Sunday, June 08, 2008
From Rando...
**June 6, 2008
Greetings Strawberry Music Festival community! As always, we want to
thank you for your continued support of the festivals. We also wish to
give special appreciation and acknowledgement to those of you who not
only endured Spring Drench-berry, but went on to write about just how
much fun it was. You’re our people!
As some of you are aware, the Strawberry organization is facing an
historic decision regarding its home for future festivals. Here are the
contract negotiation facts to date:
1. Strawberry Music Festivals has a contract with the San Francisco
Recreation and Parks Department for the use of Camp Mather which expires
after the 2008 Fall Festival.
2. The current contract contains a clause which states: “City
acknowledges that the nature of Tenant’s business requires that Tenant
have a one-year lead-time to successfully negotiate business concerns.
In the event City would like to retain Tenant as a concessionaire after
the expiration of this Lease, City will make every attempt to conclude a
new lease negotiation by November 30, 2007, the fourth year of this
current Lease.”
3. From early November 2007, Festival Management has been working in
good-faith to negotiate a new contract for the use of Camp Mather for
the 2009-2013 seasons. Strawberry Management made it clear from the
beginning of contract negotiations that our preference was to remain at
Camp Mather.
4. In spite of the fact that the basic terms for a new contract were
agreed to at a meeting held in San Francisco on March 17, 2008, a new
contract has yet to be executed. Further, after seven difficult
and confusing months the Recreation and Parks Department has yet to
produce even a draft lease for us to review.
Strawberry began the process of exploring a property to purchase as a
result of our diminishing confidence that a successful outcome will be
reached through the current contract negotiation process. At the 2008
Spring Festival we put a Property Search Questionnaire in the
Information Booth to solicit festival goers input on an area we are
considering if we relocate. Here’s what the questionnaire said:
“As the result of our inability to successfully conclude a new contract
negotiation for the use of Camp
Mather, Strawberry is in the process of exploring a property to purchase
for its future festivals. An area
of particular interest to us is in neighboring Mariposa County.
Although, at this point, we would not rule
out a spectacular property that fits our criteria in a different area of
California, we are particularly
interested in your comments as it relates to your drive to the Mariposa
area. We’d appreciate it if you’d
take a few minutes and, in the space below, give us your feedback on
this important matter.
Thank you,
the Strawberry Staff”
We want you to know we gave serious consideration to the pros and cons
of making this announcement. We ultimately decided to solicit your input
because we are at a critical stage in this process.
Thankfully, the Strawberry community feels very comfortable speaking up.
We received hundreds of thoughtful responses to the questionnaire and
they have proven very helpful. In addition, we have received an
overwhelming amount of feedback letting us know that, like us, festival
goers first-choice is to stay at Camp Mather. Some folks let us know
they wanted to take action and sought our input as to where to direct
their comments. Truthfully, we were reluctant to initiate a
letter-writing campaign; instead, we hoped things could be quietly
resolved. Unfortunately, we no longer feel this is possible. We’ve heard
some interesting speculation, and, okay, rumors, about why we’re in the
position we’re in and what our future plans are. Let’s lay two things to
rest: First, you now have all of the relevant facts about the status of
our contract at Camp Mather and how we’ve arrived at this place. Second,
Strawberry Management is in this for the long-haul. Our twenty-seven
year investment in the festivals, and the community it has created, are
a substantial part of our lives. We are going to do everything we can to
keep the festivals alive and thriving indefinitely. After all, we now
have the third generation of Strawberry Kids growing up with us. Not
only do they need this experience in their lives, but, in the
not-to-distant future they will be planning our activities at the lake!
Here’s where we’re at today, Friday, June 6th:
1. Correspondence from a Recreation and Parks representative dated June
4th informs us that Rec Park wishes to “move forward” and create a
contract with Strawberry. The same correspondence also qualifies this
with the statement “if we can resolve the outstanding issues surrounding
additional use of Camp Mather for Strawberry music” but does not go on
to elaborate on exactly what issues remain unresolved. This
correspondence goes on to outline a timeline wherein Strawberry would be
sent a first draft of the lease on July 10th. The draft would then need
to be put in its final form with all issues and wording agreed upon by
July 17th in order to pass through the City’s approval process
(hopefully) and be available for execution by August 18th.
