LINN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS APPROVE MASS GATHERING ORDINANCE

Following a year of often contentious public hearings and debate, the
Linn County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday adopted a revised
ordinance governing mass events.

Commissioners Dave Schmidt, Catherine Skiens and John Lindsey
unanimously approved the ordinance after a final, two-hour hearing.

William Conde, a Harrisburg businessman, concert organizer and drug
activist, returned from Belize in order to attend the hearing and was
accompanied by a half-dozen supporters.

Conde renewed his objections to the\ ordinance, especially the
responsibilities it places on event organizers and the power it gives
the Sheriff's Office to conduct inspections.

The code requires organizers to:

Provide emergency medical facilities and staff.

Submit plans for traffic and crowd control.

Meet health code requirements for all food and sanitation
facilities.

Not permit the presence, use or sale of illegal narcotics or
dangerous drugs.

"You should call this the William Conde Assembly Code," Conde said.
"This is a moot point. It is aimed at me and I will not be holding any
more events in your county."

Conde is still facing criminal charges arising from music festivals he
organized in 1998 and 1999. He is attempting to liquidate the
inventory at his business, Conde's Redwood Lumber, and plans to put
his Harrisburg property up for sale.

Alluding to his financial difficulties, which he blames on harassment
by law enforcement at his two festivals in 1999, Conde claimed the
real purpose of the ordinance was to force him to forfeit his property.

Brian Michaels, Conde's Eugene attorney, said the ordinance was
deficient because it takes too long to get permission and grants
county officials too much discretion in the granting of permits.

Michaels said the permit timelines were unacceptable and that similar
codes had been thrown out by the courts. He objects to the requirement
that event organizers file permit applications with the county 140
days in advance of an event, with the county then having until 30 days
prior to the event to make a decision.

Michaels also protested provisions that allow the county to waive the
timelines, application fees and service fees for some applicants.

"You can be certain that Mr. Conde isn't going to get a waiver,"
Michaels said.

Conde said that his political advocacy for the liberalization of drug
laws caused the county to treat him differently, and he claimed the
ordinance violated his right to free speech.

Lindsey disagreed.

"We are suppressing no one from holding a rally for any sort of
political activity," Lindsey said.

Schmidt acknowledged the ordinance was not perfect but was an honest
effort to bring all of the state statutes, administrative rules and
health provisions governing mass events into one ordinance that
organizers could follow.

"I believe this will be a work-in-progress. What doesn't work will
come back before us and we will try to fix it," Schmidt said.

The code replaces the county's 1995 gathering ordinance and is
effective immediately.