Reggae: Past, Present and Future

Greetings to all

My name is Sam Safier and I am the former Production Director and Stage Crew Coordinator for Reggae on the River. I was a tech on the Stage Crew previous to that, a Band Shuttle driver previous to that, a Site Crew worker previous to that and a paying patron before all of that. I grew up in Southern Humboldt going to shows at the Mateel and have been part of Reggae on the river for the last 13 years. I love music and sound production and had always dreamed of being part of the production of Reggae on the River.

I was given the opportunity when my dad introduced me to Jimmy Dangler the Production Director and Stage Manger for Reggae at the time. Working Stage Crew at Reggae is no joke and I learned fast the first year. The whole time what kept me motivated was the love for being part of something bigger than myself. After Jimmy had a stroke I was asked to fill his shoes and run the production of Reggae on the River. I also bought his company The Mateel Sound Company whose contracts with ROR, PP, and MCC are vital to its operation.

It was no small task putting together the pieces of the puzzle that Jimmy had left behind. It would not have been possible for me to do my job if it wasn’t for the support of the veteran staff of People Productions. I am forever thankful to all the staff that accepted me as part of the team. What I think people are missing is the reality that by “firing” Carol the MCC got rid of more than one figure head. We were all employees of People Productions and the insults that were being shouted towards PP were felt by all of us.

The years of training and experience that come from working on site are invaluable. It is impossible to train for experiences like being there at ground zero when the gates open, or getting the bowl ready 15 minutes before it opens, or on stage when the show is 15 minutes behind. One look down that list from the ad we took out says it all. What happens when you have an untrained and inexperienced staff running a show of this caliber? Who knows? Do you want to risk the entire future of Reggae on the River and the Mateel Community Center on that? I know it scares the daylights out of me.

I love Reggae on the River and hope to still be going when I am an old man. The most gratifying feeling of my life was standing in the light tower on Saturday night and seeing the thousand of people enjoying the show and knowing that I was part of making that happen. I have dreams of seeing the same thing 50 years from now. At this point I hope that Reggae has any future. Reggae is bigger than any one of us. Bigger that any person, musician, band, company, ED, board, or community center. I hope to be part of that future but under the current circumstances I don’t see how.

Does the Mateel really expect all of us coordinators to come begging for our jobs for next year? Do they expect us to come crawling back after they publicly disgraced both the company that we work for and the person that is the heart and soul of this event. Why should we come back? To teach the new company how to run the festival and train the new staff that will replace us? I feel a strong allegiance to both Reggae on the River and People Productions but right now I am disappointed by the Mateel Community Center and the lack of class that they have shown in dealing with this situation. Don’t get me wrong, I love the Mateel, but right now I am unsure of my future with it. Regardless of personal feelings everyone deserves the professional respect that we would expect to be given to anyone. Carol Bruno and People Productions deserve to be treated with more respect than we have been given.

Carol is the hardest working person I have ever known. She is also one of the kindest and most caring people on this earth. Her ability to manage coordinators, staff, volunteers, vendors, bands and patrons all at once is amazing. Her warm heart and positive reputation in the music business has been a huge part of Reggae's success. If you were at the Dimmick Ranch this summer you understand the miracle that we pulled off in making Reggae happen. It was amazing experience to be a part of. I have never been as proud of anything as I was to help produce a successful show last year. Everyone came together and worked towards the same common goal of making Reggae happen.

It is sad because you don't hear from any of the people that actually poured their sweat and blood into moving Reggae to its new home. Everyone thinks that they can do a better job looking in from the outside. I don't think that most people have a real understanding of what it takes to organize an event on this scale. There is a huge responsibility in producing a concert of this magnitude in such a rural area. Poor planning and lack of execution can and will result in more than an unsuccessful event: a serious disaster could occur. When I took over for Jimmy I had a mantra that I kept using to help me in difficult situations. It was “what would Jimmy do?”. In this situation I ask myself that same question. I think Jimmy would be standing right by Carol’s side and that is what I intend to do.

Last year we moved the event for them, this year we teach them how to run it, so next year will they have no need for us anymore and then “Boots” us to the curb like they did to Carol? Now that we have done all the work are we to sit back and watch as this political coup takes place. It seems obvious that this was planned out and mediation was never intended to succeed. If the Mateel determined that "The MCC board feels that a short term licensing of the event is the best course of action." then why did they not license the event to People Productions? It is unfair of the Board and Staff of the MCC to put us coordinators in this position. It is a great responsibility to sign our names off on this event. Each and every one of us has made huge sacrifices to help make Reggae succeed.

We trusted Carol and her judgment. Are we to be expected to trust the judgment of a producer hired by a board and ED that have already proven their inefficiency in dealing with difficult situations? How can we be ensured that this won’t result in a disaster? What guarantee is there that we won’t just be replaced after we give up our knowledge of how to run the show? How do we know if we haven’t already been replaced? What guarantee does the Mateel have to offer us? For some coordinators the decision that we have to make is a difficult one. For me I don’t think that there is any other choice to be made. I will stand by Carol and People Productions.

Working for Reggae on the River was the job of my dreams. It is a sad day in my life when I have to walk away from something I love so much. I am forever thankful for people like Carol and Jimmy D who paved the way for me. It would be dishonorable for me to continue to work for Reggae on the River under the current circumstances. Without the knowledge and experience that our staff has Reggae on the River is going to suffer severely. I know in my heart that even thought the battle is over the war is yet to be won. I will fight till the end for Reggae and the values that we all stand together for.

One Love

Sam Safier
Mateel Sound Company
Universal Balance Productions

This press release came Monday Afternoon, Jan. 29:

Hello,

Please note that this year’s Reggae on the River festival will take place on August 3rd, 4th, and 5th at French’s Camp in Piercy, California. Any rumors you may have heard to the contrary are false.

The Mateel Community Center and its board of directors, together with the new production company 2b1 Multimedia, look forward to another excellent year at Reggae on the River® 2007. A major shout out of thanks and recognition goes out to all of our supporters who come from all walks of life. Reggae on the River® is more than a destination. It is a cultural idea.

