MARYSVILLE – A who’s who of volunteers from festivals past and community leaders is taking the helm in a transition of new leadership that will give the organization that runs the Marysville Strawberry Festival a fresh start.
Members of the nonprofit Maryfest organization met Tuesday for their first board meeting in a packed room at the Maryfest office on State Avenue, less than two weeks after being handed the building keys.
The first order of business will be a special membership meeting at 6 p.m. Nov. 1 to elect a board of directors and officers. Attorney Gary Baker said the formal election will determine who fills one- and two-year terms.
“In the meantime, as there is much to do, we will proceed with planning and activities in the normal course of business,” said Jodi Hiatt, who is serving as president and has filled that role many times in the past.
The list of attendees to-be-formally installed include Hiatt, Vice President Chris Nation, Treasurer Veronica Love and Secretary Mary Kirkland. Other longtime community members and former festival officials include: Tom King, Carol Kapua, Jim Brennick, Cheryl Deckard, Marcy and Ed Giesler, Alice and Arvin VanBeek, Jodi Condyles, Sue Stevenson, Sandie Phipps, Cheryl Robinson, Judy Anderson and others.
“I am excited to know that we have a group of people, many of which are experienced festival volunteers, as well as new volunteers ready to lead the festival,” said King, a longtime Maryfest volunteer involved with the market and parade float.
The group gained momentum months ago to lend their support to a dwindling Maryfest organization, after an exodus of members, but were turned away by previous leaders.
“We are taking the high road to work collaboratively with the handful of previous officers and board members who wish to remain involved with the festival,” Hiatt said.
Looking ahead, the board will consider whether to pursue an independent audit of festival finances.
“We’re not suggesting any wrongdoing in the past, but we do need to review banking activity, unpaid invoices and the organization’s finances to establish a baseline for what we have to work with in the coming year,” Hiatt said.
Financial reports have not been provided to the board over the past two or three years, former board members said.
In addition, volunteers are taking an inventory to verify all organization property and equipment.
Last month, before the current members took possession of the festival office on State Avenue, an unsecured outbuilding was reportedly broken into, and more than 10 electrical snakes valued at $3,600 vanished that are used by food vendors at The Market at Asbery Field.
Volunteers are also reviewing available annual reports of state and federal tax paperwork.
The Strawberry Festival queen and some royalty and their parents attended the meeting to reassure them that their commitment to represent the community is appreciated.
Most importantly, Hiatt said, “We want to restore credibility, transparency with the city of Marysville and Tulalip Tribes leadership, the festival’s two largest backers, along with other event sponsors, vendors, the school district and the business community.”
This years’s festival set a record low for sponsorship funding and volume of sponsors.