2. While on the face of it, the June 4th correspondence by Recreation
and Parks could be taken as a positive sign, the reality is we have been
strung-along for the past seven months and we have nothing to show for
it. As a result, our confidence in the negotiation process is gone.
History very clearly tells us if the negotiations were to continue at
the rate they have been going, there is no chance they would be
successfully concluded in time to meet the August 18th schedule.
3. Time is now a liability. If this process drags out much longer and we
do not have a future contract for Camp Mather we are in a terrible
position. Where do we go? How do we keep the Strawberry community
together? We are now faced with some very serious questions.
4. We are taking steps to determine if Recreation and Parks is willing
to make the successful negotiation of a future contract with Strawberry
a top priority. If they will do so, Strawberry will make one final
attempt to successfully conclude this negotiation and remain at Camp Mather.
If you would like to speak out in support of Strawberry retaining Camp
Mather as its festival home, here’s what you can do:
1. Send an e-mail to all of the representatives included in the list
that follows. Please copy the festival office on your correspondence.
2. Let the City of San Francisco representatives know, from your heart,
just how important it is to you that the Recreation and Parks Department
conclude a successful contract negotiation with Strawberry. To achieve
this goal, Recreation and Parks needs to resume contract discussions
with Strawberry immediately and be in full agreement with Strawberry as
to all of the terms of the lease by June 20th.
3. Point out the qualities you believe make the Strawberry/Camp Mather
relationship a win/win for all parties. The RPD Mission Statement says:
“The San Francisco Recreation and Park Department’s Mission is to
provide enriching recreational activities, maintain beautiful parks and
preserve the environment for the well-being of our diverse community.”
We believe the Strawberry Music Festivals nicely complement the RPD
Mission. We feel our reputation, character and prestige reflect very
highly on the City of San Francisco. For twenty-six years Strawberry has
been an important factor in the financial stability of Camp Mather and
throughout that time we have been highly praised for our care of the
sensitive and unique Camp Mather environment. Doesn’t everyone know
Strawberry always leaves Camp Mather in better condition than we found it?
4. NOW IS THE TIME TO ACT. Please pass this information along to all
interested friends and family.
Thank you! – The Strawberry Music Festival Management
People to Contact at the City of San Francisco:
Mayor Gavin Newsom at gavin.newsom@sfgov.org
Board of Supervisor Members and their Staff:
Michela.Alioto-Pier@sfgov.org, Tom.Ammiano@sfgov.org, Chris.Daly@sfgov.org,
Bevan.Dufty@sfgov.org, Sean.Elsbernd@sfgov.org, Carmen.Chu@sfgov.org,
Sophie.Maxwell@sfgov.org, Jake.McGoldrick@sfgov.org,
Ross.Mirkarimi@sfgov.org,
Aaron.Peskin@sfgov.org, Gerardo.Sandoval@sfgov.org,
cassandra.costello@sfgov.org,
Pooja.Jhunjhunwala@sfgov.org, stephanie.tucker@sfgov.org,
Sarah.Ballard@sfgov.org,
David.Noyola@sfgov.org, Colleen.Crowley@sfgov.org, Rick.Galbreath@sfgov.org,
John.Avalos@sfgov.org, Rebekah.Krell@sfgov.org, Boe.Hayward@sfgov.org,
Pilar.Schiavo@sfgov.org, Nicholas.Kinsey@sfgov.org
Recreation and Parks Department Representatives and Commission:
Yomi Agunbiade at yomi.agunbiade@sfgov.org
Margot Shaub at margot.shaub@sfgov.org
Chris Mack at chris.mack@sfgov.org
Rec and Park Commissioners (Martin, Lazarus, Bonillia, Harrison, Lee,
Levitan, and Sullivan) at
recpark.commission@sfgov.org
Friends of Camp Mather at friendsofmather@gmail.com
Greetings Strawberry Music Festival community! As always, we want to
thank you for your continued support of the festivals. We also wish to
give special appreciation and acknowledgement to those of you who not
only endured Spring Drench-berry, but went on to write about just how
much fun it was. You’re our people!
