09/24/1979 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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. a local performance theater, a support mechanism to stimulate high- e quality organizations; what type of balance is desirable. He feels that homework on those issues needs to be done before proceeding. Public hearing was closed. Manager said that all qualifications for candidates mentioned by Mr. Williams might be useful. In drafting the ordinance, he said it was felt it should be open-ended on the question of membership. It would be impossible to represent all interested groups in the Commission. The Council should weigh carefully the types of Commissioners they would like to appoint. The quality of the operation will depend greatly on the competency of the director and of Commission members. He said he hopes the Commission members will be appointed by January 1, so that they may get on with the business of what type of programming to emphasize. Manager said groundwork is being laid for the director1s appointment and professional assistance will be sought on some of the issues that Mr. Synder raised. Staff also is pursuing the union question. He said he hoped local groups could run the small hall as much as pos- sible, with provision for protection for the equipment. On the issue of Room Tax funds, he feels it is necessary to continue to develop local artistic industry and that Room Tax funds are good for more than simply the Performing Arts Center. He does not see the City completely withdrawing that program at this point, though those decisions are e ones the Council may have to make depending on the circumstances. In answer to a question from Mr. Obie, Manager said that the ordinance does not require the director to manage both facilities, but at one point it had been mentioned that that might be the most desirable arrangement. That decision lies in the future and might require amendments to the proposed ordinance at a later date. Mr. Lieua11en said he hopes that the Commission will debate the issues of purpose of the center and balance as well as level of community involvement early on and take responsibility for much of those deci- sions. He likes the way the ordinance is written. Ms. Smith wondered if the Commission or Council would be able to be involved at all in approving the job description for the Director and possibly giving some advice along the way. Manager responded that, in the area of profile development, he would like any input from the Council on their feelings. He said it will probably be a four- to five month recruitment process, and he does not feel that a director can be appointed by the January 1 deadline. Ms. Schue said she would like some review on the reasoning behind a public operation. Mr. Long, City Attorney, said that in the Dykstra Report, biases had been expressed that a public agency cannot effi- ciently run a public facility. Staff challenged that because surveys done allover the country do not bear that out. Secondly, the fear e 9/24/79--5 5U