In The Spirit of Unity. Peace.
Yvonne Hendrix
Press Coordinator
Reggae on the River

What seemed significant was the location -- "at French's Camp" -- not on the Dimmick Ranch.

Subject: thought police
From: Matt Lang
Date: January 28, 2007 8:06:58 PM PST
To: Bob Doran

Hey Bob did you get threatened by the thought police
like that redwood reality guy?

Matt
--
Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.
- Martin Luther King Jr.
--
The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.
- Eleanor Roosevelt
--
The greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.
- Confucius
--
Life's about friendships, the way you love your partner, the way you care for your children. That is what life is about. Not anything about earning a hundred zillion dollars because you toured America more than anyone else. I want life to be about creativity.
- Joe Strummer, The Clash
___________________________________________________________________

the post in question:

Sunday, January 28, 2007

This blogger has received a post ostensibly from People Productions' attorneys

The following message was posted in two threads below.
Please Take Notice: People Productions LLC and persons associated with People Productions LLC will seek any and all available legal remedies against any and all persons and businesses, including the Times Standard, who libel and/or republish libelous statements against them.
Further, notice is given to the this site administrator and its IT servers to preserve all internet tracking information needed to identify the names and addresses, including but not limited to IP information, for all contributors to this comment board.

John M. Vrieze

Bradford C. Floyd

Attorneys at Law Sun Jan 28, 04:29:00 PM


In light of these developments I will not be making any further posts about the Mateel/People Productions conflict until I have consulted an attorney. My suggestion is that all others forgo further comment which could be construed as libelous if found to be false until further notice. I am certain that the information that has been posted on this blog was not made with malice, ie. a deliberate or indifferent disregard for the truth - and much of it has been hyperbole. However, litigation of this nature can be quite expensive and time consuming. In the unlikely event that you have deliberately posted falsehoods, or if you did not but still believe that you might be named in litigation should the matter escalate to that point, I suggest that you consult an attorney.

As for the preservation of IP information, I will refer the attorneys to Blogger and it's parent company Google. I have no capacity in that regard.

As always, this is an open forum. I will only censor statements that have been demonstrated to me to be falsehoods. I cannot speculate on what may or may not be true or false on issues which are only just beginning to come to public light, and I firmly believe it would be a chilling and egregious affront to the First Amendment and the tradition of freedom of expression and open debate to hold any public medium to a standard which requires censorship based upon speculation. The issues discussed herein are of paramount importance to the community, and open discussion and debate are essential to the resolution of the challenges facing the community.

Whether it was the intent of this letter to suppress open expression and discourse, the posting from People Productions' attorneys has accomplished just that - at least for the time being.

posted by Eric V. Kirk at 5:45 PM on Jan 28, 2007

12 Comments

Anonymous said...

This is a matter of public debate and People Productions and their lawyers need to prove false facts, not legally protected opinions. They also must prove malice. Opinions are protected speech. California's anti-SLAPP statute and the Constitutional protections under the Federal and California Constitutions will cause People Productions to think long and hard before suing anyone on this matter. I know a local lawyer with considerable experience in the First Amendment and California's anti-SLAPP statute and he will help you if you want. Just indicate you would like someone to help you on this and I will send you an e-mail with his/her name. You are not alone on this!

Sun Jan 28, 06:53:00 PM

Anonymous said...

Eric, I don't think we need to call in the ACLU yet. I do think it is prudent, with or without a notice from an attorney, to stick to the facts when you post comments in a public forum. If you are expressing opinions for which you possess no corraborating evidence, you should make that clear in your language.

On another note, I can't help but find it humorous that you, an attorney, will be seeking the advice of an attorney before you make any more posts.

-humble in sohum

Sun Jan 28, 06:54:00 PM

Steve Lewis said...

Looks like someone has something serious to hide to me.

Sun Jan 28, 06:57:00 PM

Anonymous said...

So what happened to the free exchange of ideas?

Or are we just looking at some additional billable hours.

I guess the idea is that we will all have to hire attorneys to find out if is ok if we fart in the future.

Good bye Eric....I liked this form of communication. It just failed badly here.

I won't be back

Sun Jan 28, 07:06:00 PM

Anonymous said...

"An idea is a greater monument than any cathedral"

-- Clarence Darrow

Free exchange of ideas is all good! Just don't lie. Please.

Sun Jan 28, 07:22:00 PM

Eric V. Kirk said...

On another note, I can't help but find it humorous that you, an attorney, will be seeking the advice of an attorney before you make any more posts.

There's an old saying that an attorney who represents himself has an idiot for a client. One always needs somebody to look at the issues from an objective position.

I haven't said anything I know to be false, and a recent court decision pretty much immunizes bloggers from liability for posts written by others. However, that protection does not extend to the posters themselves, and I don't want to get anybody else into trouble. Hence my advice.

This does look like a S.L.A.P.P. to me and I resent it.

Sun Jan 28, 07:37:00 PM

ED Denson said...

This is a grade A drag. No wonder people think lawyers are unworthy members of society (until they need one, at least.) Still, they might have fashioned a letter to you based on what you are actually doing vs a general demand letter. I imagine your attorney will tell you to tell them to stuff it.

Sun Jan 28, 07:45:00 PM

Anonymous said...

I agree, Eric--whether or not the intent was to slapp down free discussion, it surely seems as if it might do that.
Unless, of course, folks want to stick to carefully expressed opinions without malice, and facts...
In my years in newspaper writing I recall my tender hearted editors simply telling me to go full steam ahead whenever a libel suit was threatened by some disgruntled soul or another--but perhaps that was because I would have been the poor lamb placed out to sacrifice, not the editor? Don't know. Not a lawyer (but you are!!)

Still, it leaves such a bad taste in my mouth, as many of the recent moves on the part of PP and friends have.
That's a fact. Clarissa

Sun Jan 28, 07:56:00 PM

Anonymous said...

Clarissa again here..upon thought, maybe it was the audit stuff? I understand the figures and assumptions are subject to a lot of debate..and the T/S article repeated some of those figures kind of flatly, as I recall..might have lead to assumptions of fraud and so on, which surely PP doesn't want, and surely can explain. (are they doing a separate audit, anyone know?)