As some of you are aware, the Strawberry organization is facing an
historic decision regarding its home for future festivals. Here are the
contract negotiation facts to date:
1. Strawberry Music Festivals has a contract with the San Francisco
Recreation and Parks Department for the use of Camp Mather which expires
after the 2008 Fall Festival.
2. The current contract contains a clause which states: “City
acknowledges that the nature of Tenant’s business requires that Tenant
have a one-year lead-time to successfully negotiate business concerns.
In the event City would like to retain Tenant as a concessionaire after
the expiration of this Lease, City will make every attempt to conclude a
new lease negotiation by November 30, 2007, the fourth year of this
current Lease.”
3. From early November 2007, Festival Management has been working in
good-faith to negotiate a new contract for the use of Camp Mather for
the 2009-2013 seasons. Strawberry Management made it clear from the
beginning of contract negotiations that our preference was to remain at
Camp Mather.
4. In spite of the fact that the basic terms for a new contract were
agreed to at a meeting held in San Francisco on March 17, 2008, a new
contract has yet to be executed. Further, after seven difficult
and confusing months the Recreation and Parks Department has yet to
produce even a draft lease for us to review.
Strawberry began the process of exploring a property to purchase as a
result of our diminishing confidence that a successful outcome will be
reached through the current contract negotiation process. At the 2008
Spring Festival we put a Property Search Questionnaire in the
Information Booth to solicit festival goers input on an area we are
considering if we relocate. Here’s what the questionnaire said:
“As the result of our inability to successfully conclude a new contract
negotiation for the use of Camp
Mather, Strawberry is in the process of exploring a property to purchase
for its future festivals. An area
of particular interest to us is in neighboring Mariposa County.
Although, at this point, we would not rule
out a spectacular property that fits our criteria in a different area of
California, we are particularly
interested in your comments as it relates to your drive to the Mariposa
area. We’d appreciate it if you’d
take a few minutes and, in the space below, give us your feedback on
this important matter.
Thank you,
the Strawberry Staff”
We want you to know we gave serious consideration to the pros and cons
of making this announcement. We ultimately decided to solicit your input
because we are at a critical stage in this process.
Thankfully, the Strawberry community feels very comfortable speaking up.
We received hundreds of thoughtful responses to the questionnaire and
they have proven very helpful. In addition, we have received an
overwhelming amount of feedback letting us know that, like us, festival
goers first-choice is to stay at Camp Mather. Some folks let us know
they wanted to take action and sought our input as to where to direct
their comments. Truthfully, we were reluctant to initiate a
letter-writing campaign; instead, we hoped things could be quietly
resolved. Unfortunately, we no longer feel this is possible. We’ve heard
some interesting speculation, and, okay, rumors, about why we’re in the
position we’re in and what our future plans are. Let’s lay two things to
rest: First, you now have all of the relevant facts about the status of
our contract at Camp Mather and how we’ve arrived at this place. Second,
Strawberry Management is in this for the long-haul. Our twenty-seven
year investment in the festivals, and the community it has created, are
a substantial part of our lives. We are going to do everything we can to
keep the festivals alive and thriving indefinitely. After all, we now
have the third generation of Strawberry Kids growing up with us. Not
only do they need this experience in their lives, but, in the
not-to-distant future they will be planning our activities at the lake!
Here’s where we’re at today, Friday, June 6th:
1. Correspondence from a Recreation and Parks representative dated June
4th informs us that Rec Park wishes to “move forward” and create a
contract with Strawberry. The same correspondence also qualifies this
with the statement “if we can resolve the outstanding issues surrounding
additional use of Camp Mather for Strawberry music” but does not go on
to elaborate on exactly what issues remain unresolved. This
correspondence goes on to outline a timeline wherein Strawberry would be
sent a first draft of the lease on July 10th. The draft would then need
to be put in its final form with all issues and wording agreed upon by
July 17th in order to pass through the City’s approval process
(hopefully) and be available for execution by August 18th.
