Desert Hot Springs Reaches Deal On Festival Plans, Money

The city of Desert Hot Springs is looking for someone else to promote the twice-delayed Wellness and World Music Festival.

The city severed ties Tuesday with Tony Clarke, who was hired to put on the festival but never got it off the ground.

Mayor Yvonne Parks confirms Clarke signed an assignment agreement with the city of Desert Hot Springs.

Both sides avoided any immediate litigation, and by signing the agreement, Clarke has terminated all rights to the festival.

Former commander Ed Smith showed up to the City Council meeting.

He is a spokesperson for Clarke, the owner of Tresed Ventures.

Clarke didn’t show and didn’t return our message for this report.

In fact, he hasn’t spoken with News Channel 3 since we tracked him down after announcing the festival was delayed a second time on Jan. 4.

“I don’t have anything else to add,” said Smith. “The mayor had an announcement and there’s an agreement that’s been signed and Tony is not here to make a statement.”

By signing the agreement, Clarke has forfeited all assets and plans regarding the festival.

That includes plans for parking, security, fire, day of event staging and planning, “leaves, and deposits on key talent and sponsors, public relations and marketing collaborative material, ownership of the trademark and name of the Desert Hot Springs Wellness and World Music Festival,” said Parks.

The agreement excludes any liabilities of Tresed Ventures.

It also calls for an audit and accounting of Tresed Ventures’ business related to the festival.

Any funds not legitimately spent on the festival have to be returned.

“We know where probably $120,000 went,” said Parks, who mentioned that it’s possible the city could still pursue legal action to recover the $130,000 still unaccounted for. “But if it’s gone, has no assets, who knows. There’s a lot of homework that has to be done.”

The council approved the assignment agreement during a closed session meeting.

It passed 2-0-1.

Mayor Pro-Tem Russell Betts abstained, and says his vote had nothing to do with the fact that he’s up for re-election in November.

“I need time to review it and make sure everything’s OK,” he said. “I’m not gonna vote on something I haven’t had adequate time to read.”

Councilmembers Karl Baker and Jan Pye were absent from the vote.

Baker is in Washington, D.C., and Pye was working on an assignment, but still showed up late to the open session.

“There was a quorum,” said Betts. “With a quorum, we were able to vote on that.”

Parks hopes the festival will still go on in the fall but says this time the city will pay closer attention to detail before hiring the next promoter.

“I mean it was a good idea,” said Parks. “It was a great thing for the city of Desert Hot Springs.”

City attorney Ruben Duran declined to speak with us on camera for this story.

He also could not provide the details of the documents Clarke has handed over to him.

Councilmember Jan Pye also declined to comment because she said she didn’t vote on the agreement.

City manager Rick Daniels referred his comments to the mayor.