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- e e that the reorganization issue involving the Conference Center and the Hult Center Garage will be addressed in his report to the City Council. In clarifi- cation, Mr. Fredrickson stated that the deficit does not include the receiv- ables from the operating groups. He stated that the deficit was on the current operating basis and not on past debts. In response to a question, Mr. Baer felt that the Performing Arts Commissioners did not appear fully informed about the debts incurred by the user groups. In response to a question in regard to the Marketing section staffing, Mr. Fredrickson stated that the report was suggesting that the Executive Director take over the responsibility for marketing efforts and that a Community Relations Director be hired to perform audience development and to assist in the marketing efforts. He viewed this change as being cost-saving and more effective than the present configuration. In the current configuration, he stated that the Marketing Department was spending the majority of its time in the booking and presenting function, in contrast to other centers where the Executive Director handles the booking. In response to a question, Mr. Fredrickson stated that he could not directly compare the Hult Center to other centers studied. He stated that advertising should not be confused with marketing, as it is only one element of the Marketing Department. He explained that each of the centers studied define marketing differently and have different organizational structures; therefore, it is difficult to compare the marketing budget for each. Mr. Baer stated that the marketing budget for most of the centers was approximately 15 percent of the entire budget, exclusive of personnel. Mr. Saltzman stated that he was concerned with the elimination of the Marketing Department, although he strongly supported the other recommendations. Refer- ring to a statement on page IV-18 of the report, he stated that the implication is that the center should now rest on its reputation in continuing its market- ing. As the study recommended that the Executive Director be responsible for marketing, booking, and programming, Mr. Saltzman stated that this implied that the Executive Director either has more spare time than expected, or he is being expected to assume unreasonable responsibilities. He stressed that he felt that marketing is the primary artery through which the main support flows for the center. He questioned why so little information was provided on marketing positions at the other centers in the report. Mr. Fredrickson stated that inquiries were made about marketing at the other centers, but he restated that the organization of those centers is different than the Hult Center. He stated that the changes recommended for the marketing effort stresses that the emphasis must be on developing the community--selling the Hult Center throughout the state. Mr. Fredrickson stated that the current configuration is more expensive than necessary. He added that a competent marketing job could be performed by reassigning most of those responsibilities to the Executive Director. Mr. Saltzman stated that his own inquiries with Executive Directors found support for a complete marketing effort separate from the Executive Director. While he understood the danger of comparisons without clear definitions of the positions, he stated that the report did not include the importance of the marketing position in the Madison Center. Briefly reviewing the other centers studied, Mr. Saltzman stated that marketing MINUTES--Eugene City Council/Performing Arts Commission Feb. 27, 1984 Page 5