands. They need a few weeks of separation.

Sonia Baur
Guest
Sonia Baur
6 years ago

Wow. I was at the Mateel meeting last night, feeling lonely, but it seems many nameless people actually are interested. Why weren’t you at the board meeting, expressing yourselves? Why don’t you have names? Take responsibility for your words, at least.

Poster formerly known as Matt
Guest
Poster formerly known as Matt
6 years ago
Reply to  Sonia Baur

FWIW “Sonia”, I don’t live in the area. Nor was my comment criticism.

commenter
Guest
commenter
6 years ago

High Times and Daryl?
this will not end well…
(What is my name?)

Sonia Baur
Guest
Sonia Baur
6 years ago
Reply to  commenter

People who cannot take responsibility for their own words have no part in a responsible discussion of the problem.

Scooter
Guest
Scooter
6 years ago

Wow, Sonia is on a righteous crusade against anonymity. Why?

Sonia Baur
Guest
Sonia Baur
6 years ago
Reply to  Scooter

Yes indeed. What is your name?

Everyone wants to hold the Mateel Board to a high standard; they are people with names who are taking responsibility for what they do and they invite you to their meetings on the 3rd Tuesday of every month. I hope to see you there next month, if you are truly concerned.

Who are you blobs who cannot take responsibility for even your own words. Why bother typing blah blah, if you are not personally proud of your thoughts and words?

Adam Harrold
Guest
Adam Harrold
6 years ago
Reply to  Sonia Baur

If a comment is valid it’s source makes no difference. The truth is the truth. Facts are facts. Opinions are opinions and everyone gets to have them.

JD
Guest
JD
6 years ago

I don’t think Sonia has the proper attitude to post in the threads. 😉 She expects people to actually identify themselves before voicing an opinion, unbelievable.

Sonia Baur
Guest
Sonia Baur
6 years ago
Reply to  JD

That’s a joke, right? And what is your name?
Before, during or afterwards will do. How can I take your opinion any more seriously than you do?
If you cannot take responsibility for what you say, why should I, or anyone else be interested?
I can be “flip”, but I think these are serious local problems that we (locally) have an obligation to work out in a productive manner.

JD
Guest
JD
6 years ago
Reply to  Sonia Baur

Get a grip. Cut out the holier than thou B.S. So you went to the meeting, big whoop. It’s not like anything of substance was achieved. They are still hundreds of thousand of dollars in debt and haven’t made any progress in months. If they are exceedingly lucky they will make $100K off the event when all is said and done without going into whether this corporate takeover is a good thing for the community or not. I hope D.C. is able to succeed in his efforts at fundraising, I really do. But that is a lot of money in today’s depressed SoHum economy.

And by the way, I’ve contributed to making this a better community for 30+ years now and still contribute my time and energies but just because you have the luxury of posting under your own name, those of us who have experienced the vicious backlash against our good intentioned community efforts by the “old timers and arrogant green rushers” are not afforded the same luxury.

commenter
Guest
commenter
6 years ago

Sonia is an upstanding citizen, the rest of us denizens have been hiding for years, therefore, still hiding. But I agree, anonymous people shouldn’t trash others viciously here.
Someday we shall emerge from behind the
green fog and honestly stand up for ourselves!
(Until then, what is my name?)

Redwood County Mama
Guest
Redwood County Mama
6 years ago

Wow, an Los Angeles based CEO, Adam Levin, and a NYC Senior Editor, Danny Danko, born in Russia. Kiss any local control good bye. Kiss any any benefit at all to local non-profits outside of the Mateel farewell. How many times have urban gang-bangers ripped off locals trying to market their crop? Anyone remember Johnny Pemberton? Well, we are really ripe for a hostile takeover now. Will volunteer firefighters still be expected to keep our community safe during the driest time of the year when we are flooded with concert goers who are ignorant about living in the woods? Remember they will come from afar for a good time and then they will go back home. Where do you think the tickets will be sold? At the MCC? Probably not. Richardson Grove and Piercy do not have much of anything in the way of community resources. Yet, these neighbors will be heavily impacted with virtually nothing to gain and everything to lose. Who will come when the call for mutual aid goes out? Will you???? Concern should be more for protecting our homes and families first. We are saving the Mateel at what cost??????

