S. Lake Tahoe changes arts-crafts policy — again
By Kathryn Reed
In a heated debate Tuesday that included council members making snide remarks at one another, the regulations involving arts and crafts fairs in South Lake Tahoe was changed for the second time this month.
On a 3-2 vote the City Council decided to allow 10 arts and crafts fairs in 2014 and eight in 2015. What the number will be beyond that was not discussed.
At the Sept. 3 council meeting the five had agreed to change the number of these annual events from 12 to four.
On Sept. 17, with the council chambers full of arts and nonprofit advocates, the council changed its mind. Councilmembers Angela Swanson and Brooke Laine wanted to stick with the four weekends. Their contention is that it is time for the city to start looking better and less junky with all the tents cluttering town every summer weekend.
Swanson is also concerned the promoter does not have to donate to nonprofits because of a U.S. Supreme Court case. The promoter of past events has verbally committed to continuing donations, but there is no guarantee he will get all the fairs or that he will continue to do them.
Councilmember Hal Cole’s main problem is with the transient shows taking money out of brick and mortar establishments, as well as perceived lack of sales tax collected.
Councilmembers Tom Davis and JoAnn Conner believe the arts and crafts fairs are good for the economy and put money in nonprofits’ coffers.
The city has a number of regulations on the books that allow for different types of arts and crafts events. The main way is through the ordinance that was amended this week. Nine such vendors may be part of another event where the main emphasis is not crafts. The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency allows special event districts – such as Heavenly Village and Ski Run Boulevard. These districts have other guidelines to follow beyond the contentious city ordinance.
Beyond the change in the number of arts and crafts events that will be allowed, the city agreed to work with those who want to have special events at their sites to see how best to make it beneficial for everyone.
In other action:
• The council unanimously approved the 2013-14 budget that takes effect Oct. 1.
• A tentative agreement was reached regarding the MV Transportation case. Details will be announced at the Oct. 1 meeting when the council is scheduled to ratify the settlement.
• City Manager Nancy Kerry was given her review. “She has done a wonderful job,” Mayor Tom Davis told Lake Tahoe News. Her initial contract from June 2012 was for three years. Her new contract, which will be voted on at the Oct. 1 meeting, has the contract expiring in 5½ years. It moves the expiration and review to the spring so an election does not interfere with the process. Kerry would not allow discussion of a raise. If she were to be terminated, she would receive nine months severance instead of six, which is what was in the original contract.
It is not the tents at craft shows that create a cluttered appearance and make the town look junky. ‘Tahoe South’ is WAY too full of itself.
An employment contract for 5-1/2 years is excessive. As is a 9 month severance payment. The employer likely receives no such reciprocal protection.
Once again the council lack of business since. The Arts & Crafts Fairs are here in only the best of times, all summer long, while local businesses are here 24/7 supporting the city and struggling 5 months of the year just to meet expenses.
“Kerry would not allow discussion of a raise.”
Gee, I don’t ever recall hearing of any former City Manager not allowing discussion of their receiving a salary increase. If I were eligible for a salary increase and had her responsibilities, needed to interact with and placate each individual Council member’s personality, and was subject to the constant stream of public criticism that she is, I don’t think I’d be that generous.
“If she were to be terminated, she would receive nine months severance instead of six, which is what was in the original contract.”
Does anyone recall what the number of severance months were for any other former City Manager? I’m pretty sure Tony O’Rourke got nine months in the event he was terminated.
What is your severance package where you work? Why is our city offering more than you get? I believe that a week for every year of work, after the 2nd year is normal.
The city council is out of touch. Like Tahoe Advocate said, one week for every year worked is the norm. I could even see 30 days for an executive. 9 months severance is an insult to all of us. Anyone out there getting a 5 and a half year contract of employment as well?
Saying that other managers in the past got 9 months severance as a justification of Ms. Kerry getting 9 months severance is silly. Just because it’s always been done that way does not mean it should continue to be done that way.
How do you think we got into this financial mess?
Supposedly O’Rourke was her mentor. Although, in her defense, if she’s a thug like him, she’s a fairly subtle one – by comparison.
End the parking fiasco, which if the budget is balanced as Ms. Kerry claims it to be then the paid parking program is unnecessary anyway, and then maybe we should talk about extending her contract?!
Its not the tents that make the town look junky. Its the lack of upkeep local business have on their propeties. Old run down signs, buildings that needed to be painted 20 years ago, weeds as landscaping. This is what makes the town look junky. Oh yeah, and the unpaved streets…..
Dogula:
I wrote the following question and comment:
“Does anyone recall what the number of severance months were for any other former City Manager? I’m pretty sure Tony O’Rourke got nine months in the event he was terminated.”
You responded with the following:
“Saying that other managers in the past got 9 months severance as a justification of Ms. Kerry getting 9 months severance is silly. Just because it’s always been done that way does not mean it should continue to be done that way.”
In the event you didn’t notice there was a question mark at the end of my first sentence and my second sentence was a simple comment. But thank you for entering my brain and deciding what my comment actually meant. I think you should have applied for the City Manager position in early 2012 and in the event Ms. Kerry ever quits her job would highly recommend your doing so in the future. After all, the higher you are in the chain of command the greater your responsibilities and the more you’re compensated; plus that would provide you the opportunity to exercise your advanced skill-set.
Why are they doubling a contract after a year in the job esp. since there is still close to 2 years left on the original one. What was the need, and why did they extend out the severance from 6 month to 9 months. Seems like a give away tha was not needed.
Reloman, the answer is simple. Incompetence on the part of the city council. Your point is exactly correct though, why would you extend a contract after 1 year with 2 years remaining? They don’t even do that for pro athletes who have the best contracts in the world.
Time to really think about voting the 3 up for re-election off. I thought Laine might bring some business sense to the council………my bad. Shame on you Brooke. Please explain yourself. Conner, you read LTN, please explain your vote.
I don’t think any Council members can do any in-depth explaining related to Ms. Kerry’s non-raise, employment agreement extension, or severance agreement increase since this was a Closed Session Agenda Item and the Brown Act prohibits Council members from publicly discussing those items in any more than a cursory manner.
If the City Council is so concerned for the local businesses, why then did they give away free food, at the Lakeview Commons and disregard the restaurant trade? Looking out for the locals? I think not !
Time for change people, er, where have we heard that before?
In the past I’ve seen City Council members recuse themselves on items where there could be any potential conflict of interest to avoid the perception of impropriety due to the types of businesses they operate, such as Tom Davis recusing himself on matters concerned to lodging since he’s in the lodging business. I watched both the September 3rd and September 17th City Council meetings and the discussions involving arts and crafts fairs in South Lake Tahoe and also read the September 3rd City Council meeting minutes that were approved. At the September 3rd meeting JoAnn Conner made the following statements concerning the arts and crafts fairs agenda item:
“Conner said that she also produced events and that it did not take her that much time to get
vendors. She added that this was part of her perspective from being in that same industry.”
“Conner indicated her disagreement that the City should be involved with producing Special Events other than promoting events such as a community tree lighting. She stated that the City should not compete with its business owners that produce Special Events and said such discussions frightened her.”
I question why Council member Conner did not recuse herself on these matters in light of her own admission on September 3rd that she is “in that same industry” and “that the City should not compete with its business owners that produce Special Events and said such discussions frightened her.” I also question why the City Attorney did not state one way or the other if Conner’s voting on these matters could be viewed as appropriate or inappropriate and whether it would be in compliance or in violation of the Brown Act. A little “transparency” would have been useful.