Sun Jan 28, 08:00:00 PM

Anonymous said...

I had to look it up.
A Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation ("SLAPP") is a form of litigation filed by a large organization or in some cases an individual plaintiff, to intimidate and silence a less powerful critic by so severely burdening them with the cost of a legal defense that they abandon their criticism. The acronym was coined in the 1980s by University of Denver professors Penelope Canan and George W. Pring.
Contents

Sun Jan 28, 08:02:00 PM

Anonymous said...

All hail the thought police!

Sun Jan 28, 08:03:00 PM

Anonymous said...

Lawyering up, huh? This tale grows twistier and twistier.

Sun Jan 28, 08:58:00 PM

John M. Vrieze said...

The notice is not intended to suppress open expression and discourse. However, there are limits to open expression and discourse, libel being beyond that limit; and, the notice is given to apprise posters that limits exist and that remedies exist when and if such limits are passed.

Thank you.

John M. Vrieze

Bradford C. Floyd

Attorneys at Law

Sun Jan 28, 08:58:00 PM

Bob to Matt: The answer is no. If you study this blog, you'll find that there are not many comments. That's probably because I have it set up so that all comments run by me before they are posted. I have not posted comments containing unsubstantiated rumors or unattributed attacks. It's my blog; it's up to me what shows up on it. For me it's not so much about freedom of speech as it is about perpetuating nastiness.
On the other hand, I don't much care for the legal action threatened. The day my first story on the Reggae on the River controversy was published I received a call from an "aggrieved party" (not a lawyer and not Carol Bruno) asking if I considered material in it to be "libel and slander."
I answered very carefully: No.
And I have not heard from any lawyers at all.

January 26, 2007

The Mateel Community Center would like to reiterate that it holds a valid contract with Mr. Dimmick. Mr. Dimmick apparently hasn't been adequately advised of his obligations under the contract; however our lawyers will be explaining it to him shortly as they are responding. The Mateel fully expects to prevail in this unfortunate situation. We move forward positively on behalf of the community with planning for Reggae On The River 07.

We would like to thank the overwhelming heartfelt positive responses coming in from coordinators and the community. We hope to see everyone at the benefit for the Mateel Community Center this coming Saturday (tomorrow) at 4 P.M at the hall in Redway, CA. Please visit our website at www.mateel.org for more information. The following meetings are scheduled

All meetings will be held at the Mateel Community Center hall in Redway, CA except as noted.

2: 00 PM: Feb. 6, 2007 - Nonprofit Community Involved in Reggae On The River, Meeting

5:30 PM: Feb. 6, 2007 – Emergency/Medical/Fire Staffing and Crew, Meeting

5:30 PM: Feb. 13, 2007 - Monthly Reggae Coordinator, Meeting

2:00 PM: Feb. 20, 2007 - Private Contractors Involved with Reggae, Meeting

March 1, 2007 - Planning Commission Review of ROTR permit in Eureka.

All meetings will be posted to www.reggaeontheriver.com and www.mateel.org.

Reggae: The Last Year at French's Camp?

by BOB DORAN (April 14, 2005)

[aerial view of Reggae on the River]Reggae on the River may no longer have a home at French's Camp after this year due to a breakdown in contract negotiations between event organizers and the family that owns the land.

For more than 20 years, Humboldt County's largest music festival has drawn thousands of fans from around the world to a particular bend in the Eel River just south of Richardson's Grove State Park. Event organizers confirm that this year's 22nd annual festival could be the last to be held at French's Camp.

While the potential location change will not impact this year's Reggae on the River, scheduled for Aug. 5-7, French's Camp owner Pat Arthur said, "It has a future this year only. The lease will be up Sept. 1."

The plan after that? "Well, I plan to be quieter," said Arthur, who turned 77 last year. "I know there are going to be a lot of disappointments," she added, "but I've been disappointed too, my family has been. We can take just so much."

According to Pat's son, Mark Arthur, "My mom is getting older and she doesn't want to deal with the hassles. She's tired of her friends asking, `Why are you doing this to us?' She's tired of her neighbors complaining about the garbage in their yards and complaining that security has kind of fallen apart the last couple of years."

Taunya Stapp, who recently took over as executive director of the Mateel Community Center, which coproduces the festival, conceded that, "There are logistic problems at French's Camp. For one, it impacts the town of Piercy. [Traffic] gets backed up and people can't get to work. It's only three days a year -- and there's a tremendous amount of economic good created by the event -- but we still are aware of the problems."

After the Mateel's seven-year contract for the use of French's Camp ran out at the end of 2004, the Arthurs proposed a revised three-year contract. "I guess the Mateel and People Productions didn't want to sign that," said Mark Arthur. "My mom was asking for a little bit more money; I think $3,000 more [per year, but] the money really isn't the issue."

Neither side would discuss contract specifics.

Mark Arthur denied rumors that he has been negotiating with other promoters interested in using the property for concerts. While the terms of the old lease allowed for just one concert a year, he noted that, "That was one of the things I wanted to change in the new contract. We as a family want to develop the west side of the river and that wasn't permitted. Personally I would like to see more events [at French's Camp]. Maybe not just one big event; there could be four weekends, maybe a little hip-hop one weekend, a little old school another, who knows what else."

Both Stapp and Carol Bruno, head of the concert promotion group, People Productions, seemed unfazed by the prospect of moving the mammoth festival to a new location. Is Reggae on the River a site-specific event? "Absolutely not," said Stapp. "The event itself is mythic. You carry that myth wherever you go. If we have to move it, I see it as an opportunity."

Where else could you put 15,000 dancing campers for a long weekend in August? "Basically I have 20 options I am developing at this point and 50 percent of them are overwhelmingly exciting. This is an opportunity. We're prepared for this," said Stapp.

Future plans for the festival were on the agenda for a Mateel Community Center directors meeting scheduled Tuesday night after the Journal went to press.

Said Stapp, "We have the potential, depending on what the board decides, to make this event something that doesn't impact the people around it, to find a way to mitigate the problems from the get-go and choose [a new] location with that in mind."