Farce
Guest
Farce
6 years ago

What is your name?!!!! You can’t say anything without a name!!!! You dare speak without A NAME????!!!!!! HOW DARE you have an opinion!!!! Were YOU even at THE meeting??!! WHAT IS YOUR NAME NAME NAME NAME NAME????!!!!!!!!!!

Life is Good
Guest
Life is Good
6 years ago

I would like to hear C.H.U.M.P.’s take on this debacle.

Farce
Guest
Farce
6 years ago
Reply to  Life is Good

But…BUT…He/She has no known gender! It’s disgraceful!! And, even more importantly…. NO NAME!!!! NOOOO NAME!!!!!!

Loren
Guest
Loren
6 years ago

Wow. Such a heated subject with a lot of opinions, mostly by nay Sayers. To this I comment, because I care:
Remember the original intent of the show: bring in money from outside the county into the county to fund the rebuilding of a community center, built by well intended people for community, and destroyed by haters (rednecks) by arson, and then transmogrified into the income for the year for operating costs and funding all the local non profits like center for battered women… because APPARENTLY, there was a big need for that due to a lot of a-holes beating up their women, etc…. so with today’s economic reality, as in a flooded concert festival market akin to the flooded green rush market, (lol), having all your eggs in one basket that exists on the small margin of a sell out event may not be the best model. Be that as it may, the BOD must find a way to finance that end. Must pay back the debt. Must continue the mission. Still, times being what they are, maybe the mission is outdated? Feeding the homeless in MY similar town is enabling drug addicts to hang out and pan handle for drugs and alcohol. I, like others in my community are OVER THAT!!! These enabled derelicts camp on my property, vandalize my trucks, cars, buildings, sleep under my containers, crap on my doorstep, disassemble my truck fuel system so they can steal my gas, and steal whatever else isn’t nailed down. I can totally sympathize with those who feel that Mateel should quit this expense. Still, ROTR is an institution, but as Warren Smith from SNWNF states, “if you don’t watch your $ then you are paying for everybody else to have a big party!” And so… if High Times will give the Mateel what they need to survive and sustain continuance of business, which is NO EASY TASK, then mission accomplished financially. For HT, there are worse entities out there in your neighborhood who would do this with careless disregard for the community and Mateel, just to steal the $ by skimming. As for these types of entities, HT can write off any losses with careless disregard. Can Mateel? Obviously not. HT has already proven the capability to make the show be fun. Will it be successful? Who cares as long as Mateel succeeds financially! Mission accomplished! HT will obviously do their best to offer a show that stays true to formula for the hopes that ROTR will be a success again (since there won’t be any parties in Oregon for moon shadow chasers for another 300+ years), and HT will do their best for maintaining the vibes, but will do whatever they think sells tickets. If that means ROTR becomes Raver On The River, then that’s what it will be. Those of us who don’t like EDM will avoid it like the plague. But if it accomplishes the financial goal, then it’s a win. You can’t tell me that every member of the Mateel community loves Reggae? Why not a Willie Nelson On The River??? If your concerns are that the festival is not going to be the same, then head south to Sierra Nevada World Music Festival. I’m sure Warren and Gretchen would love your $ for their for-profit enterprise. They lost $ last year like everybody did due to moon shadow chasing… as for me, I am the sound company. I have been a loving part of this festival and community since number 3. I have done my best to serve the Mateel and the community and the ticket buyers from day one giving you all record quality sound services above and beyond. But we do that for everybody. I truly hope that ROTR continues successfully for years to come and that we are a part of it. In my home town of nevada city/Grass Valley, WE DONT HAVE A MATEEL COMMUNITY CENTER! I love the Humboldt experience and people and the vibes or ROTR and summer arts! You also should cherish that! It’s uncommon! You wanna help? Donate time, and money. They need it. If you don’t, then stfu. Buy tickets and attend! It’s your artistic community! Support it! Think you can do better? Then CONTRIBUTE! Keeping this alive is NOT EASY! That’s why Nirvana Silly doesn’t have anything like it! Nor Placer. Nor Mendo, nor Fake, Excemento, Yolo, Dildorado, Slamadoor, San Joaquin, San Frandisco, Some-mo’- Mah, Contra Costa, Marin, etc! You’re IT! So lighten up on those who would help out at great expense and labor. They are taking on a HUGE endeavor under the worst possible circumstances! Community involvement is community evolvement! (Open Mike Meals, Assistant director, Nevada County Social Science Dept, 1981).

