The Farmington Observer reported this morning that a discussion long part of the community conversation has finally been settled: The Downtown Development Authority has voted to take over the Farmington Area Founders Festival.
The community festival has been one big, tangled mess, mired in internal politics and turmoil since the Farmington/Farmington Hills Chamber released it years ago. Festival Director Kathleen Donnelly is incorrect in saying the Festival didn’t make money before the last two years; in fact, Suzanne Lichtman (three directors ago) left the Festival board with a hefty surplus, which was decimated the following year as the board dragged its feet in finding her replacement.
Donnelly’s hiring has brought some stability to the event, which was literally saved by Dick Tupper and his army of volunteers, who ran the event for two years without taking a dime for their efforts. Donnelly is a paid director, and rightly so. The Festival should actually be somebody’s full-time job, particularly given the amount of money that must be raised ($100,000) every year.
Vince Pastue is also correct in saying the Festival board did little more than spin its wheels year after year. I served on the board for a year, and came away absolutely amazed that people could spend so much time arguing over the price of a beer.
If the DDA can bring additional stability to this event, this move can only bode well for the Festival. Normally, I like to see the “due diligence” DDA President Greg Cowley said the move didn’t need, but in this case, the writing is quite clearly on the wall.
–Joni Hubred-Golden
Enterprise Publisher
So the headline should read.
D.D.A. and F.A.F.F. merge to form D.A.F.F.
Daff- To act the part of a fool.
This should prove to be interesting. The DDA has fumbled badly over the last few years – the parking study, the “branding” effort, the streetscape near fiasco – and now they want to take on the Festival?
Let’s hope they hire good people to do the job, because if they intend to continue with “business as usual”, it does not bode well for the improvements this event sorely needs.
Bob,
I’m with you, it should be interesting. I hope they re-evaluate the decision.
RE: The branding study, did they ever come up with anything or did they just spend money, again?
I am posting what I know about the branding study. It’s getting stupid.