an editorial by Kirby Lindsay Laney, 12 May 2016
Fremont is a powerful little community, able to put on legendary events, host iconic businesses and provide a safe, welcoming place for all people to live. Most important of all, to me, it is a fun place to play – in so many ways.
Since around 1980, three non-profit, volunteer-oriented organizations have enabled the Fremont fun, through advocacy, education, communications and producing community-building events. The Fremont Arts Council (FAC), the Fremont Chamber of Commerce and the Fremont Neighborhood Council (FNC) create a three-legged stool that supports our community and displays it as a positive place to live, work and play.
Yet, at their public meetings this spring, both the FAC and the Chamber have shown signs of distress, independent of one another. This could lead our metaphorical stool to wobble – or topple – just as our community goes on display world-wide during the Summer Solstice weekend, this June.
Fremont Arts Council – In Trouble
On June 18th, at 3p, FAC members have committed to producing the annual Solstice Parade. This spectacular piece of performance art will happen, but fans can expect to be shocked at how different it could look.
At the April general meeting of the FAC (called ‘The C.O.W.’ and held on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 7:10p at The Powerhouse,) a determined majority spoke passionately about their plans for the 2016 Parade. Yet, at the May C.O.W., FAC Treasurer Maque daVis acknowledged that the FAC Board had to cut the budget for the Parade down to 1/3rd of the roughly $70,000 spent in 2014 and 2015. As he also pointed out, the non-profit currently had only half that budgeted amount in its bank account.
The Board had selected Tara Shuttleworth, an area events producer and active FAC volunteer, to serve as paid staffer, with the title of Community Engagement Coordinator for the 2016 Parade. Shuttleworth has, with her previous events, proven herself capable of recruiting and organizing volunteers, and working as part of a team. Here though she has only just been hired – less than 40 days before the Parade is scheduled to take to the streets of Fremont.
The FAC has, on many occasions, proven to be at its best when at deadline. The organization hosted an amazing Winter Feast last December with barely two weeks to set-up and organize. Creating under pressure has been a mainstay throughout the history of the Parade.
This year though, they will also go back to their roots of creating with almost no money and, for the first time ever, a serious shortage of volunteers. These days the Parade requires monitors to keep participants safe, registrants to get everyone signed up and in position, and costumed beggars strolling the streets soliciting donations from the audience to raise the money needed to not only fund the 2017 Parade – if there is one – but also to keep the FAC going for the next year. The FAC needs people to build and participate in the Parade, as well as to administer it, in a time when everyone finds themselves too busy to volunteer, too busy to participate, or more interested in riding before the Parade, as a painted Solstice Cyclists.
The FAC has been facing severe systemic failures in the organization for a few years now. At risk of sounding like Chicken Little, this year’s Parade could be the undoing of this incredible, independent and unparalleled organization. It could also be a turning point.
At the May 10th meeting, daVis talked of steps being taken, by its Board, to make the FAC more responsive, responsible and professional. They also are actively seeking new, business-minded Board Members. “We need more voices,” daVis said. “Parade costs went up while funding went down.” The Board is looking at a City of Seattle Department of Neighborhoods Matching Fund grant to build a solid administrative structure that could support the artistic and creative work of the members of the FAC.
Fremont Chamber – At A Crossroads
The April 27th meeting of the Chamber Board continued the theme of all its meetings so far in 2016, with Board Members signing on for more duties, picking up pieces left undone and, sometimes, undiscovered following the resignation, in December, of the organization’s longtime Executive Director. What was new this time was the resignation of the Chamber Treasurer. He could no longer give the time necessary to this now volunteer job, without the help of the E.D.
Since December the Chamber Board has been examining its options. In place of one E.D., they contracted three people to take parts of the job – and have been recruiting volunteers to fill in the cracks. The cracks turned into canyons when the organization’s insurance lapsed at the end of April and the contractors had to suspend work until coverage returned, a few days later. Still, even after a few days, the contractors and volunteers were scrambling to catch up on Chamber business.
The Chamber has taken on a monumental amount of work since hiring E.D.s (and before them, Executive Secretaries.) Yet, the Board chose to step back from hiring, and take time to examine how they want to do going forward –hire an administrator, a lobbyist, or an event producer? Or do they need a volunteer coordinator? A combination of all of the above? Or none?
The Fremont Chamber produces the Fremont Fair – the wrapper that gives a stage to the Solstice Parade and the Seattle Art Car Blowout. The Chamber contracts Bold Hat Productions to make sure the Fair happens, but it must change this year also. The City of Seattle dramatically changed its fee structure for Special Events, making it more important than ever that the event raise money to pay for itself – and unlikely that it will be able to raise enough to leave funds for the Chamber’s community projects…
Including helping fund the Solstice Parade, or any other FAC projects in 2016.
Fremont Neighborhood Council – Holding Steady
One leg of our metaphorical stool remains strong and steady. The FNC continues to advocate for residents and provide a place for residential concerns.
However, this organization does not provide financial or physical assistance to the Solstice Parade or the FAC. At this time, the FNC has no members in common with the FAC and may be entirely unaware of the trouble the FAC faces. That may be intentional – some Fremont residents see the Solstice Parade, and the Fair, as troublesome disruptions.
This Fremont resident does not. June is FREMONT MONTH, when we traditionally put on our best face and promote ourselves to the world as a place for frolicsome fun and fabulous festivities. The Fremont Fun Run, the Chamber Picnic-In-The-Park, and the new Early Bird Father’s Day Celebration at Mischief, all lead up to our incredible celebration of Solstice weekend.
We will have a Parade, and a Fair, along with the Art Cars, and a day of Honk! Fest West. I hope that the changes this year provide more opportunities for Fremonsters to take ownership of these massive events. We can volunteer, and donate, and have more influence than ever before. It’s our choice – and I hope, like me, you choose to do more…rather than less.
If you are interested in helping, contact the FAC at volunteers@fremontartscouncil.org, or through the Fremont Arts Council website. If you want to learn more about the Fremont Chamber, visit the website or attend an upcoming meeting (listed on the Fremocentrist calendar as well.) If you want to help the Fremont Neighborhood Council, and area residents, visit its website.
Related Articles
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- by Kirby Lindsay, September 9, 2013
- Evolution Of The Fremont Fair
- by Kirby Lindsay, March 12, 2014
©2016 Kirby Laney. This column is protected by intellectual property laws, including U.S. copyright laws. Reproduction, adaptation or distribution without permission is prohibited.