Koastdog
Guest
Koastdog
6 years ago
Reply to  Loren

Are you a life time member?

I know me
Guest
I know me
6 years ago

A few years back High Times did their Cannabis Cup at the Sonoma Co Fairgrounds (home of Emerald Cup). They trashed the place and left so much trash that they were not allowed back!! Did anyone listen to the KMUD news report of the meeting? I heard Board member Pleasure Strange say that SAMF has made more money than ROTR for the last 20 yrs. 20 yrs ago MCC got $250,000 for ROTR. SAMF has NEVER made that kind of money. WHY the blatant lies? What else are we being lied about? Sorry but I can’t swallow the kool aid.

kelley lincoln
Guest
kelley lincoln
6 years ago
Reply to  I know me

To be clear, what Pleasure said was that Summer Arts is a better place for local non-profits to raise funds than Reggae has been for the last two decades. I’m not claiming that she’s accurate in that statement either, but it is a better reflection of what she said.

Loren
Guest
Loren
6 years ago

From what I understand, SAMF sells upward of 8,000 tickets. The costs to put it on pales in comparison. That money is what was used for putting on ROTR. I wouldn’t be the person to know these things but I’m pretty sure nobody is lying. Nobody is skimming, nobody is stealing. This group of people has been very careful to maintain the integrity “that was lost during years of the last dominions last days”. (That point can be argued either way depending on who you listen to). The point is, these folks are doing their best to keep your community center alive in what has become a hostile environment. FOR YOU, the community, so you have a place for the arts. Everybody has their hands out, including me! I get paid to bring the sound and I love my work, and I give a special Mateel discount nobody else gets because I love the PEOPLE that make up the Mateel staff and the Mateel community. Summer arts and music festival is so you HAVE a place for your local artists to showcase their arts and your local musicians to perform their music, and for your kids to perform their dance that you have been paying for the lessons, and so we can all meet once a year for 2 days of the celebration of summer and arts and crafts being alive and well, and eat great food and drink libations and rejoice that we actually have a culture! Art and music and cuisine defines a culture! And as I’ve said, I don’t see that anywhere else. The worst thing that can happen here is you are going to LOSE that. If the center closes due to bankruptcy then you will all morn the loss of something truly special. You will not realize just how much you loved it, and miss it until it’s gone. Maybe that’s what you nay sayers need? Feel the burn? I’ve been divorced 3 times! I know the burn! (Sorry for THAT morose statement!) 😀 Anyway, quit being so negative is my advise and go to a meeting with the honest and honerable intention to HELP. Or not, and “watch her walk out the door!”

Sold out
Guest
Sold out
6 years ago
Reply to  Loren

Okay I agree with you but anyone who really knows good homegrown food knows there are few options at summer arts let alone so hum in general.

Ed Voice
Guest
Ed Voice
6 years ago
Reply to  Loren

Yeah, they might only sell 8000 to 10,000 tickets, but they also sell and cash in on event parking, craft vendor $ food booths, craft vendor parking on site, Early Bird check-in, sponsorship and advertising space income (without paying state or federal income tax), just sayin!

https://issuu.com/mateel/docs/mateel-2017-sponsor-web

https://issuu.com/mateel/docs/samf-2017-guide-web

Please don’t try and BS people into believing the MCC only produces SAMF to bring local people together and at best break even on the deal. Shut the front door!

kelley lincoln
Guest
kelley lincoln
6 years ago
Reply to  Ed Voice

Why in the world would you want another town’s Community Center to shut its door?

Ed Voice
Guest
Ed Voice
6 years ago
Reply to  kelley lincoln

The MCC is regulated by the state, not Humboldt County. As a 3rd generation resident of California; someone who was raised, grew up, defended his country and called Garberville his hometown, I am exercising my first amendment right of free speech.

Please read the following founding documents of the MCC that have been submitted to the state over the years and let me know if they are abiding by their own bylaws, articles of incorporation, mission statement and amendments. Then ask me that question again…

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1zQr7kFklX1jjYCbo0ZLon2Lg22Uqg0WN

kelley lincoln
Guest
kelley lincoln
6 years ago
Reply to  Ed Voice

If they were doing every single thing wrong, I would ask you the same question. Why would you want to close down a community center?
That remains the question.

