Rasner has done plenty for Laguna and the Festival of Arts

Lu Campbell

I have not wanted to get involved in the ongoing mudslinging

regarding the Festival of Arts Board and their activities because I

am the wife of a board member and I am also an exhibitor at the

Festival of Arts. But this time Gene Felder has gone too far.

Felder’s accusations against Bruce Rasner are apparently based on

misinformation or total ignorance.

First, Rasner was one of the leading forces in the formation of

the Committee to Keep the Festival in Laguna Beach. He was primarily

responsible for keeping the committee together and moving forward

through a very difficult time. I know of no one else in that movement

who could have continually urged us on and kept us going. Bruce spent

countless hours in that effort and everyone in Laguna Beach who

wanted to see the Festival of Arts remain in Laguna Beach owes Rasner

a debt of gratitude.

Second, Rasner was deeply involved in the Laguna Beach visioning

process. He attended countless sessions and spent far more time,

effort and passion than many Laguna residents in learning and

understanding the issues important to our town. He used his knowledge

to help formulate the new 40-year lease with the city of Laguna

Beach.

Lastly, during Rasner’s tenure as a Festival of Arts Board member

he has spent more countless hours working toward the improvement of

the Festival, as well as repairing damage left from the previous

board. He is passionate about the future of the Festival of Arts and

Pageant of the Masters. The festival and pageant face many challenges

through the next few years and despite the fact that Rasner has been

subjected to attacks from people who don’t have a clue as to what is

really going on, he will run for re-election because of his passion

to see those challenges resolved. Felder, you should be thanking

Rasner, not trashing him.

Additionally, yes the festival did hire a general manager. The

Festival of Arts / Pageant of the Masters is a multi-million dollar

corporation. An operation of this size requires a manager. And yes,

this manager was hired because he has experience in fund-raising. In

order to make desperately needed improvements, the festival will need

to find additional sources of income. There have been a number of

income-producing concepts put before the festival board, but this

board has absolutely no intention of franchising the pageant. The

only franchising is in a few misinformed minds.

There are a few people in our town who seem to delight in causing

friction and division. Some of those people need to spend some time

educating themselves before they start slinging mud. I know that most

of the critics of the festival board members do not attend board

meetings to know what is going on. They have not participated in any

of the many planning processes, nor have they bothered to talk to

board members to try to learn the facts.

Shame on you Gene Felder.

* LU CAMPBELL is a Laguna Beach resident.