Festival board lesson is loud and clear

Apparently, people are paying attention to the Festival of Arts

board, because a new slate of board members has been voted in and it

looks a lot like a response to activity by the board majority.

Bruce Rasner picked a bad time to consider licensing the Pageant

of the Masters -- not too far before his bid for re-election. It may

have been as innocent as the majority claimed: “We’re just looking”

and “We need money and have to consider all our options ... .”

But even the thought of corrupting the Pageant of the Masters by

licensing it and allowing it to show elsewhere sent most of us into a

tizzy.

Steve Brezzo learned his lesson and had enough. Relatively soon

after starting his new role in a newly created position, the talks

with International Creative Management were made public, and the

uproar began.

Brezzo and Rasner took the brunt of the criticism. Brezzo

resigned, and festival members decided the fate of Rasner.

No one seems to argue that Rasner did a lot for the Festival of

Arts when the then-board considered moving it to San Clemente, yet

that wasn’t enough to convince members he had the pageant’s best

interest in mind this time.

Board members, beware.

The festival membership is watching, and they like their festival

and pageant a certain way. Before you decide to make changes, even if

you believe they are for the good of the festival, be sure you

remember what you’re fighting for.

If it loses its value through change, then it’s not worth it to

the voters.