Budget Meeting Minutes 05/11/05 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mr. Mulligan recalled when the Hult Center opened there was controversy surrounding the Soreng Theater, the smaller venue in the performing arts center, and whether it was needed. He was encouraged by the "explosion" of the arts scene. He asked if, in approaching the comprehensive plan, the other venues outside the City would be taken into account and leveraged to create "something bigger than the whole." Ms. Jones affirmed that this was the objective. She averred that all of the parties needed to be brought together to discuss how a comprehensive plan could be formulated to everyone's benefit. Mr. Mulligan asked for an estimate of the cost for a comprehensive plan. Ms. Jones replied that the division had yet to identify the costs. She explained that the division wanted to make sure the proposed plan was brought as a "heads up" in order to attain support for it. She thought, at this point, the plan could be comprised of a variety of things. She said a placeholder had been identified as an unfunded project in the C1P which contained the division's best guess as to the cost. Ms. Solomon asked if the division was working with Downtown Eugene, Inc (DEI). She noted that DEI was closely aligned with the goals of the Cultural Services Division and was involved in strategy development to increase activity in the downtown area: Ms. Jones responded that the division was working with them, adding that a meeting had been scheduled with DEI. Mr. Kelly thanked Ms. Jones and Mr. Hankins for all they did to help make the City "a great place to be." He stressed the importance of cultural services to the livability of the City of Eugene as well as to the economic engine. He supported moving forward with the comprehensive plan. In response to a question from Mr. Kelly, Mr. Hankins stated that City funding for the Jacobs Gallery had been cut after Ballot Measure 47 and now only existed through the collaborative efforts of three entities: the Cultural Services Division, the Lane Arts Council, and the Jacobs Gallery Steering. Committee. Tina Rinaldi, director of the gallery, explained that the City provided the space and Lane Arts Council provided the 501(c)(3) fiscal agency under which the gallery could raise tax deductible funds. She said neither of those entities provided direct funding to the gallery: The gallery was responsible for certain funds going to the City for services that it used and to the Lane Arts Council as a fiscal agency fee. She stated that the Jacobs Gallery Steering Committee was responsible for all of the fund-raising. Ms. Bettman congratulated Mr. Hankins on receiving official recognition, adding that it was "well- deserved." She called the Cultural Services Division a major asset in the community in terms of education and outreach, as well as in terms of economic development. She noted that many of the area's youth perform in the Hult Center. She felt it fulfilled multiple objectives from the City's point of view and had potential for fulfilling even more objectives. In response fo a question from Ms. Bettman, Ms. Jones stated that having $1.5 million in reserve, essentially enough to run the division for four. months, was the division's goal. Ms. Bettman commented that the Cultural Services Division did not seem to be the appropriate "home" for the outstanding balance of the City's portion of the loan for Hayward Field, which originated in the 1970s. She asked when the loan would be paid off. Ms. Jones replied that it would be complete in 2007. Ms. Bettman wondered if the City could fmd another "home" for that loan. Ms. Rygas asked what the plan was for the programmatic elements of the comprehensive plan. Ms. Jones responded that once the recommendations had been developed and costs were associated with them, like MINUTES-Eugene Budget Committee February 22, 2005 Page 11