…to learn that Farmington Area Founders Festival executive director Kathleen Donnelly made $55,000 a year, as reported in Thursday’s Farmington Observer?
If that number’s not a typo, it’s more than double the salary paid to every previous director. Seems like a lot, though, given the Festival’s continuing financial problems. If that number’s not a typo.
Best of luck to Krista Wolter, the Downtown Development Authority’s new events director. It would probably be more than enough for her to be in charge of the Festival, but she’ll also oversee every other Downtown event – like this weekend’s “Holly Days” events and the concerts in Riley Park over the summer.
Based on my observations and experience, she’s more than up to the job.
–Joni Hubred-Golden
Enterprise Publisher
Surprised, startled, amazed…
Either they know something I don’t (and that has not been proven evident in the past) or they’re giving short shrift to an important component for driving new business downtown.
Lets see… Kathleen got 55k for running the Festival – pretty much a full-time job. Now, they’re handing it off, PLUS every other event in town, to someone they’re paying 46k? Poor dear, she’s got big shoes to fill, and a workload that will absolutely necessitate some things being skimped on just to keep up. The pressure is going to be gi-normous.
From all evidence, Kathleen had begun the difficult task of turning the Festival around, trying to make it the event it needs to be. After it saw years of mismanagement, she took the rudder and began to guide the ship upstream. Unfortunately, her talents and experience seem to be thrown to the side in an attempt to “streamline”. Usually, this means that the work product suffers.
Seems like same ol’ same ol’, doing something just to say it’s been done, regardless of whether or not it is effective. I’m sure the spin will continue to be how much they’re doing, and any and all failings will be blamed on elements “out” of their “control”.
Meanwhile, downtown languishes.
I think moving the Festival in with the other Downtown events actually makes some sense. We have one, big event in Farmington every year – while most communities with successful downtowns have several. Adding all of the Festival components to the planning process mix creates some interesting opportunities. There’s some talk about having the crafters come in for an expanded fall festival that’s juried. Or using Art on the Grand as the anchor for a spring event. These are just ideas that I’ve heard kicked around, nothing’s been decided – but it’s certainly worth exploring ways to give people more reasons to come Downtown.
I’m not saying Kathleen didn’t earn every penny of what she was paid, she did an incredible job under very difficult circumstances. It was just a bit of a stunner, considering what previous directors had been paid, based on the Festival’s financial condition. Based on recent 990s, the Festival’s budget has been around $175,000. For a non-profit director with a budget that size, $55,000 is a LOT of money.
I was encouraged by the DDA buying into the idea of having a marketing/promotions professional. The hiring of Krista Wolters was a great addition to the trend of revitalizing downtown.
Then I was further encouraged by the DDA planning on paying to have a seperate events coordinator to facilitate activities in downtown.
To think that these two positions will be combined with the addition of the Founders Festival to oversee….
well thats just plain depressing.
jeff- not looking forward to having the worst economy in the USA in the last two generations and “main street” torn up with streetscape… while our event/marketing/promotions person is negotiating the finer points of random crap to be placed in downtown for 3 days while the other 362 days are pushed aside. ….
Jeff makes a great point. Creating more events will get crowds of people downtown four or five times a year instead of twice a year, but what happens to the day-to-day marketing and PR? I’m in the business, it’s a lot more labor intensive than one might think.
At least that’s what I tell my boss.
As a vendor since the days of the Festival run under the Chamber’s control, management has become sort of a black hole for people. The best years we experienced after the Chamber relinquished the event were under Suzanne Lichtman-since those days it’s been a bumpy ride at best.
Had the event returned to its former heights, $55,000 a year would seem to be a bargain. Since this wasn’t the case, nobody is happy with that number. Given the revolving door that has been the case for directors, anybody coming in pretty much knew it was a short term proposition, and can not be blamed for negotiating the highest possible salary.
The best solution (in my opinion) would be to tie the financial success of the festival to the salary. Give the director an unlimited earning potential but tie it to the profit (or decrease in the amount of loss compared to previous years) of the festival.
Either way this will be an experience that Krista Wolter will always remember.