APRIL 20.2007 jUStjOUt,13
1^—
FRIDAY
KEEP PORTLAND
QUI
June
NIGHT
SWIMWEAR
16th
The board says checks and balances are in place to keep Pride Northwest not only queer, but in
the black.
and balances in place to prevent any one member
There was also a conflict, as reported by the
from acting independently from the board. “Here
Bugle, about a car that Ryan requested from the
in Portland, I don’t have that kind of responsibili
dealership. According to John Saksa, general
ty, and there are procedures in place that prevent it
manager of Findlay Saab, the Bugle reported that
from happening,” he said.
Ryan “requested a car to run Pride errands, and it
According to Night Beat, a budget distributed at
was our pleasure to assist in that manner." Saksa
a May 28, 2003, Pride meeting revealed that
said Ryan was provided with a Subaru Outback.
$11,468 in expenses—centered around parties,
However, Ryan never reported to the board that
shuttle buses and street cleanup—were unbudgeted.
Saab had provided him a vehicle.
As entertainment and marketing chairman,
Finally, regardless of whether Ryan’s actions
Ryan also exceeded the budget by $12,842 in DJ
were proper, Schafer criticized that they looked
fees, hotel accommodations and other talent
improper at least once—when Ryan signed a $700
expenses, according to that report. Though the
check to Sasha’s, the nightclub he managed, for
board had only approved $12,500 for talent, Night
Pride-related expenses.
Beat reported that Ryan spent $17,581.
As published in the Night Beat article, in the
days leading up to Pride, Ryan wrote checks
Ryan made in his president’s report: “None of us
treasurer—did not contain two signatures, as was
have spent [our] time to 1) hurt LVAPl or the
required on all checks except those written by the
organization, 2) hurt the festival or its’ [sic] repu
In his treasurer’s report, Dalebout
tation, or 3) performed any act that was either
announced that of those checks, $16,584 exceeded
intentionally or negligently meant to harm this
the money in the organization’s account.
organization’s purpose. And, anyone who says
that activity by insisting he had agreements with the
"Portland needs to take
what Josh Ryan,
aka Sasha Scarlett,
did to Las Vegas Pride
very seriously."
—Kelly McFarlane-Smith
503.227.1212 ^
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With the help of James Healea, Ryan’s succes
sor as Las Vegas Pride president, the organization
I can make your home buying or refinancing process
drafted a plan to pay back or negotiate down debt,
increase sponsorship arid raise money to make up
very easy. Please call me to inquire about programs
available to you.
for the deficit. The following years, according to
Keys, brought more modest, regional entertain
ment and tighter reins on expenditures.
“Ultimately we came out financially more stable
than we were in the past," Keys told Just ()ut. “We
CHERYL BELL
brought in a board that was knowledgeable with busi
First Pacific Mortgage
ness practices and started running the nonprofit
(503) 670-9515
organization more from a business-type perspective.”
recipients of the checks that they wouldn’t deposit
the money until after the weekend event was over.
Healea turned the 2003 books over to the Las
enough evidence found to file charges against
Dalebout accused Ryan of signing at least one
Ryan. Ryan denies violating arty byhws or making
contract “without knowledge and consent of the
decisions without the consent of the board.
$4,090 in advertising spots.
SR. MORTGAGE BROKER
phone
cherylb@istpac.com • vyww.istpac.com
Vegas district attorney’s office, and there was not
In the Night Beat article, Schafer wrote that
board.” The contract was with KLUC radio for
CAB
• RADIO
hands, without a whisper of doubt about integrity.”
The Bugle printed the following statement
Bugle, “Pride, at What Cost?,” Ryan responded to
»
going to be successful,” Schafer wrote. “It needs clean
although for legitimate expenses, according to the
In a May 23, 2003, article that appeared in the
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"A nonprofit organization needs credibility if it is
totaling approximately $22,000. Those checks—
treasurer.
under [■ 4men
V
“That was thoroughly investigated, and those
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FIRST PACIFIC
tí) ra
MORTGAGE
--------- -------------
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charges were found to be baseless,” Ryan said.
In the editorial, Schafer accused Ryan of sever
Within three months, Ryan left Vegas and head
al other counts of poor business practices, includ
ed for Reno. He says because of his past, not despite
ing shorting Night Beat approximately $1,000 for
it, he deserves to contribute to Portland Pride.
A
ads placed with the publication, and granting
“A great tragedy comes when mistakes do happen
contracts to straight-owned businesses without
or things do not turn out the way that people want,
offering them to gay businesses first.
that there’s too much emphasis on not letting people I
Night Beat accused Ryan of nxikie errors such as
have a second chance,” said Ryan. “Good people I
overestimating the projected income by $41,000.
make mistakes sometimes, and I don’t think we I
This income, it reported, is received through spon
should be kept from contributing in the future. One I
sorship, admission ticket sales, vendor hxith sales,
of the things I offer this board is having lived through I
beverage sales and parade entries.
that and learning from the mistakes."
mj petrom.
west duncan
I
The newspaper also accused Ryan of misleading
McFarlane-Smith, who co-authored the Bugle’s I
an event sponsor, Findlay Saab. An unsigned
2003 article about the incidents following Pride, I
contract, which Night Beat reports was distributed
offered this warning: “Portland needs to take what I
at a May 20 board meeting, referenced benefits to
Josh Ryan, aka Sasha Scarlett, did to Las Vegas I
the auto dealer including “access to over 10,000
Pride very seriously. In the end, our Pride started I
attendees for distribution of literature." The 2003
the 2004 event with a $40,000 debt. It was not easy I
attendance, which was touted as the highest in
trying to regain the confidence of our community I
Pride history, only hit 6,013.
when supporting Pride." ©
I
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