LAKEPORT – The organizer of BoardStock said he would still like to hold his event in Lake County, and he's considering another approach to the Lakeport City Council, which last month voted not to host the event.
Rob Stimmel of BoardStock Productions said Wednesday he is thinking of asking the city to reconsider allowing the event to be held at Library Park, but rather than the mid-August timeframe, he's looking at late September.
“I expect it to be mostly the same,” he said of the event. “I'm able to keep the water event. I'm not sure if all the land events are going to be available.”
City Council members confirmed Tuesday that they had spoken with Stimmel and Ron Campos of Campos Casuals about reconsidering hosting BoardStock.
Stimmel said he found out on Feb. 13 that Konocti Harbor Resort & Spa, which has hosted the event for the past two years, had decided not to continue with BoardStock, citing concerns about underage drinking at the event.
Last month, prior to the City Council vote, Stimmel said he felt his event was being unfairly blamed for issues that had more to do with Konocti Harbor and its concert schedule than BoardStock itself.
Two public meetings were held in March to gather community input on holding BoardStock in Lakeport. Richard Knoll, Lakeport's acting city manager, described the public opinion as “pretty polarized” on the subject.
On March 20, following the second community meeting, the council voted not to host BoardStock. The council's primary concerns at the time revolved around the ability to enforce a no-alcohol policy, and devoting staff time to organize the event in the midst of dealing with a state cease and desist order against the city sewer system.
Stimmel said the September date isn't ideal for the event, since the August schedule puts it closer to the world wakeboarding championships in Reno.
However, he said he's always been open to a date change if it means the event would be held in Lake County. He said he told city officials that in the beginning.
Stimmel said the September date would mean the event would miss the peak tourism season. The crowds would be reduced by 25 percent, he said, with many young people being back in school or college at that time.
Lakeport Mayor Roy Parmentier said Tuesday that the time change might remove some of the party element that has been a concern for the city.
Knoll said Stimmel hasn't yet submitted a request to be on the April 17 council agenda.
Knoll told the council Tuesday that, procedurally, they must make a motion and then vote to reconsider hosting the event, since they previously voted against it.
He said he's also recommending that if the city does look at the issue again, that it hold a public hearing, complete with a public notice.
The city is still facing project deadlines due to the cease and desist order, said Knoll, and having the event at a different time won't necessary change the staff's priorities.
“The reality is that we're really in the same position that we were before,” he said.
It's almost a month later now, he said, and even with the event being rescheduled, it still only leaves about five months of preparation.
Knoll, who was in favor of seeing the event come to Lakeport, added, “If the council directs us to work on it, we'll do that.”
Stimmel said he's still exploring other possible venues for BoardStock. He expects to make a final decision on approaching the city again very soon, possibly this week.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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