Rodeo Debate heats up just a bit

Wendy Otto-Shimun took exception to my opinions about the impending failure
of the Upper Peninsula Championship Rodeo and wrote the following piece which
was posted to WLUVTV6's web site under letters to the editor.

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TITLE: Apparently someones trolley project isnt panning out!

Posted by Wendy Otto-Shimun, Iron River - Friday, September 12, 2008 at 9:58 a.m.

I’m amazed that William Vajk has the audacity to attack the rodeo board. A man who,
as far as I know, never attended a meeting and has offered no help throughout the
years. Funny how someone who has no knowledge of how things are run can now
offer up an opinion.

Where does he propose the board get the money from for his big idea of hiring an
“outside consultant”?

Maybe I wasn’t clear when I said that the rodeo does not have enough money to pay
the bills, let alone hire someone for a job that could be done by community members
if there were more volunteers.

If he was more informed he would realize that the Central School project and the
demolition of the Cloverland building were city government backed. The rodeo board
is a group of seven people living in this community, working full time jobs, running
businesses, raising families, etc. As far as them taking another “crack at it”- why
should they, with people like you out there doing nothing but condemning them for
their efforts. Your letter complaining about the lack of “a reasonable entrepreneurial
approach” is hardly the way to go about it.

Having personally been in charge of rodeo advertising, both newspaper and radio, in
the past, I can tell you that both forms of media were advertised out of town, though
your suggestions of advertising in Chicago and Detroit are ridiculous. Our rodeo has
a small advertising budget, which was put to good use, promoting the rodeo in target
audience areas.

Before you write a letter that the entire community could be reading, you should get
your facts straight and think twice before putting down people who try to help this
community.

Apparently somebody’s trolley idea isn’t panning out.


And as far as your second comment, you can not "fire" the rodeo board.
The point Mr. Faccin was trying to make, I believe, was that maybe you
shouldnt give your opinion on this issue if you are not going to offer to
help out while doing it.

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The following reply has been submitted to WLUC:

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TITLE:Are you sure you want to stick with the answer you've given?


I think it important to thank you, Wendy Otto-Shimun, for
explaining the problems regarding the Rodeo Board so clearly.
You see, an entrepreneur wouldn't merely spend whatever
inadequate amount has been handed to them as an advertising
budget, they would get permission to raise money and invest
it to improve attendance. In the amount of time you've spent
defending failure you could have gotten that permission and
made half a dozen phone calls to seek out sponsors with deep
pockets.

You've made it obvious why volunteerism is not good for
business. It is clear that the Rodeo Board needs professionals
working for them, people with a fire in their belly that's
always a hallmark for success. I asked "what would Donald
Trump do?" and "if you can't, then get someone who can."
Are you sure you want to stick with the answer you've given?

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Bill Vajk