Petrelis Files

Folsom: $84K in Govt Grants,
No Public Meetings

(A rare sighting at yesterday's fair: a young man taking notes on paper with a pen!)

An open letter to Demetri Moshoyannis, executive director of the Folsom Street and Dore Alley annual fairs.

Dear Demetri,

Can we talk about some important issues?

I am quite concerned that your organization this year mounted a comprehensive campaign to curtail gay male sexuality at both fairs, and that you all made the decision to mount this campaign without holding a single public meeting with the local gay community. The rules regarding public sex, posted below, are quite detailed and restrictive, and need community scrutiny and debate.

I've also just learned today that the fairs allow children at the fairs, a policy in need of changing, in my opinion. I was under the impression that because beer is sold, that meant persons under 21 were banned, and that's not the case here.

I would like for you to reconsider the no public or community meetings policies current in place. What possible reasons could you have for not holding such meetings?

We in the gay community who attend and enjoy the fairs, would greatly benefit from public discussion with the leaders who run the fairs. It would also be great to have your organization providing more transparency and accountability over all of the decisions that go into making the fair happen every year. Nothing wrong with expanding sunshine over gay groups.

Additionally, since the San Francisco government provides funding to the fairs, that is another reason to open up your organization to community meetings. According to Brett Conner, spokesperson for the Grants for the Arts/San Francisco Hotel Tax Fund agency at City Hall, this is the breakdown of grants to the fairs in the past five years, which totals $84,800:

FY 2009/10: $16,600
FY 2008/09: $22,000
FY 2007/08: $22,000
FY 2006/07: $12,100
FY 2005/06: $12,100

As you must know, because the annual grants are less than $250,000, the city nonprofit/open meetings law does not apply to your organization. However, that should be an excuse for failing to hold community forums.

What do you say to starting public forums and allowing for more community input into the fairs and how they're operated?

Sincerely,
Michael

From the frequently asked questions section of the Folsom Street Fair's web site:

Folsom Street Events encourages all fairgoers to express behavior that is safe and within the law. We encourage everyone to take personal responsibility for providing a positive communal environment for the adult alternative lifestyle community. Lewd acts will be disrupted by our security volunteers who reinforce this message for anyone found on the fairgrounds to be in violation of our policy.

At the suggestion of SFPD, we have implemented a more aggressive graduated policy for violators of the lewdness policy.

Step 1: Verbal warning
Inform the fairgoer that the behavior is not allowed and that they will face ejection from the fair on the next occurrence.

Step 2: Reminder
Fairgoer will be reminded of the first warning and given a personal escort to the fair exit with notification to gate volunteers not to allow re-entry. Warn the fairgoer that on the next violation of this policy we will escalate to SFPD.

Step 3: Turn over to SFPD
SFPD will be called to assist and requested to cite the fairgoer who has violated the lewdness policy.

Lewd behavior in second and third story windows on the fairgrounds will be referred directly to SFPD for intervention.

Sheesh, I sure would like to know when the gay community was given a chance to weigh in on Folsom Street Events' policies regarding public sex. Seems to me the fair organizers have more rules against gay sexuality than against allowing children to be present.