Brandy Giveth Charity and Taketh Away Charity

[XLFD]

The picture below showing up on the Ludington Area Convention & Visitor's Bureau (LCVB) Facebook page on February 21, 2019 had a caption:  "Downtown Ludington Marketing & Event Manager, Jen Tooman, accepts a check from CVB Executive Director, Brandy Miller."

Now the titles of both women were correct, but this announcement left me scratching my head a little.  As you can see on the oversized check, the money comes from proceeds from the 2019 Ludington Brrrewfest held recently, and Brandy signed it.   One reason I was scratching my head was that I had thought the 2019 Brrewfest proceeds were going to their usual beneficiary, the Friends of the Ludington State Park, after all, that's what many of their advertisements had said like this major one:

Nothing about 'Downtown Ludington', just like this state-sponsored website:

These weren't alone, the following websites also stated that the proceeds were only going to the FLSP, including this one, this one, this one, this one, and this one that unequivocally tells all interested that "All proceeds benefit the Friends of Ludington State Park"-- all.

The local newspaper also made an interesting statement regarding the event (emphasis added):  "The fifth annual music, food and craft beer festival — hosted by the Downtown Ludington Board and the Ludington Area Convention and Visitors Bureau — will take place from 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26 at Rotary Park..."  The DLB is a co-host, interesting...

 

So the websites advertising the events say the proceeds are going exclusively to the valid charity, the local paper declares the DLB is helping to host the event, and yet the LCVB writes a check for $3800 to both the DLB and the FLSP.  

Recall the initial picture.  Brandy Miller leads the LCVB, she gives a $3800 check to Jen Tooman, who is not an actual member of the DLB just a contractor, however, Brandy (Henderson) Miller is a voting member

It appears that at some point the LCVB director was involved with an executive decision to expand the beneficiary list to include a non-charitable organization that was said to be a co-host of the event, when the advertisements for Brrrewfest stated explicitly or implicitly that all the proceeds would go to the Friends of Ludington State Park charity. 

It was decided by Ludington City Councilor/Chamber President/Executive Director of the LCVB/DLB voting member Brandy Miller to write a check effectively to herself rather than to who it was supposed to go to.  No wonder she's grinning so widely, since Tooman will need to give it back to her once the picture is taken for her 'charity' which isn't a charity at all.

[Freedom Seeker]

Yeah, that is a little deceptive in advertising. Maybe they meant to say that "ALL proceeds to go Friends of Ludington State Park AFTER expenses" and we can't tell you how much our expenses will be.

Just another convoluted, conundrum of beer-drinking fundraising in Ludington half going back into their own pockets. For $25 or $30 a ticket for five 5 oz. drinks of beer, around 300 people attending, hoping to get people to spend more money downtown. Something to do if you ain't got nothing better to do. I'd much rather buy a six pack, turn on my own music and donate $20 directly to the State Park. Ludington Group Think high-pitch hyper-enthusiasm do-good thinkers cloaking good causes in wolves clothing.

[Willy]

I don't suppose Tooman is going to sign a check over to the FLSP and this was just a ceremonial display of cooperation between the 2 entities. Sure would be interesting to see the paper trail this event leaves, from beginning to end. It would be funny to see the proceeds from this event merging into the same funnel that swallowed shop with a cop funds. I can understand a beer tasting event but encouraging people to drink almost a quart of beer and then try to find their way home while driving in a straight line without an accident is wishful thinking. It could be that the real money may be in the tickets the police write to all the drunks driving home. Excellent article X. This is information noone else provides.

[Freedom Seeker]

Doesn't Jen Tooman work for the city in the DDA department? That's more than a "contractor" isn't it? Whatever. It is still very convoluted shuffling of donations around this city. $3800 donation to FLSP is nice, but the deceit isn't. At least they should advertise that they are going to give half to the DDA.

Yes, Willy, some of those ads said six glasses of 5 oz. of beer or wine. And you can buy five more for $5.00. That's a temptation. 60 oz. which if not spread out over six hours, can make someone pretty drunk. And who sits around for six hours outside in a tent at the end of January? Bring the drunk buses back, it's the only time they are near full.

