Weather hits Heritagefest's bottom line

By RON LARSEN

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- The hot, steamy July weather which plagued the 2001 Heritagefest found its way to the organization's bottomline as it lost over $73,000.

But Robert Ranweiler of Biebl, Ranweiler, Christiansen, Meyer, Thompson & Co., Heritagefest's accountants, said the loss "doesn't put the organization in jeopardy from any standpoint. I want to emphasize what great shape this organization is in from a cash standpoint."

Heritagefest, Inc., has nearly $140,000 in certificates of deposit and savings and total current assets totaling $160,487, he reported.

"The good news was that while the loss was on the revenue side, the expense side was on target," he noted. "The board needs to address the revenue side because the 2001 report indicates the large, fixed cost of this festival."

The bottom line for Ranweiler is that "this organization is very, very solvent with very little accounts receivable."

Heritagefest Board President Hugh Nierengarten noted that as a non-profit organization "we can't survive if we don't take in more than we spend, but we have the money to continue because over the years the board has put away money that exceeded expenses for a rainy day. In this case, however, it happens to be for a hot, sultry day."

Because of that foresight, Nierengarten said, "we have fulfilled our obligation to the community, paid the volunteer organizations that help us put on Heritagefest and are still around to battle the weather yet another year."

Heritagefest,Inc., paid out $45,163 to 38 local volunteer organizations who provided labor for the annual six-day event. That's an average of $1,188.50 per organization.

Nierengarten also paid tribute for the festival's survival to Leo Berg, until this year the festival's only director.

"It's a credit to Leo's vision that he's brought us through 27 years and was visionary enough to bring Kathleen (Backer) into the organization," Nierengarten said of the new director: "It's exciting to listen to her insightful comments about organizations like ours."

As for the unanticipated deficit in 2001, Nierengarten said, "We recognize life is tough, but we must get on with life and meet the challenges. I'm excited by the future; we're going to close the books on 2001 and get on with our business."

Nierengarten commended Backer for her work this past year as associate director as liaison with the Brown County Agricultural Society, owners of the fairgrounds where Heritagefest is held, particularly in getting new restrooms out there.

"Improvements at the Brown County Fairgrounds, including the new recreation building, will make it a premiere entertainment venue in southern Minnesota.

Bill Steinke, Chris Stevensen, Dick Seeboth and John Wisniewski were elected to three-year terms on the board, and the board received reports from eight of 14 standing committees, including Dick Wilbrecht's that this year's parade will have a patriotic theme with the possibility of representatives from law enforcement and other civil defense organizations serving as grand marshals.