Ed Voice
Guest
Ed Voice
6 years ago
Reply to  kelley lincoln

1. just because you put the words “community center” in the title, doesn’t make it one!
2. Who said “close down”, not me, I think that was you.
3. “If they were doing every single thing wrong, I would ask you the same question.”; then you just answered your own question.

You have a conflict of interest, since you are a member of the same organization you are being paid to report on.

kelley lincoln
Guest
kelley lincoln
6 years ago
Reply to  Ed Voice

You said, “Shut the front door!”

As far as conflict of interest. This is a small town. There’s some conflict somewhere everywhere here. But I am not on a jury. I am not an attorney. I am giving people who are curious an idea of what went on at a meeting. If my story raises questions, you can take the time to read the minutes or go to the next meeting or call a Board Member.

Ed Voice
Guest
Ed Voice
6 years ago
Reply to  kelley lincoln

Yes, I said “Shut the front door” and you turned that into “close down”!

So you are not a journalist or news reporter? “small town” news publications doesn’t comply to journalism ethics and standards?

Kym Kemp
Admin
6 years ago
Reply to  kelley lincoln

Ed, please try to stop savagely slashing in all directions. Kelley is a member of the Mateel. I donate space to the Mateel because I believe in it. But Kelley writes and I also post stories about it.

I also report on Caltrans even though my husband works there. I report on the Mendocino Sheriff’s Department even though Tom Allman and I were in student government together at South Fork. I posted about my own brother’s arrest. It’s a small town. If I were to refuse to report on anything I wasn’t connected to, I’d have blank pages. If you don’t think we report ethically, you are free to go elsewhere. This is a media-rich area.

However, if you have a concern about something specific Kelley is doing or not doing in her reports then speak up clearly about the problem. Stop generally attacking her for being unethical simply because she is reporting on something she cares about. In my opinion, she is doing a more intensive examination of what is happening at the Mateel and better all-around coverage than any other reporter around.

Also, if you meant something different than closing down the Mateel by your statement “Shut the front door,” then explain yourself–Kelley isn’t the only person who took your statement to mean that.

Ed Voice
Guest
Ed Voice
6 years ago
Reply to  kelley lincoln

1. I did not initiate the conversation with Ms. Lincoln.
2. I made the mistake thinking what Ms. Lincoln’s reporting was investigative in nature and it ends up being a “nothing to see here” story(s) about the MCC debt.
3. I thought the news media in the SoHum wanted answers, wanted to report on the facts about the MCC debt.

Here is a pic of page 1/part 1 of the 2015 MCC 990 tax return. Please note the ‘Prior Year’ (2014) and ‘Current Year’ (2015) totals; Revenue. Expenses and Net Assets or Fund Balances.

What I find interesting is line 12, line 15, line 18, line 19 and 21.

As for Line 15 (Salaries, other compensation, employee benefits) who was paid $567,354.00 in 2014 and $612,138.00 in 2015?

As for Line 21 (Total liabilities, which is another word for debt); so who did the MCC owe money to for $490,250.00 in 2014 and $534,671.00 in 2015. BTW were both great attendance years for Reggae?

IMHO, I believe you believe “she is doing a more intensive examination of what is happening at the Mateel and better all-around coverage than any other reporter around.”

It’s not brain salad surgery or rocket science to figure out what happened, just follow the money and do the math, numbers don’t lie…

Ed Voice
Guest
Ed Voice
6 years ago

As of this week (March 19, 2018) the public now knows the MCC made $2,564,299.00 in gross income for 2016. Without seeing their 990 tax return, the public has no idea where that income was used. And remember, they are exempt from State and Federal income tax.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1iDuC0v4oxerb2v8KmmdLxnTPmHRUUIun

Where is the 2016 990 tax return? And it looks like they will need to prepare another financial audit ($10K) since they made over $2M in gross receipts for 2016.

Sonia Baur
Guest
Sonia Baur
6 years ago
Reply to  Ed Voice

I am waiting to hear a construct word from you, ever. There is nothing that any community organization has ever done that you don’t like. It’s a mind-set.

