Nonprofit running city events quits

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A nonprofit organization in charge of managing Maricopa’s three largest public events backed out of its contract Tuesday.

The decision by the Action Alliance Network comes after city staff previously discussed the option of running the events when the group’s contract ended this summer. The decision also comes on the heels of a city memo dated March 27 that explained how the group was not honoring its contract. 

The group entered an agreement with the city in August to run the community’s three signature events: Stagecoach Days, Salsa Festival and the Great American Barbecue. Previously, the city ran the events. The first two events within the contract’s timeline have already taken place. The Great American Barbecue, scheduled for July, will now be organized by city staff. 

According to the city, Maricopa is spending $123,000 on the events and does not receive revenue to offset costs. 

The option of having the city again take over the events was discussed during the March 27 meeting of the budget, finance and operations council subcommittee, said city spokeswoman LaTricia Woods. The city council will need to approve staff taking back the events. 

Will Dunn, director of the Action Alliance Network, addressed the city council Tuesday and expressed frustration over the city memo. It explained how his group violated its contract in several ways, such as creating event advertisements without city approval, filing an expense and revenue report late and submitting a sales and marketing plan that lacked essential details. 

“Never one time have I received a written or verbal complaint from the city staff or the council,” Dunn said. 

The memo, addressed to the city manager and the assistant city manager, was written by Community Service Director Jennifer Campbell. It also accused the group of unprofessional behavior. 

Among a number of issues, the memo states staff and volunteers were drinking alcohol during the March 23 Salsa Festival as well as using “rude and profane” language with visitors. 

Dunn said one of the group’s volunteers had been drinking at the event. 

“We did have one, and I apologize, unauthorized volunteer, who I don’t even know his name, who got on a golf cart and he was drinking,” he said. “And the moment we found out about it, our staff escorted him off the property. Action Alliance staff has never been drunk at any event that we’ve put on and it’s a distortion of the truth to say that was anyone associated (with the group) other than the 100 volunteers who were helping us.” 

The memo also mentions the group’s management of the events resulted in fewer business, food and chef vendors. The number of business vendors at the Stagecoach Days event dropped from 52 in 2011 to 30 in 2012. At the Salsa Festival, the number of business vendors slid from 91 in 2012 to 52 this year. 

In addition, the report points to a poor job of advertising for the Salsa Festival held last month. 

“To the city’s knowledge (because the city was contractually obligated to approve all marketing materials prior to distribution), AAN did not distribute a news release for Salsa Festival,” the report states.

InMaricopa.com did not receive a media release for the festival. 

The staff report also states the group was not present at the March 5 or March 19 city council meetings to promote the festival. 

Attendance number estimates and the claim “AAN erroneously overstated the success of the events to local media and the public” were other concerns pointed out in the report.