2. While on the face of it, the June 4th correspondence by Recreation
and Parks could be taken as a positive sign, the reality is we have been
strung-along for the past seven months and we have nothing to show for
it. As a result, our confidence in the negotiation process is gone.
History very clearly tells us if the negotiations were to continue at
the rate they have been going, there is no chance they would be
successfully concluded in time to meet the August 18th schedule.
3. Time is now a liability. If this process drags out much longer and we
do not have a future contract for Camp Mather we are in a terrible
position. Where do we go? How do we keep the Strawberry community
together? We are now faced with some very serious questions.
4. We are taking steps to determine if Recreation and Parks is willing
to make the successful negotiation of a future contract with Strawberry
a top priority. If they will do so, Strawberry will make one final
attempt to successfully conclude this negotiation and remain at Camp Mather.
If you would like to speak out in support of Strawberry retaining Camp
Mather as its festival home, here’s what you can do:
1. Send an e-mail to all of the representatives included in the list
that follows. Please copy the festival office on your correspondence.
2. Let the City of San Francisco representatives know, from your heart,
just how important it is to you that the Recreation and Parks Department
conclude a successful contract negotiation with Strawberry. To achieve
this goal, Recreation and Parks needs to resume contract discussions
with Strawberry immediately and be in full agreement with Strawberry as
to all of the terms of the lease by June 20th.
3. Point out the qualities you believe make the Strawberry/Camp Mather
relationship a win/win for all parties. The RPD Mission Statement says:
“The San Francisco Recreation and Park Department’s Mission is to
provide enriching recreational activities, maintain beautiful parks and
preserve the environment for the well-being of our diverse community.”
We believe the Strawberry Music Festivals nicely complement the RPD
Mission. We feel our reputation, character and prestige reflect very
highly on the City of San Francisco. For twenty-six years Strawberry has
been an important factor in the financial stability of Camp Mather and
throughout that time we have been highly praised for our care of the
sensitive and unique Camp Mather environment. Doesn’t everyone know
Strawberry always leaves Camp Mather in better condition than we found it?
4. NOW IS THE TIME TO ACT. Please pass this information along to all
interested friends and family.
Thank you! – The Strawberry Music Festival Management
People to Contact at the City of San Francisco:
Mayor Gavin Newsom at gavin.newsom@sfgov.org
Board of Supervisor Members and their Staff:
Michela.Alioto-Pier@sfgov.org, Tom.Ammiano@sfgov.org, Chris.Daly@sfgov.org,
Bevan.Dufty@sfgov.org, Sean.Elsbernd@sfgov.org, Carmen.Chu@sfgov.org,
Sophie.Maxwell@sfgov.org, Jake.McGoldrick@sfgov.org,
Ross.Mirkarimi@sfgov.org,
Aaron.Peskin@sfgov.org, Gerardo.Sandoval@sfgov.org,
cassandra.costello@sfgov.org,
Pooja.Jhunjhunwala@sfgov.org, stephanie.tucker@sfgov.org,
Sarah.Ballard@sfgov.org,
David.Noyola@sfgov.org, Colleen.Crowley@sfgov.org, Rick.Galbreath@sfgov.org,
John.Avalos@sfgov.org, Rebekah.Krell@sfgov.org, Boe.Hayward@sfgov.org,
Pilar.Schiavo@sfgov.org, Nicholas.Kinsey@sfgov.org
Recreation and Parks Department Representatives and Commission:
Yomi Agunbiade at yomi.agunbiade@sfgov.org
Margot Shaub at margot.shaub@sfgov.org
Chris Mack at chris.mack@sfgov.org
Rec and Park Commissioners (Martin, Lazarus, Bonillia, Harrison, Lee,
Levitan, and Sullivan) at
recpark.commission@sfgov.org
Friends of Camp Mather at friendsofmather@gmail.com
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]