ML waives fees for music festival

MEDICAL LAKE – With the mayor casting the tiebreaking vote, the Medical Lake City Council voted Tuesday to approve waiving $3,370 in fees for the Blue Waters Bluegrass Festival, set for Aug. 8 through 10 in Waterfront Park. They also agreed to allow the festival to use baseball field No. 2 for a music workshop area.

The city has traditionally waived all of the fees for the concert, which raises money for the Medical Lake Dollars for Scholars program, Friends for Children program, which supplies children and families with school supplies, clothing and other items students might need to get their educations, and the Medical Lake Outreach Program.

But because the festival is becoming more popular and requiring more work from city crews, some council members suggested it may be time for the festival to pay the fees.

Denny McDaniel, president of the Medical Lake Blue Waters Bluegrass Association, said the festival has been becoming more successful over the years, drawing larger crowds and bands that are asking to return each year.

“This thing is growing,” he told the council.

Council member John Paikuli expressed concerns that since the music festival is getting more successful, it should be paying city park fees, since it places more of a burden on the Parks Department and the maintenance crew.

McDaniel said that the festival takes care of the garbage pick-up and has made improvements to the park over the years.

“I don’t feel there is any wear and tear other than the lawn not getting mowed,” he said.

Council member Howard Jorgenson said that, as a participant of some of the organizations that benefit from festival proceeds, he knows how the funds are spent and that the money raised ultimately benefits Medical Lake.

“I just believe it’s a good use of our money,” said Jorgenson, who made a motion to approve waiving the fees and to allow the use of the baseball field.

Council member Shirley Maike worried that the use of baseball field No. 2 would discourage families that want to play ball that weekend.

McDaniel said that festival organizers wanted a place for music workshops out of earshot from the main stage to keep from hearing the bands performing at the time.

Council member Brenda Redell said she would like festival organizers to help the city as the event grows in the future.

“But I am a supporter of activities that support charities in the city,” she said, in seconding Jorgenson’s motion.

When the council voted, Paikuli, A.J. Burton and Maike all voted against waiving the fees, which tied the vote.

Mayor John Higgins was the tiebreaker, ultimately voting to approve the waivers and use of the ball field with a caveat to the agreement.

“It’s good for Medical Lake,” he said. “At some point we’ll have to take a look at all the fees we’ve been waiving.”