Festival gets green light from borough

MAT-SU -- The Mat-Su Borough's special events ordinance is under review by borough staff, but not in time for changes that could make it easier for organizers of the Talkeetna Bluegrass Festival.

Since the ordinance was adopted in September 2000, the Talkeetna Bluegrass Festival has been the only group to get a permit. The ordinance was passed, in part, to provide a form for regulating that event and others, such as the Hunter Creek Bluegrass Festival and the rash of raves, or all-night dance parties, that were cropping up around the Knik River area. Supporters of the ordinance say it's done its job -- the raves are no longer such a problem. Hunter Creek avoided the need for a permit by holding their attendance under 500 -- the number at which the borough's permit is needed -- and, this year, by moving the event to the grounds of the Alaska State Fair.

But the Talkeetna Bluegrass Festival, typically attended by 1,500 to 2,000 people, according to organizer Olive Bibeau, doesn't have the option of reducing their attendance by 75 percent or finding another 140-acre location within the limits of a nearby city. Bibeau said they'll have two people stationed at the gate to click tickets this weekend, and they'll make sure the festival attendance stays within the range of their permit.

The annual festival will host between 20 and 30 Alaska bands, Bibeau said. It's a family affair, she said, with tent camping, motorhome and trailer camping and a camping area reserved for seniors on the 140-acre property. Bibeau said the festival -- a nonprofit -- gives the money back to people who need it in the community.

"We help families in need," Bibeau said. "We've helped a lot of people out here."

Mat-Su Borough Code Compliance Chief Officer Ken Hudson said Wednesday the festival had received the green light on their event permit.

"They've been issued a permit to allow the event to go forward," Hudson said. "It limits their attendance to 1,000 … and they do need to provide us with information as to how they'll keep it at that level."

Hudson said permitting for the event has been an issue in the past. Last year, he said, the permit application trickled in, and was not complete by the time the event was going on.

"That couldn't occur again this year," Hudson said.

This year, Hudson said, the ordinance was filed and dealt with in adequate time, but event organizers were unable to supply the $125,000 bond amount required for more than 4,000 attendees. They changed their application and supplied $25,000 for the bond, which allows up to 1,000 attendees. The bond, according to borough code, is to cover the cost of any loss, injury or damage related to the mass gathering, including damage to surrounding property. It's too much money, festival organizers say, and they're seeking to have it changed.

Last September, they sent a letter to then-planning director, Sandra Garley. The letter outlined several requested changes to the ordinance. When no changes were made, Mat-Su Borough Assembly Member Kelly Lankford Ladere brought forward a new special events ordinance with the changes incorporated.

The changes suggested by Wasilla attorney Christopher Canterbury of Kelley and Kelley deal primarily with the length of the application period, bonding issues, insurance and liability.

The ordinance was vetoed before it received a hearing by the assembly. Borough Mayor Tim Anderson vetoed it on June 30, six days after it was introduced, stating that a change to the ordinance should be reviewed by the borough's planning commission before being voted on by the assembly.

"Borough policy has always been to present such legislative issues to the planning commission before consideration by the assembly in order to provide the assembly with as much information as possible before they make their decision," Anderson wrote in his memo notifying the assembly of his action. "There is no reason to deviate from that procedure now."

At the assembly's July 15 meeting, Ladere sought to overturn the veto.

"I think these people have the right to appear in public and plead their case," Ladere said. "This ordinance should have its hearing."

Ladere's motion to overturn the veto failed with one other vote in support -- that of assembly member Jody Simpson. But Ladere tackled the issue once more by introducing a motion to send the ordinance to the planning commission for review. That motion passed unanimously.

Hudson said borough staff are currently reviewing the ordinance. He said he expects work on the ordinance will be done by this fall. In the meantime, Hudson said, the show will go on -- with oversight from the borough and Alaska State Troopers. Hudson said along with those who will man the gates at the festival, he and his staff of two will be checking in at the festival periodically to make sure all the safety requirements are in place and the approved amount of attendees are in place. If something's not right, Hudson said, he's got several options to deal with the situation. Violations of the permit, he said, are considered misdemeanors. His staff can issue notices of violation without taking action right away, or they can demand immediate action.

"We're not going to try to cause a riot," Hudson said. "We can do anything from issuing notices of violation without taking court action right away up to issuing a misdemeanor charge."

But the borough won't be the only enforcement group at the festival. In addition to the festival's regular security guards -- better known as "Karma Kontrol"-- who keep the peace astride four-wheelers throughout the festival, Hudson said he's also been in contact with Alaska State Troopers, who plan to provide 24-hour coverage of the event.

"The goal is for it to be a fun event for all -- and that includes a well-paved event," Hudson said.