Monday, June 16, 2003 | 11:14 a.m.
Basic High School students in the Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps were counting on money they expected to make providing security and directing parking at a recent Christian music festival to help pay for trips to California and Florida.
But ROTC instructor Sam Rael said it's looking more and more like they will never get paid, so he is canceling one trip and hoping money can be raised through other fund-raisers for the other.
Two weeks after the SpiritFest 2003, held May 30-June 1 at Veterans Memorial Park in Boulder City, Rael is waiting to hear from event organizer Mark Anthony Johnson, who went by the name Mark Anthony. Rael said he was supposed to pick up a check worth at least $6,742 the day after the event. But when he went by Johnson's ProMotions office on East Desert Inn Road, no one was there.
Johnson, who also works in the kitchen of the Clark County juvenile detention center, said Friday he doesn't know why Rael thinks the students are owed so much money or why Rael thought he would pick up a check the day after the event when Johnson was starting a planned vacation.
Johnson said he and Rael did discuss paying $300 to $600 for the students' services.
"That's ridiculous," Johnson said when asked if he had agreed to pay $6,700 or more for the students' services. "I would never pay anyone that much to do this. ... They will get some money, but I don't know how much."
Rael said he never would have had the students work the event for $300 to $600.
"I would have said, 'No way,' " Rael said. "I would not put my kids to work for that."
The two didn't have a contract for the students' services, which Rael said he now regrets.
"He seemed like a good gentleman and I took his word," Rael said.
Rael said he thought the agreement was that the Johnson would pay $7.50 to $15 an hour per student depending on how successful SpiritFest was, which means Johnson owed them at least $6,742 for the 899 hours worked over three days.
A few days after the event, Rael filed a complaint with the state Labor Commissioner's Office. But an agency spokeswoman said Rael's complaint won't be acted on because he filed it on behalf of the students, and complaints cannot be filed on behalf of others.
However, the complaint did prompt the agency to investigate whether Johnson had the proper licenses to hold the event. That investigation had not concluded as of Friday.
If Johnson does end up giving Rael's ROTC group $600 or so, that would be enough to pay for the food, water and gas bought for the 41 ROTC students who worked the event. But it would not be enough to help pay for the two trips Rael and his students thought they were raising money for, Rael said.
A trip to Bridgeport, Calif., for a five-day mountaineering excursion will be canceled. Rael said $1,500 of the money he expected from Spirit Fest was to pay for renting vans to bring about 30 ROTC students on the trip at the end of July.
The rest of the money was to go toward a trip to Daytona Beach, Fla., in February to compete in a national drill team competition, he said. The Basic High JROTC drill teams routinely win the national tournaments at the Air Force Academy and in California, and the Florida contests would give the students a chance to test their skills against new competition, he said.
There is still a chance other ROTC fund-raisers will raise enough money for the boys and girls drill teams to go to Florida, he said.
"I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Hopefully we'll be able to do it," Rael said.
Johnson said Friday he plans to call Rael to clear up the situation.
"We did everything on the up and up. He's got a miscommunication or something," Johnson said.
However, a letter to SpiritFest vendors signed by "Mark Anthony" and dated June 3 says a large number of SpiritFest checks and records disappeared so an account was closed. The letter promises prompt payment of bills and asks vendors to contact him if there are any bill changes or if they are still waiting to be paid.
In addition to whatever Johnson ends up paying Rael's group, he also owes Boulder City at least $15,000 for using the city park for the event, City Parks and Recreation Director Roger Hall said.
Under the use agreement approved by the City Council in November, Johnson also owes the city $1 for every ticket sold, Hall said.
Hall said he hasn't tried to contact Johnson yet over the money owed because he knew Johnson would be on vacation after the event, but he plans to contact him this week.
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