HomeMy WebLinkAboutM-81-10394:..: The' C000nut dbhu dro4ee : F.erida/3 '33
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br. Antonio Hernandez-bizaso
i Codfiinator, Cultural Division
Department of Leisure Servioos
City of Miami
bear Dr. Uzaso :
Your rationale for the staff evaluation of the funding proposal
for the Coconut Grove Arts Festival is so completely inappropriate
r: that I am curious as to whether you'read the proposal, or under-
stood what I said during the verbal presentation.
My original request did include some allowance for the license
fees for both artists and vendors. This was done in response to
the instructions from your office, which stated that we were to
indicate all fee waivers or in -kind services. At the time that I
was informed of the drastic shortage of funds, I stated to you,
Mr. Odio, and the members of the committee, that I would withdraw
my original request for such funds; I then submitted an amended
request, stating exact amounts for specific purposes. I was, I
believe, the only applicant t ffer any.modification voluntarily.
When I appeared before the committee the second time, with the
amended request (copy enclosed) the comittee stipulated that the
percentage waiver apply to the Coconut Grove Arts Festival, which
would allow local talent to be covered by one-third of my total
grant; I stated at that time that I appreciated such a gesture on
their part, but that local talent would probably comprise about
three -fourths of the total amount. In view of this, I fail to
? understand how you can "estimate" that my proposal does not pro-
vide the required percentage.
s
1
There is absolutely no justification for your statement that
k monies not used for license fees would "most �robably become
_ part of the administrative costs defrayment". The audit from
our CPA indicates clearly the expenditures of the organization.
Th4 Ueonut Drone Assoeiation has operated for al%ost nineteen
years, supported by a small memberehipi fees from the artists
who are participating officiallyt ando for the past two years$
by the vendors we place in the park. The City of Miami has been
mind enough to waive some feesi and provide some ih-kind services&
in return, we bring to the City a Festival which is ranked as one
of the top three or four in the entire countryt which results in
great publicity for the area, and which draws a crowd of well over
a quater-million people in one three-day period. The Festival is
one of the very few visual arts events in the entire city, as
well as an important economic event. over one million dollars
changed hands during this year's Festival alone; many businesses
in Coconut Grove do several times over the receipts of any other
short period.
Both as a private citizen, and as Executive Director of the
Coconut Grove Association, I am delighted to see all cultural
organizations brought under the same guidelines, if that does,
indeed take place. At this time, I do not believe that this is
being done. I am concerned about the inaccuracies in various
affairs of your office. I am appalled at your refusal, on more
than one occasion, to allow me to see documents in your office,
which constitutes a clear and serious violation of the Sunshine
Law. I am indignant at the lack of common courtesy shown to me,
and to others, when we are not informed as to the meetings of
the committee, which we have every right to attend.
If you are in any doubt as to the elements of the proposal I
submitted to your office, I suggest that you avail yourself of my
standing offer to you, or anyone else involved, to arrange to
visit my office, examine the books, and satisfy yourself that
the Coamut Grove Association is exactly what it purports to be.
Very truly yours,
roan, Hane Holshouser
Executive Director
Copies to City Manager, Mayor, Commissioners, et al.
It has just been brought to my attention, by Mr. Paul Young,
that there is now a fee for using the grassy area between the
Dinner Key Exhibition Center and South Dayshore Drive. Since
i was not made aware of this previously, my proposal did not
include the sum needed to defray this.
The Coconut Grove Association requests an additional sum of
s1, 500,00; rental of the grassy area at $500.00 per day.
We would appreciate being allowed to pay only a deposit at
this time, so that we do not lose the interest on the money
we have invested, if this request for additional funding is
denied.
Joanne Hane Holshouser
Executive Director,
Coconut Grove Association.
-wed 19
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ro. at rsr. c.....t t,M
Mkow. rww tit it
tones.;
SPONSOR of THt COCONUT GROVE ARTS FESTIVAL
PA BOX 157, totonut Grow i MIS MI, Fladh M 39
REQUEST FOR FUNDING
AMENDED
SANITATION $ 5,000.00
SHOWMOBILE 29500.00
RENTALS: Parks, Glass House 200.00
TALENT: Direct Payments to
Performing Artists 4,000.00
$11,700.00
e
SPONSOR of THt COCONUT GROVE ARTS FtSTIVAL
p.o. box 751, Coconut Grove • Miami, Ploddi J11 J1
OTHER REQUESTS
M160W. iww.111 it
The three police officers regularly on duty
in Coconut Grove will NOT be charged to us. Other
officers assigned by the City of Miami to areas other
than the Festival area will NOT be charged to us.
We will continue to pay all costs for officers with-
in our area, up to twenty-four officers.
The Coconut Grove Arts Festival will be
allowed to put vendors in the park areas. These
vendors will be covered by our insurance, with proof
furnished to the City. Since these are carefully
selected private vendors, representative of various
ethnic groups in the City of Miami, the City will
waive the requirement of a percentage of the gross or
net of the vendors, as has been the policy in previous
years. The Coconut Grove Arts Festival has the right
to assign and enforce the placement of ALL vendors
within the park, including specifically vendors
allowed by the City to sell within the area; our
insurance coverage will NOT cover vendors who do not
have a valid contract with the Coconut Grove Arts
Festival.
The Festival Committee will recommend that
the City continue to award two purchase prizes of
%500.00 each, with the funds coming from the Quality
of Life Fund as in the past.
4
November 100 1981
Ms, Joanne Kane Holshouser, Executive Director
Coconut Grove Arts Festival
P. 0. Box 757
Coconut Grove, Florida 33133
Dear Ms. Holshouser:
In re to your letter of November 9, 1981, it was.the
evaluation of the City of Miami Staff members that your
original request to the City was primarily to defray
the costs of'license fees for vendors at your arts
festival. It was also estimated that your proposal
did not provide the required percentage of local talent
fees and that monies not used for license fees would most
probably become part of the administrative costs defray-
ment.
It was our understanding that negotiations were underway
with the City of Miami Law Department for a waiver of
the license fees. Such action by the City would then
provide the Staff recommended $8,250 for use as talent
fees.
Yours truly, /
Dr. Antonino Hernandez-Lizaso
Coordinator, Cultural Division
Department of Leisure Services
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