While further negotiations with the Mateel are at an impasse, Pat Arthur did not completely rule out allowing Reggae to return to French's Camp. "At this point I'm not certain," she said. "If it goes well this year there's always that possibility If they behave themselves, it may happen [again]."

Reemphasizing the fact that she is not considering leasing the land to other music promoters, Arthur launched a final dig at Reggae organizers. "If I were to do anything, I would sell it -- and not to the Mateel and not to People Productions, not at all," she said.


Reggae Moves Upriver by BOB DORAN (August 4, 2005)

This weekend as thousands of music fans descend on Piercy for the 22nd annual Reggae on the River, the festival's organizers, the Mateel Community Center and People Productions, are eager to assure them that Reggae on the River will be back next year -- new and improved -- at a slightly different location on the same river.

"A lot of people think this is the last Reggae on the River. It definitely is not," said Carol Bruno of People Productions in a call from her Redway office. The doubts arose earlier this year after there was a breakdown in negotiations with Pat Arthur, owner of French's Camp, the site of Reggae since Bruno and friends put on the first concert in 1984. (See "Reggae: The last year at French's Camp?" April 14)

[Aerial photo by Kim Sallaway, courtesy of People Productions]

When Arthur balked at an extended contract for use of the property, only agreeing to a one-year lease, festival organizers began a search for a new site. It turned out they didn't have to look too far. Last week People Productions announced that they have signed a 10-year agreement for use of the Dimmick Ranch, upriver from French's Camp, as Reggae's future home.

"It's a beautiful site," said Bruno. "You go to the South Beach swimming hole and look across the river, that's where it is. It fronts on the river all the way around. It felt like the best choice. It's right next door; it's in an area we know."

The changes in the concert's future came amid changes at People Productions. Bruno's former partner Paul "P.B." Bassis left the company last year to form Infinite Entertainment. "Infinite as in anything's possible," explained Bassis, who represented Tom Dimmick in lease negotiations.

"The beauty of it is, this is the same place, right around the bend in the river from where Reggae has always been," said Bassis, touting the benefits of the move. "It's pretty isolated with mountains on one side, the highway on the other. There are almost no residences anywhere near it. It's really an ideal location."

Bassis also noted that site access will be easier, since the ranch is on the west side of the river. The French's Camp location requires annual installation of a bridge across the Eel River, a process that was delayed this year due to late spring rains.

The first move in the long-term plan is already in place. This year Reggae added new wooded camping sites and parking in an area known as Cook's Valley on property owned by Keith Bowman next to the Dimmick Ranch. The additional space, with room for 2,500 campers and 1,000 autos, will bring in new revenue (fees for Cook's Valley are $100 per car, $300 per RV). It also allowed concert organizers to sell more tickets this year.

While attendance is between 11,000 and 12,000, only 9,000 tickets were sold this year, up from 8,500 last year. (The volunteer nature of event operations accounts for the number of comp admissions.)

"Parking is the limiting factor," said Bassis, noting that negotiations for future use of French's Camp for parking and camping are near conclusion. "It's everyone's hope that we can continue to work with the Arthur family to be able to incorporate their property and blend these properties together," he added.

If all goes as planned, the result will be a concert complex with three times as much room as French's Camp and the potential for greater attendance. And, Bassis confirmed, the new lease does not rule out additional concerts on the new site, although at this point, "there are no definite plans," for other concerts or specifics on how next year's Reggae will utilize the new site.

Bruno was just as indefinite about plans for the future. "We haven't worked out all the details yet. First we have to finish producing this year's festival, then we'll start working on the next one."

A note of explanation: This press release was sent to various local papers today, from Tom Dimmick.
That's Tom on the right in the photo, in the press booth at Reggae 2006. Soundman Sam Safier is on the left, sitting next to John Bruno; Carol Bruno is in the center. Can someone tell me who the other (blurry) woman is? Sorry the photo isn't better, it was one of just two I took at the brief press conference. (The other one was worse.)

[Update: I'm told that the woman next to Carol is Helen Murish, back stage coordinator, and a close friend of Carol's.]

Press Release

Cooks Valley, CA January 25, 2007:

On January 19, 2007, the Dimmick Ranch notified the Mateel Community Center that due to a material breach of the lease contract, the Dimmick Ranch was terminating the lease of the property for the purposes of Reggae on the River. The Dimmick Ranch had been contractually assured by the Mateel Community Center that People Productions would be the producer of the event for the term of the lease. The Mateel Community Center improperly purported to terminate its contract with People Productions and materially breached the lease agreement by doing so. While we firmly believe in the principles forming the foundation of the Mateel Community Center, Dimmick Ranch is concerned that the festival will not achieve its goals under Mateel's continuing management.

Despite these recent events, the Dimmick Ranch maintains its belief that Reggae on the River has been a world-class community fundraiser that the people of Southern Humboldt County have come to rely upon to help fund our public schools, fire departments, martial arts schools, and environmental and social organizations. We believe, however, that Reggae on the River needs and deserves long-term stability and that we, along with People Productions, which has a 23 year track record of success with county agencies, Cal-Trans, the CHP and CDF, can work together and continue to produce a festival that will make this community proud.

It is our and People Productions' plan to host a world-class reggae music festival and community fundraiser on the first weekend of August 2007 at the Dimmick Ranch and French’s Camp. Please stay tuned, there will be a detailed announcement very soon.

2B1 Multimedia, Inc. Statement of Principles

1. We will allow the Mateel complete financial transparency.
2. We will emphasize the use of local businesses, coordinators, and staff for the event.
3. We will continue the “greening” of Reggae On The River.
4. We will emphasize the community spirit of togetherness and cooperation.
5. We will work to realign and develop the ambiance of a conscious spiritual event.
6. We will continue the tradition of nurturing the local nonprofit community’s economic well-being at Reggae On The River.

Dear Reggae on the River Coordinators,

Our first coordinator meeting was a very positive and successful meeting for Reggae on the River 2007. Thanks to all for coming and lending your support. The next coordinator meeting will be on Tuesday, February 13th at 5:30 at the Mateel. We look forward to seeing you there. For those of you who were unable to attend, we missed you and hope you will be able to attend the subsequent meetings. Your input from past experience is invaluable for future success.

