Burning Man 1997 | 1997 Retrospective
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Retrospective- 1997
Hello! We're back from the Playa!
by Maid Marian, one of the organizers that worked for 8 months to make Burning Man a reality
I am absolutely blown away by all the messages left here on the Experiences Bulletin Board. Almost all members of the organizing committee have seen what's here and we are touched. I was in tears as I read passages to Larry Harvey on Saturday (9/6). THANK YOU for all your words of encouragement.
Though I have been a Burning Man organizer for only one year, I am told that 1997 was the most difficult to make a reality. It was, however, from all accounts, the best Burning Man ever. This is my third year in the desert, and I heartily agree.
It is true, we are in debt. We will share more information as soon as we have finished a complete accounting, but for now I have this:
Be sure to read A Tale of Two Cities by Larry Harvey, Larry Harvey's accounting of Burning Man 1997
Though we planned carefully for our costs based upon last year's expenses and assumptions regarding land use and permits for this year's site, we were informed on July 8th during a permit hearing that the county would be charging us over $400,000 for fire and safety protection. We negotiated this down to $321,000, but that was still more than we had anticipated, and costs at that level compounded on top of our own infrastructural expenses would have necessitated more participants than we had a permit for which was 9-12,000 people. The county charges sent a clear message to us, but we refused to be deterred. As a result the county commissioners would not even approve of the event until 18 hours before the start (2 pm on August 26th).
You can only imagine how hard we worked to comply with the 121 festival permit requirements, some of which imposed costs over and above what could be viewed as realistic. For instance, we were required to provide housing for the 44 fire fighters, but the day before the start of the event we were informed the 2 industrial trailers ($10,000 total when outfitted with required AC & flush toilets) wouldn't be used. And, a week before the event we were required by the County to actually insure the firefighters against themselves. In case a fire got out of hand, they were insured against their own failure to act effectively. This addition required that a unique rider was added which could only be taken care of by Lloyds of London to the tune of an additional $17,000. Like the decision to NOT use the housing this was a capricious action. At this time the county has a $25,000 category in the accounting of the $321,000 called "Other". It was at one time earmarked for "Cleanup", but when we recently requested it be refunded so we could call in additional dumpsters and haul ash and garbage away from the site, we were summarily informed that the category had changed and the funds were not available for cleanup. These are only the most recent examples of what we were up against. You can see how difficult they made it for us to hold onto our income. (The county has yet to furnish us with an accounting of how they have spent our ticket sales).
Washoe County, fearing they would not be paid, and in the last 15 minutes of a commission meeting 18 hours before the start of Burning Man, a decision was made to impound 100% of our on-site ticket sales at the gate each day. This rendered payment of vendor services nearly impossible. No arrangement was made ahead of time for payment of critical services, which as you know includes the center camp generator (powering the communications), water trucks AND porta potties. The Sheriff's planned to depart as soon as the nut was cracked, but it wasn't, and we still owe Washoe County $19,000 (the Reno Gazette confirms this). In addition, the landowner is owed a fee based upon the number of participants at the event each day. The exact figure for our debt is not determined yet, as there are vendor and services bills outstanding, but the total hovers between $100,000 and $150,000.
Our intention each year is to cover our expenses, and have enough in reserve to support the director and any other critical personnel through to the spring when ticket sales begin to generate income (remember we have NO sponsorship and nearly NO vending). Larry Harvey has actually never received an income from Burning Man that is above the Federal poverty level. In addition, we should start production on a winter newsletter, which we have never produced before, but is particularly critical this year. We understand the need for connection with the community that's been created. However, expenses imposed by the Washoe County permit process caused all of our plans to be rendered impossible. Finding ourselves seriously in debt has been devastating; We will not be able to produce another event unless we can climb out of this deep dry well.
Donations of any size are gratefully accepted. Many of you gave us cash and checks as you left on Monday, THANK YOU.
For a donation of $100 we are offering a ticket to next year's event and some "goodies". For a donation of $500 we are offering 5 tickets and the book Burning Man. (The 5 tickets can be used consecutively or all at once). The "life-time" membership was a short-term idea that will not be seen again, those that jumped on it will be honored and will see information sent directly to them.
Please feel free to send contributions to our official box. It has been listed 3 times on this BB already, and can be confirmed by looking at your ticket stub, or at the now out-of-date registration form on this web site. I will again leave it here for you: Burning Man, P.O. Box, 420572, San Francisco, CA 94142-0572. We will shortly enable our secure server and CyberCash relationship in order to accommodate credit cards. Also keep in mind we have a hot line at 415-985-7471. We also have a mailing list, and if you'd like to receive the newsletter and other announcements email: snailmail@burningman.com
If you want to volunteer your time, this is equally as valuable. Please email us at volunteers@burningman.com
If you'd like to keep up-to-date with developments in the Burning Man community please subscribe to the Jack Rabbit Speaks, my email missive. Posts are one or two a week. Subscribe by sending an email to: bman-announce-request@burningman.com, and add the word *subscribe* to the body of your message. In the coming weeks I'll answer some of the questions people have posed on this board, and share email addresses with those that want to create regional slide-parties/events as the list goes to over 2,800 people and the majority are out of California.
Also, if you want to maintain a dialogue with others, there are actually two rather active email lists to which you can also subscribe, check this web site under Events/Communication/email.
Thanks again to everyone that attended Burning Man and helped create a safe, expressive and deeply connected community of unique individuals. I'm looking forward to building Black Rock City again. We hope to return to Washoe County, but if we don't we will find a new home. Burning Man is more than an event in the Nevada desert and it will continue...it's in our hearts.
Maiden