Adam Harrold
Guest
Adam Harrold
6 years ago
Reply to  Sonia Baur

Sonia – Since you seem to be so well informed, perhaps you can answer an unanswered question I posed in the comments on an earlier MCC story. Was money stolen or just grossly mismanaged?

kelley lincoln
Guest
kelley lincoln
6 years ago
Reply to  Adam Harrold

No one is answering you because it is such a loaded question. No one stole a dime.
The answer resides in the Mateel having operated on “hopes and dreams” in my observation. It seems that after 2014, the Board just kept thinking to themselves “all we need one more good year” and everything will be right again.

And Justin Crellin, the General Manager at the time, explained back in September that infrastructure expenses just kept growing.

https://kymkemp.com/2017/09/20/mateel-community-center-reveals-the-extent-of-its-financial-crisis/

Ed Voice
Guest
Ed Voice
6 years ago
Reply to  kelley lincoln

Wow! So in your “observation” a multi-million dollar charitable and public benefit organization should only operate with “hopes and dreams” and not with ethics, values, responsibility, transparency, accountability, standards, integrity and respect?

How come Justin never once stopped or questioned the “infrastructure expenses” until after the fact and it all came to a head? And who was accountable for that spending?

IMHO, any 501c3 tax exempt organization that puts all of its “hopes and dreams” in what you are calling “all we need one more good year and everything will be alright”, should not be operating a multi-million dollar tax exempt organization, with control over public donations and public funding, period!

kelley lincoln
Guest
kelley lincoln
6 years ago
Reply to  Ed Voice

‘should?!’
Where did i say they should or shouldn’t do anything, Ed?

Ed, you are absolutely no fun to talk to. It’s not that your questions have no merit, but you don’t ever relax.

Another member of my community asked a question. I gave my observation. I’m certainly not on the inside circle….but i have been around a while. I watch and I listen. And that is what I think happened.

And it seems I need to point out to you that I’m a reporter, not an activist. When i report on you being at a GSD meeting or something, i do not say whether your ideas and/or actions are good or bad. I just say what i saw and heard.

That is the cornerstone of “objectivity.”

The comment is ‘editorial’ because I state emphatically that nobody stole anything. Obviously we need the last audit to prove that, but everything we’ve seen, including the poor attendance at the last two years of Reggae, support the ‘no one made off with millions’ theory.

As far as my comments about what did happen, Mateel Board Members are going to see it as an accusation. You see it as a defense. It’s neither.

You will, of course, have the last word. My refusal to respond to any more on this thread does not imply me agreeing with whatever accusation you make next.

Ed Voice
Guest
Ed Voice
6 years ago
Reply to  kelley lincoln

“The comment is ‘editorial’ because I state emphatically that nobody stole anything. Obviously we need the last audit to prove that, but everything we’ve seen, including the poor attendance at the last two years of Reggae, support the ‘no one made off with millions’ theory.”

When did it change from “poor attendance” in 2017, to “poor attendance at the last two years of Reggae”?

And to answer your question, we have seen the “last audit” (2015) and it begs the question:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1NRdJwaCFcuDPqEDWVELoYF33HxaE2m_1

Where did the millions of dollars go and who got paid? When will we see the tax return and financial audit for 2016?

kelley lincoln
Guest
kelley lincoln
6 years ago
Reply to  Ed Voice

You are just playing dumb, and you don’t carry it off well.

To earn $200,000 to fund its operations, the Mateel rolled a few million dollars through the economy. That money shows on their books, but it wasn’t earnings. They pulled in advertisement dollars and paid bands, police, equipment rental and a thousand other things.

And then the music stopped.

Ed Voice
Guest
Ed Voice
6 years ago
Reply to  Ed Voice

Through the economy? Who’s economy?

