Fractal Fest Better Than Most, But Eckhardt Wants Mass Gatherings Law To Regulate Such Events
by David Flint
Organizers of Fractalfest 2015, an art and music event held at Gardner’s farm July 31 to August 2, attended the Stephentown Town Board meeting Monday evening to thank the community for having them. The event was sponsored by Fractaltribe, which calls itself “a community of artists, musicians, and craftsmen dedicated to creating meaningful experiences and immersive atmospheres; celebrations which foster creative expression in a healthy and supportive environment.” The event featured music, local and regional art projects, different food experiences and workshops focusing on topics such as permaculture, yoga and herbal medicine.
[private]Volunteer Coordinator Justin said that the event exceeded their expectations. With some 900 people attending the non-alcohol event, he said there was only one medical incident, a sprained ankle. Many kind and supportive comments had been received by people in the community. He estimated that about $7,000 had been spent in the Town. He said they were very happy with the location and would like to hold the event here again next year. He hoped for feedback from townspeople and said they would like to establish a “symbiotic relationship” with the community. “Thanks to a wonderful town,” Justin concluded.
Town Supervisor Larry Eckhardt said he was pleasantly surprised at how neat and clean the event had been. He noted too that the young organizers had been respectful and had paid attention to instructions from the Fire Department. However, he had received a number of emails and phone calls complaining yet again about music being too loud and too late at night – fewer complaints than from recent previous festivals, but enough. He acknowledged that Fractaltribe had done more than others at curtailing the loudness and lateness but the complaints indicated the need for some sort of mass gatherings law to regulate these events.
Councilman Bill Jennings agreed that Fractaltribe was a good group, well behaved and the event was well organized, although the last minute notice given to the Town was not acceptable. He noted that Stephentown is geographically in a bowl and sound travels. It is important for event organizers to recognize this. He agreed that a mass gatherings law is needed to set times and other criteria and make sure there is time for people to sleep. He said he liked what they brought to Town and enjoyed the music he heard at this event but wondered why it has to be amplified so loud and why so much driving bass. “If we are going to have peace, we have to find a solution,” he said.
Town resident Josh Hoffman said that he was impressed with how “these millennial kids… treated the land in a kind way,” unlike many in his own generation at festivals such as Woodstock. He spoke of the meditative process that seemed to be a theme of this event and how the young people treated each other fairly and respectfully. There were no drugs evident and sanitation was good. There was also an international flavor with people from many different countries, including Russia and Israel.
Hoffman advised the Board that if they are going to make rules with some sort of mass gatherings law, they should be sure to bring in people to their deliberations who have a different point of view.
Youth Summer Camp
Sue Cass reported that the Youth Summer Camp conducted by the Stephentown Memorial Library had been quite successful. In the program were 35 youths, a little less than last year. Seventeen teenagers were employed in the program which cost the Town between $12,000 and $13,000. It was a very full program, she said, that included science, engineering, sports, arts and “dazzle dogs”. Some 1,050 free meals were served, breakfast and lunch every day, and the kids apparently liked the food. They apparently liked the program in general. Cass said the kids gave it a 93% “happiness rating.” They especially liked anything to do with animals, but above all they enjoyed time over at the playground behind the former Stephentown Elementary School.
Kinder Morgan Pipeline
Eckhardt said he had been attending meetings at the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission regarding the submission of information to go to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on the proposed Kinder Morgan gas pipeline. He said the question was asked whether FERC has ever not approved a pipeline. The response was that many applications end up being withdrawn by the pipeline companies, often because they never get to the point where they have sufficient information to complete the environmental process. Therefore many of them drop out along the way but the ones that persist usually get approved by FERC.
Stephentown is in the process of providing information on Town roads that will be affected. One of the bridges that will be severely affected is the Newton Road bridge that Eckhardt said had width, weight and other issues.
Comprehensive Plan
Councilman PJ Roder reported that of 1,500 surveys sent out to Town residents, 250 have been returned, a return rate that he considered to be not bad. The committee, he said, is in the process of digesting this data. Apparently 80% of people responding like Stephentown pretty much the way it is. There are some, he said, that don’t want any new taxes but yet would like the Town to buy the Stephentown School.
2016 Budget
Eckhardt said it’s budget time again, “the most difficult part of my job.” Budget requests from Town departments and organizations, along with justifications for increases, need to be submitted by September 20. From these the Tentative Budget will be prepared and sent to the Town Clerk. Then the Preliminary Budget will be drawn up and at least one public hearing held. After that the Adopted Budget has to be done by the Thursday after Election Day and the final budget sent to the County by November 20.
Deposits And Spending
The Town Clerk turned over the sum of $1,055.14 to the Supervisor for the month of July. The distribution from the office of the State Comptroller, Justice Court Fund for the month of May was $2,586. The Transfer Station deposited a total $6,691 for the month of July.
The Board audited and approved claims in the amount of $21,372.18 from the General Fund and $33,536.63 from the Highway Account.
The Board set their next workshop meeting for Monday, September 14 and their next regular meeting for Monday, September 21, both meetings to start at 7 pm.[/private]