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the comprehensive plan recently developed for the Parks and Open Spaces Division; it would be brought <br />back before the council and Budget Committee for consideration. Ms Rygas complimented the <br />presentation, calling it "artful." <br />Mr. Pape echoed comments made by the committee members. He commented that when addressing <br />transportation issues, it was easy to see what was needed because we all knew what a pothole was. He <br />asked, regarding the budgeted portion of maintenance funding from the General Fund, if it was adequate. <br />Ms. Jones replied that the performing arts center was nearly 25 years old. She felt the funding was <br />probably insufficient, given the level of need at this point. <br />Mr. Pape asked if the major maintenance funding was enough to keep the performing arts center to the <br />original building standards. Ms. Jones. replied that it was not, that the facility would need additional <br />resources over and above the allotment in the budget. She averred that once the significant repairs were <br />done to address. the age of the facility, then the current level of General Fund money would once again be <br />sufficient. Mr. Pape noted that the roof was leaking. Ms. Jones said the amount in the maintenance fund <br />would be enough to fix the roof. She elaborated that this amount allowed periodic improvements and <br />emergency repairs to be conducted, but ongoing maintenance of the structure was largely unfiinded. <br />Regarding grant making, Mr. Pape asked if the City was a conduit for this money. Ms. Jones affirmed that <br />.this was the City's role. Mr. Pape wondered if it would be possible to obtain grants for the City. Ms. <br />Jones replied that staff had looked at the grant potential, but did not have the resources to dedicate toward <br />looking for grants. She said some .grants liad been identified, but that one of the areas that had been cut <br />due to fiscal constraints was the resource development unit. She stated that currently the division was <br />sporadically looking for grants that were felt to be "low hanging fiuits" and that could be easily obtained. <br />Mr. Pape asked if it would be possible to look for grants to subsidize capital needs. Ms. Jones responded <br />that the division did not have the resources to look for grants for capital funds or operating funds, but to <br />the extent that something could be identified that was not a lot of effort and that the division had the <br />resources to devote to it, the division had been pretty successful at getting some small grants. She pointed <br />out that the division had aggressively sought private/public partnerships. She noted that the performing <br />arts center had been able to do the bulk of its acoustics project through such a partnership. <br />Ms. Taylor asked why Lord Leebrick Theater had not been mentioned. Mr. Hankins pointed out that he <br />had not mentioned the Very Little Theater or the Actors Cabaret either. Ms. Taylor acknowledged that <br />there were more theaters. She complimented Mr. Hankins' presentation, noting. that many people indicated <br />they appreciated his presence in the community. She felt the arts added much to the. quality of life and <br />should be the top priority of the City. She said it contributed to so many other areas, such as public safety, <br />the City's youth, and sustainable economic development. She underscored that the foundation of a <br />sustainable economy was the utilization of a City's biggest assets and, for her, the arts were the biggest <br />asset that the City of Eugene had. She supported funding arts and recreation more than the City had been <br />funding them. <br />Mr. Hankins. concurred. He shared that he had been struck by what an "incredible asset" the arts were. He <br />recalled that someone had referred to the grants program as a conduit. He felt that one reason it was like a <br />conduit was that there had not been a comprehensive plan that considered what grants should be doing to <br />help local arts organizations. He said giving a higher .funding priority to the arts would have a noticeable <br />impact on the Cultural Services Division. <br />MINUTES-Eugene Budget Committee February 22, 2005 Page 12 <br />