The MCC has not made their 2016 990 tax return public. However, here are the 2013, 2014 and 2015 990 tax return(s). Please point out where it states, i.e. “and paid bands, police, equipment rental and a thousand other things.”? Who are the “thousand other things”?

http://www.guidestar.org/FinDocuments/2013/942/624/2013-942624598-0af7171c-9.pdf

http://www.guidestar.org/FinDocuments/2014/942/624/2014-942624598-0c45c993-9.pdf

http://www.guidestar.org/FinDocuments/2015/942/624/2015-942624598-0d980e7f-9.pdf

All of these tax forms have blank pages where the MCC could have documented who was paid and they did not. Its called transparency…

Sold out
Guest
Sold out
6 years ago
Reply to  kelley lincoln

You don’t know that Kelly. You may think everyone at the mateel is kind folk, but the ugly truth is showing itself. Almost a million in debt? But they made 2? And what about the pond? Why was it empty on Thursday last year at reggae on the river
Makes no sense.

kelley lincoln
Guest
kelley lincoln
6 years ago
Reply to  Sold out

I will take those questions in reverse order. If you do not like the logic of my answer, please take it up with County and with DFW. They issue permits, not me.
The permit has language about the pond being emptied by a certain time of the year for a certain period of time. The reason is to interrupt the life cycle of invasive species, bullfrogs as an example. The use of the pond was for dust control and watering the grass in the dance area–which is basically dust control also.

It also seeps water into the river until it gets emptied each year. If you don’t like the timing or the language in the permit, take that up with the permit issuers. I’m just telling you an answer.

I cannot say with facts yet, what happened financially. I, like everyone else, have to wait for the audit. You can get that audit much more quickly if you donate the $10,000 fee the Board says it needs to pay the auditor to write the thing. And then there is another giant filing fee. (I’m not looking at my notes on the fee, but they are big.)

Nonetheless, I have worked with budgets. When you have a business, which a non-profit is a business, there are revenue,expenses and income.

The Mateel’s budget is enmeshed with Reggae’s. In hindsight, we can clearly see that it should not have been.
Nonetheless, Reggae had huge expenses, paid for with a large revenue, but it netted a relatively small income. Reggae, in really rough numbers, spent two million dollars to net–that is the “make” part–a couple hundred thousand.

200,000 is a boat load of money until you divide it by 10 employees. then it’s only 20k apiece. the Mateel had other Income besides Reggae. But you can see their budget was not as fat as it appears. One can say the Mateel shouldn’t have had so many employees or shouldnt have done a host of things. I’m not putting my opinion on it, I;m just saying this is what was.

Reggae was hugely expensive to operate. yes, it generated lots of money movement (revenue), but most of it went out into the community for police, potties, and hotels for the bands and a host of other stuff (expenses.) The Mateel got 10% when they succeeded (income).

when they failed, they lost a half million dollars in one fell swoop and they had already been in debt from “living on hopes and dreams” instead of a nice tight budget. and so they were already $200,ooo down.

foolish? human? that is for each reader to decide.
the only thing i’m saying is it doesn’t appear to be theft or graft or anything in that vein.

Ed Voice
Guest
Ed Voice
6 years ago
Reply to  kelley lincoln

“If you do not like the logic of my answer, please take it up with County and with DFW. They issue permits, not me. The permit has language about the pond being emptied by a certain time of the year for a certain period of time.”

With all due respect Kelley Lincoln, let me set the record straight:

1. The $50k rainwater catchment pond (approx 780,000 gallons) that was created in the fall of 2015 and was never issued a permit by DFW. There is no language on paper that would mitigate its use (according to Michael G. van Hattem (DFW)).

2. There was a permit pulled thru the County Building Dept (# 15-1078-X-3). However, no language to mitigate its use, i.e. “bullfrogs” (according to David N. Lindberg, aka Lindberg Geologic Consulting)

3. Not even the MCC lead consultant/PE for Reggae, Steve Salzman (Greenway Partners), knew anything about the rainwater catchment pond. In an email (Aug 7, 2017) he stated:

“I was not really involved with the event this year. Helped them get permits for the stage etc. Watched the bridge go in but didn’t go to the show. Don’t know about the pond.”

4. However, what we do know and what is documented; is that on July 26, 2017 (1 week before Reggae) the County Health Dept made an onsite inspection at Reggae (French’s Camp) and according to Melissa Richard (in an email from Amanda Ruddy), the rainwater catchment pond was empty.

So the $50,000 question would be; how did the MCC mitigate dust control at Reggae 2017, before during and after the event (as required in their EIR/CUP), when there was no water in the 780,000 rainwater catchment pond? Where did all that water go?

BTW, the rainwater catchment pond doesn’t “It also seeps water into the river until it gets emptied each year.” It has a plastic liner.

