Russo concert plan for Ninigret dead…at least for this year

Council battle averted after artist drops out

By Will Collette

Not this year

According to records newly released to Progressive Charlestown under the Access to Public Records Act (APRA), the controversial proposal by concert promoter Frank J. Russo to bring a “big name act” to Charlestown’s Ninigret Park this summer has fallen through.

Sparks flew last at the October 7 Town Council meeting when Swami Ron Areglado turned out his followers to oppose Russo’s proposal, even though Russo promised the entertainer would be some sort of lite rock or country act. More like Barry Manilow or Taylor Swift than Daft Punk or a Led Zeppelin tribute band.

Despite that assurance, Areglado and his flock were not having it. As Swami Areglado put it, people come to Charlestown for “contemplation,” not for entertainment, Charlestown’s long-standing tradition of summer concerts notwithstanding. I'm not making this up - check the Clerkbase video for the October 7 meeting.

Other members of Areglado’s Morainiac Temple – Mike and Donna Chambers, Maureen Areglado, Kristin O’Connor and Joe Quadrato – also vigorously attacked Russo’s plan as just not right for Charlestown, even though the Chambers admitted that they had volunteered at the Rhythm and Roots Festival for years.

What made Russo’s proposal different than other Charlestown concerts in Ninigret Park was location. Rather than being at the south end of Ninigret Park, where events mainly piss off the Arnolda neighborhood, Russo proposed to site his venue at the northern end of Ninigret Park, across Route One from the Morainiacs.

Russo was run through a series of demands, including getting the approval of Charlie Vandemoer, the manager of the Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge. Russo met each demand and even Charlie signed off. 

Ironically, one thing Charlie wanted Russo to do was redirect the sound system more northward, away from the Refuge and pointed more directly at the Morainiacs. Russo dealt with each issue to satisfaction of the town and Charlie.

The final decision to go ahead with the concert was going to come to a head this month, after Russo notified the town that he finally found that sought-after big name act and that the detail was ready to close if the town gave its final approval to holding the concert on July 1.

Uh, oh. Slight problem there. When Charlie signed off on Russo’s proposal, he noted that he was fine with the concert being held in mid-July or later after all the key critter mating rituals in the Refuge were over. July 1 is earlier than the dates in Charlie’s October letter.

From USF&W manager Charlie Vandemoer's October 22 letter

Big political problem. Town Administrator Mark Stankiewicz notified the members of the Town Council about this development and suggested that, given the need for quick action, perhaps a Special Meeting of the Town Council would be necessary, naming March 3 as the tentative date.

Gentz & Slattery - almost certain NO votes against Russo plan

The three CCA Party Town Councilors – Boss Tom Gentz, his deputy Dan Slattery and George Tremblay – weren’t all that keen on the proposal to begin with. Last October, Slattery was openly hostile, but went along, knowing he would have a chance to kill the project in the end.

And, for Slattery’s convenience, Russo’s request to lock in July 1 as the date, contrary to Charlie Vandemoer’s wishes, provided Slattery with the cover to lead the attack. Slattery could count on Boss Gentz and George Tremblay not wanting to do anything to upset Vandemoer.

Of course, we would have been treated to another spectacle of the Areglado cult marching up to the podium to give their cockamamie reasons why this project just isn’t Charlestown.

Alas, it was not to be. On February 26, before the Special Meeting could be set and advertised, Russo notified the town that the planned entertainer couldn’t do July 1 with no alternative date.

Parks and Recreation Commission Vice-Chair Cheryl Dowdell passed on the word that there would be no Russo concert this year but held out the hope for one next year or sometime in the future.

Stankiewicz pulled the plug on the Special Meeting. Click here for the e-mail string.

This is probably for the best because any meeting to finalize would have meant more drama from the Morainiacs. I can just picture Mike Chambers setting his beard on fire in protest.

But like Russo’s concert plan, maybe next year.

Note: Cynthia Drummond at the Sun reports that we are also not going to see the Big Apple Circus return to Charlestown this year. That takes us two steps closer to the Charlestown Citizens Alliance's goal of eliminating major events at Ninigret Park.