There is a lot of conflicting information flying around “out there”, and whether or not this is the reason that you did not attend the meeting we want to clear up some misconceptions:

1. Balanced against expenses MCC realized no net income from Reggae on the River 2005 and 2006.
2. People Productions quit working for Reggae on the River as announced at our Annual Meeting on November 17th, 2006 and in a letter titled “Letter of Termination” which we received at the end of October 2006 prior to the public announcement.
3. The Mateel entered into mediation in good faith to try to resolve our problems with People Productions. Despite many efforts we could not reach a mutual agreement.
4. The MCC was given several ultimatums on buyouts that were clearly not in the best interest of the Community Center, and therefore unacceptable.

After all of this transpired, thankfully a proposal for the MCC to license Reggae on the River 2007 was supported by 2B1 Multimedia. Boots Hughston has given us every reason to believe that he can produce a safe, conscious and environmentally friendly event for our community. He is a past coordinator of Reggae on the River and has been in our area for years. He will be meeting with groups of coordinators to continue organizing the event. We are looking forward to having all of the community involved including volunteers, coordinators, non-profits and vendors.

We are moving forward with Reggae on the River 2007 and we hope to see you at the meetings and participating in the show. Below please find the statement of principles 2B1 signed as a part of the license agreement.

Thank you,
The Mateel Community Center
707 923-3368 Coordinator’s Hotline Mailbox 33

Hot off the press:

The Mateel Community Center Announces Positive Start To Planning for Reggae On The River® 2007

[Redway, California, January 18, 2007] The Mateel Community Center would like to enthusiastically thank and embrace the room full of coordinators who were present at our first meeting for Reggae On The River® 2007. The energy, wisdom, and words of sage advice were very welcome and much appreciated. We look forward to many more meetings and working together toward a successful event.

Coordinator meetings will be held on the second Tuesday of every month at the Mateel Community Center 5:30 PM. Individual and small group meetings will be planned, in addition to the regular meetings, for specific areas in order to go over in more detail the workload we’ll face over the upcoming months. These meeting announcements will be sent out through email. We will contact those by phone who are on our list and do not have email.

For other community groups, a posting of meetings for the nonprofit organizations, local businesses, and vendors for Reggae On The River® will be posted next week at www.mateel.org and www.reggaeontheriver.com.

If you would like to get your name on our email/call list for coordinators please send an email to katz@mateel.org. We look forward to building on the positive spirit and community response shared at the first meeting. Thank you, one and all.

Spent a little time this morning reading various blogs. After perusing the threads on Eric's SoHum blog regarding Reggae biz (he's burning out on it) and also Hank's Babylon System column from this week I surfed over to some music blogs I look at regularly. I found the painting above at Said the Gramaphone in a post about the work of the artist, Keith Warren Greiman that pairs his images with the songs that supply their titles. In this case, it's an old reggae song, Cry Tough by Alton Ellis and the Flames. It's probably against some unwritten blogging code, but I've linked to the song file. I don't think I can articulate exactly why, but something about the painting and the song seemed to resonate with what I'd read earlier.

Yesterday was the 40th anniversary of the Human Be-In, a 1967 “gathering of the tribes” in Golden Gate Park that proved to be a seminal event in the history of the hippie movement. The "Summer of Love" was later that year.
An “Evolutionary Picnic” was held in the park to mark the anniversary, organized in part by old friends of Chet Helms of the Family Dog, who helped organize the Be-In. You may be thinking, what does this have to do with Reggae on the River, and the truth is, nothing directly. But it got me to thinking: about the roots of the culture that spawned Reggae, about its future direction -- and about tribal warfare.

Ten years ago, Helms and friends celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Summer of Love. Chet wrote this about that celebration.

About this event...The Summer of Love

The original Council for the Summer of Love was created in 1967 by The Family Dog, The Straight Theatre, The Diggers, The San Francisco Oracle and about twenty-five individuals.

All this is well documented in Charles Perry's "History of the Haight Ashbury" and the San Francisco Chronicle of April 6,1967. The Human Be-in (which we were all involved in the creation thereof) drew at least 35,000 people with virtually no conventional publicity, mostly word of mouth. We realized that by the time school let out in April or May that we would be inundated by literally tens of thousands of young people from all over the country.

The images projected by the media of our nascent cultural renaissance were pretty negative and usually consisted of some young unbathed, barefoot individual sitting in the gutter, smoking a joint and begging for spare change. The term "summer of love" was our attempt to initiate these young people into another more positive and compassionate vision of what this embryonic cultural revolution was all about.

The Council for the Summer of Love was specifically formed to try to mitigate some of the problems which would predictably attend this population explosion.
To that end-

* We worked very closely with the churches in the Haight Ashbury.

* We assisted Dr. David Smith in the creation of the Haight Asbury Free Clinic.

* We supported the efforts of the Reverend Larry Beggs who founded the Huckleberry House for Runaways.

* We promoted a Haight Ashbury "Sweep-In" and cleaned Haight Street from Masonic to Stanyan.

* We collectively supported the efforts of the Diggers to feed people in the park, to provide shelter to the homeless, and donated usable goods to the Diggers Free Store before recycling was fashionable.

* With donated services and equipment we produced all the free musical and artistic events that happened in the Panhandle that year. These events served to help these young people network with each other so that they could find a place to stay, make new friends, locate a meal and kept them from simply hanging out on Haight Street and getting into trouble.

We may not have accomplished all that we set out to do, but the situation would have been much worse without us. We sowed the seeds of a compassionate idealism which still lives in the hearts of many of our own and subsequent generations.

Over the years members of our circle have periodically produced events to celebrate the various anniversaries of the Summer of Love(1987,1992,etc). We have assembled ourselves one more time as the Council for the Summer of Love. Most of us were part of the original circle, though many young people who share our ideals have joined us.

We are collectively producing the 30th Anniversary of the Summer of Love Celebration on October 12, 1997 in the Beach Chalet Meadows in Golden Gate Park.