As far as your narrative and opinion about the MCC financial and debt; ignorance of the law is no excuse. But I would like to know more about the Mateel using public donations and funding for:

“hotels for the bands and a host of other stuff (expenses.)”

Non-profit revenue is the amount of cash generated by an organization; either through contributions, memberships, fundraising events, and fees that are considered primary to its operation. Non-profit revenue is reflected in its Statement of Activities, the equivalent of a for-profit’s income statement, and its Statement of Financial Position.

Non-profit revenue falls into three categories: restricted, temporarily restricted, and unrestricted. Restricted and temporarily restricted monies are considered principal and can be restricted by either their purpose or time constraint. Unrestricted monies are all other revenues brought in by the organization.

The non-profit equivalent of income is reflected in its net assets. Net assets are recorded in a non-profit’s Statement of Financial Position and Statement of Activities and reflect the organization’s revenues minus expenses and losses. An organization’s expenses may include the amount of resources used to carry out its programs (known as program expenses) and/or the amount of resources used for fundraising and management (known as support expenses). Therefore, a non-profit’s income, reflected in its net assets, is its revenue minus its expenses and losses.

Simply put, a non-profit’s revenue is the amount of cash it generates, and its income is the amount of cash it generates minus its expenses and losses. Revenues and incomes are recorded in a non-profit’s Statement of Financial Position and Statement of Activities, which together detail the organization’s financial health. Which in the case of the MCC is questionable.

Ed Voice
Guest
Ed Voice
6 years ago
Reply to  Sonia Baur

Who’s to say what I’m sayin isn’t constructive, and Thanks for asking…

Dragonfly
Guest
Dragonfly
6 years ago

After puting some thought to this recent announcement I am vehemently against High Times being involved. Our community is already in crisis. The crime rates are astronomical. Businesses closing because we have no economy. Substandard services and a BOS facilitating cultural, economic and environmental genocide.
The MCC has negotiated a deal with an entity who has had no relationship with non profits and helping unique communities like ours. Except for Cannabis, how does this magazine reflect our values? Explain how this magazine has addressed environmental denigration? Wildlife loss and missing persons? Women abductions and Mafias? I am at a loss how this relationship is beneficial to the community.
The MCC is refusing to act as a Non Profit. Their thinking is more drug dealing. High Times is all about being High. The level of consciousness at this event will be at a High Times low. More addicts, criminals, gangsters and transients in our small rural communities. The burden again placed on the residents to deal with the overflow of losers who have nothing to bring but more emotional distress in our lives.
The MCC has NOT embraced the local non profits nor have they been entirely truthful regarding the predicament they have seemed to put the entire community in. The back room negotiations for several months demonstrates this.
The MCC should have worked with the HAF and formed a collaborative relationship with the local non profits and businesses. There are plenty of volunteers in the non profit realm who would gladly offer their services. High Times taking over negates DC”s fundraising efforts and any desire for loyal, caring, conscious community members to be part of. The MCC has sold out the community and failed to follow it’s original vision.

HitandRun
Guest
HitandRun
6 years ago
Reply to  Dragonfly

Where’s Justin now that he drove the Mateel in this direction ?

Ed Voice
Guest
Ed Voice
6 years ago
Reply to  HitandRun

It seems Justin has not left the MCC staff; according to this report on KMUD News by Kelley Lincoln below (1:20 on the counter); Crellin will be “booking the performers for Summer Arts”. So will he be a paid consultant, paid entertainment coordinator or paid booking agent?

https://soundcloud.com/kmudnews/mateel-community-center-board-looks-forward-to-summer-arts-and-music-festival

kelley lincoln
Guest
kelley lincoln
6 years ago
Reply to  Ed Voice

He left the staff. He still lives here. He’s still a Mateel member. He can help if he wants to.

Ed Voice
Guest
Ed Voice
6 years ago
Reply to  kelley lincoln

Do you know if he will be paid to “help”?

Sold out
Guest
Sold out
6 years ago

What businesses are closing? I still see the same old hustle and bustle of new trucks and bags if dirt every day I’m in town…

Jamaica legend Earl Zero
Guest

Hi reggae on the river this is reggae Ambassada Jamaica legend Earl Zero o would love to play this year at reggae on the river.