[XLFD]

I am halfway curious as to whether the position has mysteriously went from contractual to something more.  This position was initially explored back in 2011 in the Development of Authority series #7, when it was found that silver-spooned Brandy Henderson first was hired very secretly when she was working for the Chamber of Commerce; the next Communication & Marketing director was Megan Payment, who was also on loan from the chamber, until she was replaced by Tooman in February 2015, who wasn't affiliated at all with the chamber.  One would have to believe her employment agreement template agree to outside of a DDA meeting, would be different, and likely a bit more lucrative, since she wasn't also working concurrently with the chamber for a salary there.

[XLFD]

At the December 2014 meeting it was noted in the minutes:  "A motion (w)as made by Payment seconded by Cox to assign the Personnel committee to move forward with finalizing a job description, advertisement, job duties, and hiring a marketing and communications person for the downtown board as outlined in the packet."

This subcommittee and their meeting between that and the February meeting where Tooman first made an appearance in her C&M position did actions that it technically couldn't do (the big one:  pick and hire a person for the position, decisions and deliberations that the DDA was supposed to make at an open meeting).

[Freedom Seeker]

Hard to know if Tooman is contractual or otherwise. Too hard to follow the machinations of the DDA and by the looks of  this last scheme the plots thicken. 

We could get rid of a few employees and a department and put that money toward true infrastructure needs for the city.  The CVBC should stand on its own, the DDA is redundant.  Give the taxes back to the businesses.

[Freedom Seeker]

I see the media boast 700 brave souls endured the cold at brrewfest. Well if the ticket cost $30, that's be $21,000 dollars and only $3800 went to ludington state park. That's the trouble with charities, no real accounting for the money and a great deal going into "sponsor proceeds" and they don't have to be accountable to the people or their cause.

[AQUAMAN]

True accountability and transparency are the foundation of every gov't. agency and committee, and that is totally missing around Ludington for many decades now, and continues now and looks like the far future. So sad that this is our past and future with these types of people running things.

[XLFD]

On Sept 10, 2018 the DDA noted in the minutes of their meeting:  Brrrewfest: the CVB has approached the DDA to own the Brrewfest for the future. This year the idea was to do a joint festival to see if we could handle it. The event committee will move forward with submitting it for the 2019 budget.

This was a couple months before the DDA figured out their 2019 budget, before the City compiled it into their full budget.  So was there any projection in the 2019 Budget for the DDA spending money on the 2019 Brrrewfest and beyond, and earning money?  Nope nothing in the revenue or expenditure section of the approved budget as seen here for revenue in any of those years.  Brandy who is in the DDA and fellow DDA contractor Tooman skimmed half of the profits for their non-charity group when they marketed it as all proceeds going to charity.  What a racket:

 

The COLDNews reported over 700 people attended, so you are likely good with the math, FS, and there isn't any outflow for supplies from the DDA in the four 'paying the bills' of this year.  So about $20,000 came from the brave souls for entrance, and less than $4000 went to charity.  The other $16,200 or so went where?  Well, we know $3800 of the proceeds went to the DDA, the other will be forever unknown because the CVB does not need to reveal their finances.  

[Freedom Seeker]

Wow! Thanks for that info, X. I was just shooting from the hip, looking at the potential money that could be made at $30a ticket plus all those things they're selling like t-shirts and glasses and more beer. I see there is another CVB fundraiser in Scottville this weekend, in case you missed giving then.

[Willy]

I wonder why this event was transferred over to the LCVB in the first place. In order for these types of organizations to avoid the appearance of inappropriate behavior they must be completely transparent and open about how they operate. Again, here is another situation where people are scratching their heads and wondering where the money went. It could be just poor record keeping and lack of informing the public or we could have another Petunia Lady scandal. Who knows unless full disclosure of the event is made public.

[Freedom Seeker]

Exactly what I was thinking Willy. Maybe they transferred the function so that X can't scrutinize the balance sheets and report it. I'll think twice about donating to a scottville or Ludington convention and visitor's bureau fundraiser now with that much possible discrepancy in funds and no required open books or transparency. Feet walking away take the place of OMA.