MUSICFEST 2008

MUSICFEST ’08 EXPANDS TO TWO-DAY FAMILY FUN

AND ROCK AND ROLL MUSIC FESTIVAL
PRESENTED BY UNION COUNTY AND OVERLOOK HOSPITAL

ON SEPTEMBER 5th and 6th IN CRANFORD

A press release popped up about two weeks ago on the Union County Government’s website that has confirmed my belief that there are just some people in this world that one can always count on to be consistent and predictable. I am of course referring to the all Democrat Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and George Devanney, our beloved County Manager. The press release is about the new and improved Musicfest 2008 taking place in September at Nomahegan Park in Cranford.

I say new and improved because this year’s invasion of a quiet residential neighborhood will not only feature a repeat of last years Rock On!! Walkathon but a 5K Rock N’ Run, a third stage is being added for your musical pleasure and the event will take place on Friday night as well as the traditional Saturday from dawn till whenever. You have to hand it to these guys they just won’t give up a great free reelection campaign event when they see one.

I am sure that the local residents can hardly contain their enthusiasm at the prospect of having cars blocking their driveways on narrow residential streets for two days and nights instead of the usual one on a lovely fall weekend. And even better yet excitingly anticipating the possibility of finding some devoted concert attendee camping out under the shrubbery on a finely manicured front lawn because they didn’t want to spring for a hotel room at the Springfield Holiday Inn and loose their much coveted parking space.

This year the walkathon and newly added 5K run will again raise money for the Love Hope and Strength Foundation, “Nephew George’s” favorite charity, and it looks like Devanney will once again benefit with an opportunity to travel to the far reaches of the globe. Last year he was with the help of sponsors, able to climb with his “teen idols” to the Mount Everest Base Camp in Nepal this year they will be sending him off to Machu Piccu in Peru. (Inquiring minds can check it out here for details http://www.perurocks.org/ and click trekkers, you will find George there).

Part of the proceeds raised from the walk will be sent off to Peru but at least the Freeholder Board wised up this year and the second charity that will benefit is The Valerie Fund; a venerable New Jersey organization that supports children stricken with cancer and blood disorders and their families. "Atta Boys" go to the board for making a good choice this time around and keeping at least part of the money here in the states.

Last year you will recall they turned over thousands of dollars to an organization that in essence was a group that lobbied for our tax dollars to be spent on embryonic stem cell research. The ill fated effort was defeated at the polls last election day when wise NJ voters decided that the state shouldn’t plunge deeper in debt by pursuing this controversial science.

What looks like a serious effort to legitimize the two day campaign event the Freeholders have managed to suck Overlook Hospital into the mix as their main sponsor. Hopefully the hospital hasn’t dug too deep into their pockets to lend financial support to recreate “Woodstock in Cranford” as even a few grand could go toward a charity care bill for someone who cannot afford health insurance.

The Freeholders claim that they are merely giving the taxpayers what they want and as a side bonus they are showcasing Union County and contributing to the local economy as they say concert goers are likely to shop and eat dinner in downtown Cranford.

They also point out that last year the event drew 50,000 attendees and this year even more are expected to come making Musicfest one of the fastest growing events of this type in NJ. The press release encourages that lawn chairs, blankets and picnic baskets be brought along but what the heck why doesn’t the “Gang of Nine” just go for it and erect a tent-city on the campus of Union County College.

Could this be Saturday Morning at 'WOODSTOCK IN CRANFORD' ?

"You Are Either In ... or ... You Are O-U-T"

A letter regarding the upcoming UC Board of Chosen Freeholders sponsored MusicFest 2007 and other events including a walkathon that morning reads:

“I am personally committed to these causes, and have joined forces with those organizations benefiting from the walkathon, including the Love Hope Strength Foundation and the NJ Citizens Coalition for Cures. Once you have had a chance to read the enclosed material, I hope you will register for this walkathon. I will be walking on Sept 15….and we look forward to having you join us!”

