Thursday, May 24, 2007
did you have a question?
This press relaease would seem to be designed to clear up confusion in the marketplace (lots of folks outside Humboldt County are not aware of what's transpired with Reggae), but also to answer a lot of criticism that's showed up in the blogosphere. I'm guessing many of you might come up different answers to these "questions."
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
From: The Dimmick Ranch
Date: Thursday, May 24, 2007
REGGAE RISING MUSIC FESTIVAL ADDRESSES YOUR QUESTIONS:
1. What festival will be happening the first weekend in August on the Dimmick Ranch and French’s Camp?
- Reggae Rising Music Festival will be the only show happening on the Dimmick Ranch and French’s Camp in 2007.
2. What about Reggae on the River?
- Sadly, Reggae on the River has been cancelled for 2007. The Dimmick Ranch terminated their lease agreement with the Mateel Community Center Inc because the Mateel improperly purported to terminate their production contract with People Productions. Since the Mateel’s lease contained a contractual obligation to use People Productions for the term of the agreement, this constituted a material breach of the lease with The Dimmick Ranch. Unfortunately, rather than find an acceptable compromise between the parties to resolve the dispute, the Mateel hired a new producer, 2B1 Multimedia from San Francisco and attempted to produce the event despite having a disputed lease agreement with The Dimmick Ranch, no lease of French’s Camp and no agreement with the Cooks Valley Camping Area. For months they continued to promote a show on property they have no legal right to occupy and sold tickets to a concert advertising many artists with whom they had no contractual agreements.
3. Did the Mateel Community Center pay for all of the infrastructure improvements to the Dimmick Ranch?
- No, Mateel shared the cost of infrastructure improvements with the Dimmick Ranch. Tom Dimmick was obligated to provide a significant construction allowance toward the infrastructure. He paid for most of the municipal grade water system as well as the large electrical upgrades. In addition to this, Tom Dimmick also supplied, at no charge, much of the lumber used to create many of the booths, as well as drain rock for the grey water systems, and heavy equipment operating time on the site. In the spirit of cooperation Tom contributed well over the contractual obligation of the construction allowance.
4. Has the Dimmick Ranch and People Production LLC tried to reach an equitable resolution with the Mateel Community Center Inc.?
- Yes. The Dimmick Ranch and People Productions, LLC, have been trying to resolve this dispute with the Mateel for many months. As far back as April of 2006, when it first became apparent that the cost of building the infrastructure to the county’s requirements would potentially impact the event’s profitability in 2006, People Productions suggested licensing the event so the Mateel would have guaranteed income. The Mateel turned down this offer. Even after the 2006 event, The Dimmick Ranch and People Productions presented the Mateel with a bill deferment plan to preserve the Mateel’s cash flow situation. The Mateel was not interested in this proposal either. Many multi- million dollar offers have been made over the months to provide an equitable solution for all three parties, but, sadly, none have been agreed upon.
5. Is it true that People Productions quit?
- No. People Productions was bound by a written contract and could not quit. We contend their contract was improperly terminated by the Mateel Community Center Inc. on December 28th, 2006. On December 27th People Productions sent an email to the Mateel Community Center Inc. reaffirming their commitment to continue to fulfill their contractual obligations to the MCC as the producer’s of Reggae on the River. The only way the contract between the MCC and People Productions, LLC, could be terminated is by both parties following the negotiated and agreed upon procedure as set forth in the contract between People Productions, LLC, and the MCC.
6. Is this a corporate takeover?
- No, that notion is ridiculous. The Mateel Community Center Inc., People Productions LLC and 2B1 Multimedia are all corporations.
- Carol Bruno was one of the founders and visionaries of Reggae on the River and the Mateel Community Center. She has been the festival’s only constant producer since the very beginning. The first 11 years when she headed the Mateel team and then produced Reggae on the River as primary partner in People Productions for the next 12 years with long time partner and friend, Paul Bassis and their exceptional production team of Reggae Coordinators and dedicated volunteers.