We have three main purposes in producing this event:

First- we would like to celebrate the accomplishments of our generation. The accomplishments of our generation are so ubiquitous as to be anonymous. We were called "health nazis", but you can buy organic food in most supermarkets today. The environmental issues we raised then are before almost every legislative body in the world now. We made major strides in ending legal segregation though we still have much to do to end racism.We ended the era when women could be treated as second class citizens though much remains to be done in achieving gender equity. We greatly expanded the range of personal expression which was guaranteed to us by the constitution but seldom realized due to social fears and conformity. So now you can wear your hair any length, pierce your nose if you like,women can wear pants and throw their bra away if so inclined. We ended the terrible and senseless war in South East Asia and never again will we send 500,000 soldiers around the world to fight a war that the citizenry neither supported nor understood. The sixties were the best thing that happened in the late 20th century, not the worst as some would have it and it is important to create a forum in which we can standup and bear witness to that fact.

Second- we would like to inspire folks to re-examine their lives and focus once again on some of the humane, compassionate, and democratic ideals of that era. We are of the opinion that we are all older, hopefully wiser, more skilled, better connected, have more resources available and could accomplish wonders by rededicating ourselves to implementing compassion in our personal behavior and public policy.

The late Abbie Hoffman said "The lesson of the sixties is that people who cared enough to do right could change history."

Third- we wish to use this event as a podium to educate people about the dire future that faces many of our children. Many are unaware that, in this the richest country on the planet, one third of our children live below the poverty line and this percentage goes up astronomically if you examine the African-American or Hispanic communities. We are now told that one in twenty of children born today in America will spend time in prison. In the time that we built one institution of higher learning in California we built twenty seven prisons. These are shameful facts that we as a society must address. To this end we have asked all the invited speakers at our celebration to speak to the question: " How do we create a more compassionate vision of the future for our children?"

In the spirit of the sixties and to allow the broadest and most inclusive participation, this event will be free and ungated.



The Day Chet Helms Died
A Eulogy
by Allen Cohen - Founding editor of the San Francisco Oracle

January 17, 2000
The day Chet Helms died
was the day they brought
old San Francisco down.

There were darkened skies
and a storm about to strike.
The women cried
and danced in the streets
while the good old boys
were drinkin' whisky and rye
down by the dock of the Bay.

The day Chet Helms died
Golden Gate Park
was filled with mourners
all with flowers in their hair.
Big Brother played
on all seven hills
while Janis smiled
from the clouds
singing you got
a piece of my heart.

The day Chet Helms died
the police chief
and Park and Rec
had secret meetings
planning to turn
the Polo Fields
into a golf course
and the Getty family
drilled for oil
in the soccer fields.

The day Chet Helms Died
Owsley returned
and gave out real LSD
and everyone remembered
their last ecstatic romance
at the Avalon and began
to dance that perfect trance dance
that merged them with the divine.

The day that Chet Helms died
all the brothers and sisters
got together to love
each other everywhere
and Dino shot his guns in the air
and Bill Graham tried
to charge admission
at the gates of rock n' roll heaven,
but Emmett Grogan gave him
his good Irish boot
explaining what a good thing
they all had up there
and it was all free,
while Jerry led him
away gracefully.

The day Chet Helms died
they tried to bring
the hippies down
but they all rose as one
and they were knock,
knock, knockin'
on San Francisco's door again
chanting "the "whole world's still watchin.'
There is an immortality
to joy and love and peace,"
and they all threw away
their ball and chains
ready to ride again.

To the Community of Reggae On The River--
from the Board and Staff of the Mateel Community Center


We’d like to take this opportunity to reiterate our invitation to all ROTR coordinators to join us for our Reggae 2007 coordinators meeting with our new producer on Wednesday, January 17, at 5:30. This includes all who are interested in joining the Mateel and the new ROTR producer, Boots Hughston, in moving forward in a positive fashion to make Reggae on the River® ‘07 better than ever. We are aware that a lot of carefully crafted bits and pieces of communication have been released by persons who say they’re acting on their own, but seemingly act as agents of People Productions. We feel these bits and pieces are being released to draw the center's attention away from the job at hand and into what can only be a very negative battle with a bad outcome for everyone. We have begun the planning for this year’s event, and there is much room for valuable input from all ROTR coordinators, staff and volunteers, and we need your help.
We would also like to restate what many people in the community have heard-- that People Productions has publicly and privately quit several times. "...With a sad and heavy heart I am hereby proposing a MUTUAL agreement to terminate PP's and MCC's business relationship with respect to the production of ROTR." This statement is the opening line from an October 30, 2006 letter from Carol Bruno to the board. This date is before the annual meeting and prior to entering mediation. Another public statement openly made at the Mateel annual meeting is available on YouTube
We do not wish to provoke any more speculation about any one. The letter of termination was hand delivered to Katy Stern at the People Production office, personally by board member Bob Stern, before the close of business on Thursday, December 28, 2006. The board reviewed sixteen different options of leasing, licensing, purchasing ideas before arriving at the specific set of best case scenarios and contingency plans for the Mateel Community Center to act upon to remedy the crisis. We have painstakingly done our jobs in good faith and the Mateel Community Center's best interest.
Unanimously, we have always had the desire to resolve this situation as positively as possible with due respect to all those involved who have worked so hard and diligently over the years to provide the funds to the community center. It has been no small feat and all the people who have made it happen deserve to be thanked a thousand times over and praised for their remarkable service.
At the same time, even though we entered mediation to find a common best resolution for the difficult issues underlying the crisis, we did not emerge from that mediation with any basis for meeting the real needs of the Mateel Community Center. We feel we have clearly communicated these needs over the course of the last two contract years for Reggae On The River® on many occasions. Allegations that the Mateel entered into mediation in bad faith are completely baseless. The fact that we formed contingency plans looking for solutions without People Productions after they repudiated their contract shows only that the Board of the Mateel acted prudently and responsibly to fill the void created by People Production’s actions. The Community Center, its members, Reggae concert-goers and staff, and the many business and non-profit groups which enjoy the benefits of ROTR deserve nothing less. Especially in light of numerous statements made by Carol and her staff at our annual meeting that time was extremely short and the pressure high to move forward, the Board believes it was imperative for us to ensure that ROTR 2007 would happen.
This folks, is the giant brass ring we are going to reach. We understand that people are concerned, that people are being given partial information and then perhaps are being asked to establish loyalty or faith based on that information, and that people are emotionally wrought over this change. Once again, we urge everyone willing to go forward in a positive and productive manner to help us accomplish the goal of making this event happen in 07. Please let's begin the healing by joining in, or continuing on, in the process of coming together as a community to make this event, birthed in the name of the Mateel Community Center, built on community funds, and thriving on a community working in the name of the Mateel Community Center, the best Reggae On The River® ever.

