CC Minutes - 02/23/98 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mr. Fart moved, seconded by Mr. Tollenaar, to transition the Eugene Celebration to a qualified nonprofit organization; to authorize staff to release a Request for Qualifications and select a qualified nonprofit corporation to manage and have responsibility for the event in 1998; and to report to the council no later than May 4, 1998. Ms. Taylor asked that City costs for the Eugene Celebration be explained. Mr. Johnson replied that expenditures for the 1997 event totaled more that $340,000, which exceeded revenue by approximately $90,000. He explained that the council had authorized a $25,000 Room Tax subsidy for the event and had covered the balance of the shortage with one-time General Fund revenue. Mr. Johnson said that City expenditures for the 1998 Eugene Celebration in the scenario under consideration could include $44,000 for event staff for the period July through December 1998, $34,500 for direct labor costs of the Department of Public Works and Police Department, and $10,000-$25,000 for costs associated with management employee time in various departments. In addition, he said, a nonprofit manager would likely require a loan or line-of-credit provided by the City to provide for start-up costs needed before revenue was generated. Mayor Torrey said that he liked the proposed motion and that he was interested in seeing what someone could do with it. He said it was possible that the council could determine that the best proposal received to manage the celebration was not fiscally prudent and have to reject it, requiring that there be no 1998 event. Ms. Nathanson asked if there was a way for a Request for Qualifications to be issued which would ensure that an event would be proposed which would preserve the essential qualities of previous celebrations. Mr. Johnson said such a criteria could be included in the request when it was issued. Mayor Torrey suggested that leading planners of previous celebrations and members of the City Council plan the Request for Qualifications to be issued. Mr. Laue said he felt a request to provide descriptive elements of a proposed celebration be included in the Request for Qualifications. Mr. Johnson such a request could be included. Mr. Johnson said that if the council passed the motion under consideration, staff would continue to plan for a successful 1998 Eugene Celebration in September, keeping all options open. Mr. Tollenaar asked if it would be possible for staff to do as Mr. Johnson had suggested without establishing obligating contracts for services which could not be fulfilled. Mr. Johnson replied that he believed it would be possible to establish such contracts on a contingency basis. Mr. Fart asked if it would be possible for the Council Committee on Infrastructure and Planning Services to be involved in developing the proposed Request for Qualifications and other work related to the celebration. Mr. Meisner said that, as chair of the committee, he believed such involvement would only be possible at the meeting currently scheduled for March 5. Mr. Johnson suggested that it would be difficult to accomplish needed preparation by that date. MINUTES--Eugene City Council February 23, 1998 Page 12 7:30 p.m.