- Carol Bruno has also donated her expertise on a multitude of projects benefiting a broad cross section of the entire Humboldt County community.
- Tom Dimmick is a life long resident of southern Humboldt and his family history here goes back to the 1940’s. He purchased the new Dimmick Ranch site from his family in large part to secure a permanent home for the Reggae on the River festival. The festival staff who work with the Dimmick Ranch in unison with People Productions LLC are the same Reggae Coordinators who have been part of the festival for years, many since the beginning over 20 years ago.
7. What about the local non-profits?
- People Productions LLC and the dedicated staff and volunteers have been working for the past four months, voluntarily, to produce and host a world-class reggae festival with a wonderful lineup of music for our dedicated fans from all over the world.
- The festival will enrich the community and support our nonprofit organizations and local businesses that derive so much economic support from the event.
8. Who else will benefit from Reggae Rising?
- Reggae Rising is in the process of forming a foundation to use a portion of the proceeds of the event to support select local and international non-profit organizations. While the Mateel Community Center may well benefit from the event through this charitable giving arm, Reggae Rising feels that reggae music is international and as such, one of our duties will be to give support to crucial international aid organizations as well. We are very excited at the prospect of being in a position to provide some much needed relief in parts of the world that could really use the help.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
From: The Dimmick Ranch
Date: Thursday, May 24, 2007
REGGAE RISING MUSIC FESTIVAL ADDRESSES YOUR QUESTIONS:
1. What festival will be happening the first weekend in August on the Dimmick Ranch and French’s Camp?
- Reggae Rising Music Festival will be the only show happening on the Dimmick Ranch and French’s Camp in 2007.
2. What about Reggae on the River?
- Sadly, Reggae on the River has been cancelled for 2007. The Dimmick Ranch terminated their lease agreement with the Mateel Community Center Inc because the Mateel improperly purported to terminate their production contract with People Productions. Since the Mateel’s lease contained a contractual obligation to use People Productions for the term of the agreement, this constituted a material breach of the lease with The Dimmick Ranch. Unfortunately, rather than find an acceptable compromise between the parties to resolve the dispute, the Mateel hired a new producer, 2B1 Multimedia from San Francisco and attempted to produce the event despite having a disputed lease agreement with The Dimmick Ranch, no lease of French’s Camp and no agreement with the Cooks Valley Camping Area. For months they continued to promote a show on property they have no legal right to occupy and sold tickets to a concert advertising many artists with whom they had no contractual agreements.
3. Did the Mateel Community Center pay for all of the infrastructure improvements to the Dimmick Ranch?
- No, Mateel shared the cost of infrastructure improvements with the Dimmick Ranch. Tom Dimmick was obligated to provide a significant construction allowance toward the infrastructure. He paid for most of the municipal grade water system as well as the large electrical upgrades. In addition to this, Tom Dimmick also supplied, at no charge, much of the lumber used to create many of the booths, as well as drain rock for the grey water systems, and heavy equipment operating time on the site. In the spirit of cooperation Tom contributed well over the contractual obligation of the construction allowance.
4. Has the Dimmick Ranch and People Production LLC tried to reach an equitable resolution with the Mateel Community Center Inc.?
- Yes. The Dimmick Ranch and People Productions, LLC, have been trying to resolve this dispute with the Mateel for many months. As far back as April of 2006, when it first became apparent that the cost of building the infrastructure to the county’s requirements would potentially impact the event’s profitability in 2006, People Productions suggested licensing the event so the Mateel would have guaranteed income. The Mateel turned down this offer. Even after the 2006 event, The Dimmick Ranch and People Productions presented the Mateel with a bill deferment plan to preserve the Mateel’s cash flow situation. The Mateel was not interested in this proposal either. Many multi- million dollar offers have been made over the months to provide an equitable solution for all three parties, but, sadly, none have been agreed upon.