Posted by Taunya Stapp, Executive Director Mateel Community Center

This letter was submitted to the Independent, a Southern Humboldt weekly, by several former Mateel board members and ran as an opinion piece last week. It offers a quite different perspective from the "No Confidence" side.

The photo shows Paul Bassis, Carol Bruno and Kathryn Lobato, then Mateel Executive Director, backstage at Reggae 2001.





The Mateel Community Center’s annual Reggae on the River Festival will be held the first weekend in August. After much uncertainty a new producer, Boots Hughston, has been hired. The Mateel holds a contract for the use of the site. Many key coordinators have expressed an active interest in continuing or expanding their roles. Many more will be attending the Mateel’s Reggae coordinators meeting to meet the new producer. Thank you all.

In the coming weeks the future of Reggae on the River and the future of the Mateel Community Center will be decided. It won’t be decided in secret mediations or privileged behind the scenes negotiations. It will be decided by the willingness of the volunteers, the coordinators, the non-profit organizations and the community as whole to support this year’s efforts to carry the festival into the future.

Many of you will be deciding whether or not to continue your participation in the event and what role you are willing to play. Reggae on the River is important to many people for many different reasons. We urge you to support the Mateel’s efforts for the sake of the community as a whole.

If you have concerns about the termination of the Mateel’s contract with People Productions:

It is unfortunate that People Productions and the Mateel were unable to bring the mediation process to a successful and timely conclusion. We appreciate that People Productions has recently expressed willingness to work with the Mateel. We regret that this softening has come after alternative plans have been laid.

However, the Mateel’s decision was not sudden or whimsical, but instead resulted from a long history of difficulties between the two organizations. It was not the Mateel’s choice to enter into new contract negotiations. The Mateel held a contract with People Productions that was negotiated just last year. The Mateel was willing to move forward with Reggae 2007 under the existing contract. People Productions refused to continue working under the terms of the 2005 contract.

We urge everyone to support the current efforts to produce Reggae on the River 2007. We understand that this process has generated justified hard feelings among many people on all sides of the debate. Please, if you can’t support the Mateel’s efforts, step aside gracefully and allow this transition to take place.

If you have concerns about the way Reggae on the River has been managed in the past:

Now is not the time to revisit past wrongs or to unearth past indiscretions. People Productions deserves credit for having built a small local event into a world class festival. People’s efforts to move forward with alternative events that do not compete with Reggae on the River or the Summer Arts Festival deserve our best wishes and support.

Now is the time to work with the new producer and site manager to put on a Reggae on the River 2007 that demonstrates the best character of this community: cooperation, community service and accountability.

If you are concerned about the way the Mateel is being managed:

The Mateel is a 501(c)3 non-profit with a voting membership. There is a well-defined process for influencing the Mateel’s goals, objectives and fiscal policies. Join the Mateel. Run for the board.

The capacity of the Mateel to serve the community as a whole has been compromised by the difficulties in its relationship with People Productions. The Mateel Community Center, coupled with a reasonable level of income from Reggae, offers our area’s best hope to create a community center that will have a significant impact on meeting community needs.

We hope that you will encourage the Mateel to use its resources responsibly to build a true community center that serves the needs of the entire community.

The potential for this year to mark the beginning of an era defined by cooperation, community service and accountability can be realized, both at Reggae on the River and at the Mateel. Our ability to realize this future does not depend on the Mateel board or the production company hired to produce Reggae. It depends on each of us -- as individuals, board members, experienced coordinators, staff and volunteers -- to step forward and make or maintain our commitments.

Now, more than ever, we urge each of you to step forward and support the current efforts of the Mateel board to carry Reggae on the River into the future.

Best regards,

Kathryn Lobato (Manspeaker) former Mateel Executive Director, Crow Gellman former Mateel Board President, John Rogers former Mateel Board President, Michael DeLeon former Mateel Board Vice-President.

The first song on Brian's World on KMUD following Thank Jah It's Friday:

Bob Marley - Who The Cap Fit

Man to man is so unjust, children

You don't know who to trust

Your worst enemy could be your best friend

And your best friend your worst enemy



Some will eat and drink with you

Then behind them su-su 'pon you

Only your friend know your secrets

So only he could reveal it

And who the cap fit, let them wear it [repeat]

Said I throw me corn, me no call no fowl

I saying, "Cok-cok-cok, cluck-cluck-cluck"



Some will hate you, pretend they love you now

Then behind they try to eliminate you

But who JAH bless, no one curse

Thank God we're past the worse



Hypocrites and parasites

Will come up and take a bite

And if your night should turn to day

A lot of people would run away

And who the cap fit let them wear it [repeat]



And then a gonna throw me corn

And then a gonna call no fowl

And then a gonna "Cok-cok-cok, cluck-cluck-cluck"



Some will eat and drink with you

And then behind them su-su 'pon you

And if your night should turn to day

A lot of people will run away

Who the cap fit, let them wear it [repeat]

Throw me corn, me no call no fowl

I saying "Cok-cok-cok, cluck-cluck-cluck"

(the next song was "One Love" live from Reggae on the River as sung by Sista Judy Mowatt)

This note showed up in my mailbox Thursday just before midnight. Sender: Paul Bassis
It's the official public statement from the Reggae coordinators Eric mentioned recently.
The illustration is a photo by Kim taken at that fateful November Mateel meeting. (Kim, I hope you don't mind.)

Bob,

I wanted to let you know that I will be back on Thank Jah tomorrow. It may
already be Friday by the time you read this.

Below is an ad that is being placed in the North Coast Journal, the Redwood
Times and the Independent for next week's publication. Possibly your editor
has already brought this to your attention.