Addressed “To all County Employees” on County of Union letterhead bearing the official county seal and signed by George W. Devanney, County Manager the letter also says that the first step is to register for the Rock On! Walkathon by signing up and viewing updates by visiting http://www.ucmusicfest.com/.

Showing the letter to one of my grown children, click HERE to view the letter who is not at all political and lives in another county I posed a question to her.

Inquiring that if she received that letter from the Chief Operating Officer of the chain of hair salons she is employed by, what would she think and do.

She responded without hesitation, “I would be on the website signing up because I want to keep my job.” I would have to speculate that there are many of the 3,000 county employees who reacted just that way upon receiving this written communication.

Federal and State laws exist which address promoting Politics, Religion and Charity/Volunteerism in the workplace and employers must be careful that their “encouragement” does not lead to compulsion which poses legal risks under these laws.

How an employer approaches a volunteer situation is of paramount importance because in some cases for some types of off duty charity projects employees can actually expect to be monetarily compensated for the volunteer work that they undertake for the employer.

Stacey Mark, Chair of the Labor and Employment Group at the legal firm Ater Wynne LLP in her 2006 “Employment Roundtable” memo entitled “Pushing Politics, Religion and Charity at Work” offers two examples of communicating volunteerism to employees for comparison:

“Employer will sponsor a team of volunteers at the homeless shelter next Thursday evening. Please contact human resources for information if you are interested”.

As opposed to:

“Employees are encouraged to show their community spirit and civic- mindedness by participating in next Thursday’s company volunteer event at the homeless shelter. Sign up today with human resources”.

According to Mark though the later version is more effective, it may be characterized as more coercive and employers are advised to have the charity organization do the recruiting for them and have the activities directed by the charitable organization with managers staying out of the mix, to include the day of the event, steps that the county manager has not taken so far.

In his letter to county employees Mr. Devanney states that “MusicFest will also offer you an opportunity to change the world” who wouldn’t feel compelled to be a team player and sign-up to be part of the team, after all team players are those who see the raises and promotions aren’t they? And what would the county manager think of an employee who wasn’t interested in saving the world?

The letter to the county workforce really should have been a simple announcement that a walkathon would be taking place the same day as the MusicFest and probably should not have directed employees to the county owned and operated website which prominently features an online sign up sheet listing the Co-Chairs, who just happen to be Democrat Assemblyman Neil Cohen, Assemblywoman Linda Stender and Freeholder Chairwoman Bette Jean Kowalski. The pressure to be a team player is certainly evident as is the pressure to support one of their favorite politically charged causes, publicly funded stem cell research..

The New Jersey Citizens Coalition for Cures is a not-for-profit group which says they are dedicated to educating the public about the importance and potential benefits of increased public funding for biomedical research including both embryonic and adult stem cell research in NJ. The NJCCC’s website clearly states that contributions to NJCCC are NOT tax deductible; this may create a fundraising issue for volunteers.

The Love Hope and Strength Foundation website states that proceeds from their various events will go to local charities, they list three. The Ryan Gibson Foundation in Texas who’s only goal is to find a cure for Leukemia and DKMS of NYC which connects bone marrow and stem cell donors with patients in need, these are commendable. And lastly and especially interesting is the Nepal Cancer Relief Society who educates the Nepalese people against the use of carcinogens.

Nepal happens to be the home of Mount Everest which Devanney is planning to climb in the near future with the founders of the Love Hope and Strength Foundation, a trip he describes as the opportunity of a lifetime.

Undoubtly, our county workforce has been backed into an unfortunate situation and may have to compromise their personal values from a political or religious standpoint if they do not personally support embryonic stem cell research and/or the co-chairs of the event who are all up for reelection this year.

More importantly they may believe that “voluntary” participation in the walkathon alongside the county manager for his favorite causes may be an indicator of who is and who isn’t a team player and in the future may determine just who is in and who could be out of a job. And what caring worker would want to deprive their boss of the opportunity of his lifetime.

Could this all lead to a disgruntled former employee filing yet another suit against the county? Only time will tell.