5. Is it true that People Productions quit?
- No. People Productions was bound by a written contract and could not quit. We contend their contract was improperly terminated by the Mateel Community Center Inc. on December 28th, 2006. On December 27th People Productions sent an email to the Mateel Community Center Inc. reaffirming their commitment to continue to fulfill their contractual obligations to the MCC as the producer’s of Reggae on the River. The only way the contract between the MCC and People Productions, LLC, could be terminated is by both parties following the negotiated and agreed upon procedure as set forth in the contract between People Productions, LLC, and the MCC.
6. Is this a corporate takeover?
- No, that notion is ridiculous. The Mateel Community Center Inc., People Productions LLC and 2B1 Multimedia are all corporations.
- Carol Bruno was one of the founders and visionaries of Reggae on the River and the Mateel Community Center. She has been the festival’s only constant producer since the very beginning. The first 11 years when she headed the Mateel team and then produced Reggae on the River as primary partner in People Productions for the next 12 years with long time partner and friend, Paul Bassis and their exceptional production team of Reggae Coordinators and dedicated volunteers.
- Carol Bruno has also donated her expertise on a multitude of projects benefiting a broad cross section of the entire Humboldt County community.
- Tom Dimmick is a life long resident of southern Humboldt and his family history here goes back to the 1940’s. He purchased the new Dimmick Ranch site from his family in large part to secure a permanent home for the Reggae on the River festival. The festival staff who work with the Dimmick Ranch in unison with People Productions LLC are the same Reggae Coordinators who have been part of the festival for years, many since the beginning over 20 years ago.
7. What about the local non-profits?
- People Productions LLC and the dedicated staff and volunteers have been working for the past four months, voluntarily, to produce and host a world-class reggae festival with a wonderful lineup of music for our dedicated fans from all over the world.
- The festival will enrich the community and support our nonprofit organizations and local businesses that derive so much economic support from the event.
8. Who else will benefit from Reggae Rising?
- Reggae Rising is in the process of forming a foundation to use a portion of the proceeds of the event to support select local and international non-profit organizations. While the Mateel Community Center may well benefit from the event through this charitable giving arm, Reggae Rising feels that reggae music is international and as such, one of our duties will be to give support to crucial international aid organizations as well. We are very excited at the prospect of being in a position to provide some much needed relief in parts of the world that could really use the help.
Comments:
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I suppose press releases by definition are self serving but there is much in this release that can easily be argued to be not true. Even though it is an old subject the firing/quitting controversy is very far from being resolved. It is easily argued that in fact Carol Bruno did quit. Dimmick would have done himself a huge favor by addressing the compelling evidence that Carol did in fact quit on two different occasions. I would say that because Tom Dimmick completely ignored what Carol and Paul Bassis told the Mateel Dimmick completely loses all credibility as far as the rest of the press release is concerned. Dimmick says that he contributed to the infrastructure on his land. So what? Why didn’t he address the fact that the Mateel owns a huge portion of that infrastructure? His silence on that subject is deafening. He completely ignored how much of that infrastructure belongs to the MCC and the fact the Dimmick has well over $30,000 of the Mateel’s much needed money that he has not returned even though he has terminated his contract with the MCC. He completely ignores that fact that he should be paying the Mateel for the use of the Mateel’s infrastructure. Dimmick also fails to acknowledge the use of the rest of the Mateel’s infrastructure needed for the event (signage for example). While the press release states that Carol Bruno has worked on Reggae on the River® for 23 years it conveniently omits that fact that during those 23 years she worked FOR the Mateel. In other words she was an employee of the Mateel. Because of the loss of credibility, this press release actually does more harm to Dimmick than silence and I would expect the Mateel to respond with their side of this hostile takeover of the world famous Southern Humboldt Reggae on the River® event. Every time Dimmick responds with these comments he forces the Mateel to respond in kind.
# posted by 
: 5:56 AM
: 5:56 AM
did you know that carol had 30 day to resolve the issue of quiting or not.That was in the contract also.The Mateel did not wait the 30 days,so they broke the contract,not PP.
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# posted by : 5:03 PM
: 5:03 PM << Home