The statement conveyed in the ad is signed by and represents the views of an
overwhelming majority of the core of Reggae on the River's primary staff
("the coordinators"). These individuals, are the people who have
collectively made up the team of essential leadership, the backbone of
Reggae on the River, that have built and long executed Humboldt County's
first and only large-scale, world class music festival.

[note: paragraph deleted here, for reasons I will explain below.]

The bottom line for me...I am standing up with the backbone...taking a
principled stance aimed to expose a conspiracy of bad faith, backroom
dealings and deception that has lead to this surreal mess. (in case there
is any question in your mind, yes, I am specifically using the term "bad
faith" in the context of contract law) Light is just now beginning to be
shed on what really transpired. Two plus two is going to add up to four.
There are no co-winky-dinks.

May the truth prevail.

PB






VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE

The recent unilateral decision by the Mateel Community Center Board to
outsource Reggae on the River 2007 to a San Francisco based production
company 2b1 Multimedia, leaves us alarmed and concerned for the SAFETY,
SECURITY, and FUTURE of the festival and our community.

As Community Center members and Reggae coordinators we were afforded no
input in this decision. Neutral community elders, who publicly offered to
help address this crisis during the MCC membership meeting, were rudely
dismissed when they followed up by attending the next board meeting.

Research into the newly hired production company, 2b1 Multimedia, owned by
Boots Hughston, reveals they have no experience producing a festival the
size and scope of Reggae on the River, nor a festival in a rural community
with delicate and unique special needs, such as ours.

For twenty-three years, Carol Bruno and a core production staff have
demonstrated effective and successful local management of what has become a
world-class event. The war of words being waged against Carol, her former
business partner, her family and associates, is shocking and beneath the
dignity of a conscious community.

The Mateel Community Center is owned by the community. The board members
are elected by us and, entrusted to make sound financial and ethical
decisions in the best interests of both the center, and the community.
These considerations, as well as the MCC Board’s refusal to participate in
the second phase of mediation recommended by the mediation team, compounded
by MCC’s bad faith negotiations on a new agreement with Carol Bruno and
People Productions, compel us to express an emphatic NO CONFIDENCE in the
MCC board, and its Executive Director.

We the undersigned are members, founders and coordinators of Reggae on the
River and the Mateel Community Center, the House that Reggae Built.
Regretfully, we cannot and will not contribute to the production of ROTR
2007 under the current circumstances.

Robert Adams: Backstage runner 8 years
Kevin Arnoul: Bonded, Licensed Site Electrician 13 years
Paul Bassis: Sponsor Coordinator/On–Site Trouble Shooter/former People
Partner 20 years
Dorje Bond: On Site Shelter design and provider 22 years
John Bruno: Event Site Manager 23 years
Sherrie Bybee: Staff/Backstage Security 18 years
Tulah Carter: Immigration 10 years
Jason Cave: Kidlandia Coordinator 4 years
Joe Chavez: Backstage Security/Vehicles 11 years
Paula Coy: Site Grounds Team 15 years
Monica Coyne: Food Vendor Coordinator 5 years
Andrew Dillon: Site Mgmt. Team/Recycling 15 years
Jeri Fergus: Security 15 years
Jeanne Foster: Band Liaison/Production Staff 22 years
KayCee Frazier: Kidlandia Coordinator 4 years
Jim Fulton: Emergency Services/ Fire Coordinator 23 years
Niki Genolio: Former Vendor Coordinator 10 years
Pete Genolio: Critical Incident Team/ Site Mgmt Team 14 years
Dan Gribi: Communications 20 years/ Critical Incident Team Comander 1
year
Leanna Gribi: Communications 18 years
Duffy Griffin: Parachute Team 5 years
Phillipe Hacala: Town Patrol 11 years
Brian Harper: Band shuttle Coordinator 17 years
Camille John: Sound Tech Staff 15 years
Jim Keefe: Site Plumber 8 years
Shannon Keefe: Security 15 years
Tara Kelly: Town Patrol 11 years
Heather Lake: T-shirt Coordinator/Production Staff 15 years
Steven Landry: Beverage Coordinator 18 years
Clode Leduc: Vendor Coordinator 8 years
Evyn Lombardi: Fencing Coordinator 14 years
Candace MacNair: Asst. Stage Manager 12 years
Susie Mattila: Accounting Manager 16 years
Patty McGuire: Food Coordinator 13 years
Joe Moran: Backstage Security 14 years
Cynthia Morris: Travel/Artists Liaison/Production Asst. 8 years
David Moss: Reggae Medical Coordinator 10 years +
Helen Murrish: Backstage Coordinator/Ambiance 12 years
Isaiah Neff: Equipment Coordinator 7 years
Sarah Neff: Equipment 7 years
Hannah Nelson: Operations Manager/ROTR Lawyer/Law Enforcement Agency
Liaison 10 yrs
Jesse Parsons: Site Team 3 years
Howard Phun: Backstage Security/Site Plumber 22 years
Kim Phelps: Press Tent 17 years
Caroline Powers: General Parking Coordinator 13 years
Paul Radman: Highway Coordinator/Contractor 13 years
Sam Safier: Stage Production Director/ technical contact, Stage Crew
Coordinator 3 years +
Pepper Sanbourne: Compost/Recycling 13 years
Maria Savage: Information Booth 20 years
Jerry Sevier: Site Mgmt. Team/Maps 23 years
Roy Smith: Site Grounds Team 15 years
Cher Spencer: Staff/Accounting 7 years
Katy Stern: Credentials 12 years
Sally Then: Ticketing/Camping Sales/Troubleshooting 14 years
Diana Totten: Critical Incident Team/Law Enforcement Liaison/ROTR Safety
Officer 8 years
Sarah Vella: Food Coordinator 1 year
Chris Walker: Lighting 20 years
Christy Watson: Production Asst. 8 years
Michelle Welty: Production Asst. 8 years
Rex White: On Site Video Archive Production/Real Time Cable Network Feed
23 years
Nathaniel Wilson: Stage Crew Chief 13 years
GW Wishneff: Beverage Coordinator 16 years

This advertisement paid for by the Reggae on the River Coordinators on this
list.