With the calendar disappearing speedily, a clock or a time bomb is ticking in both of Ronnie Jayne’s ears.
She was not really handpicked for her present urgent chore, but crisis fond her in a crowd.
The vivacious veteran entertainer is a premium choice watchdog to lead a frantic, ticking in-town search the next 12 days to unearth funding for the instantly defunded Summer Music Festival.
She is “cautiously optimistic, but then I always am,” Ms. Jayne said with a bounce this afternoon.
“We are looking for a sugar daddy, a sugar mommy, or a sugar aunt or uncle in exchange for incredible publicity and goodwill in the community if they will sponsor the concert series.
“Somewhere, we might be able to find a way.
“Let’s face it: It would be easier to find one great sponsor than having everybody chipping in a buck and a half.
“We have the looming deadline of Jan. 23 (the next City Council meeting), and I am aware of that,” Ms. Jayne said.
Months ago, long before the Kill the Redevelopment Agency movement gained momentum, Ms. Jayne and her Cultural Affairs Commission colleague Michelle Bernardin were assigned to an ad hoc subcommittee.
What ever their previous tasks were, their new instant charge is to locate funding — potential or actual — that adds up to $75,000 for the eight-week Summer Festival series.
“The members of the City Council hope we will be creative, and we are trying to be,” Ms. Jayne said. “The Cultural Affairs staff is incredibly creative.
“Somewhere, we might be able to find a way.”
She does not want to make any fiscal concessions.
“I don’t want to even think about alterations to the festival,” Ms. Jayne said. “I don’t want to think about the possibility of making it shorter. But nothing is off the table.”
Festival producer Gary Mandell said earlier he wants the festival to be staged this summer even if it needs to be shortened — but he is as opposed to surgery as Ms. Jayne.
While time is short, Ms. Jayne recalled that last year a pivotal decision on the festival was not made until Feb. 7. “We still have room,” she said, sunnily.
