By Nicky Boyette – Commissioner James DeVito pointed out at last Wednesday’s workshop that the CAPC is part of city government, and it could help out the fiscally strapped city budget by agreeing to pay the city’s portion of utilities at the Auditorium, which he said was around $50,000 annually. He pointed out that because of Executive Director Mike Maloney’s effective marketing, the CAPC is the only city department with reserves, and contended it would appropriate to pick up the utility bill for “a while.”
Maloney replied that he and Finance Director Rick Bright would study the budget and see where they might find that amount of money. He said he understood the point DeVito was making about the dire financial situation the city faces, and lamented that citizens did not understand the intent of what the one percent tax would have done for the city. “It’s a crime it failed,” he said.
However, he said he would have an answer for the commission at next week’s meeting.
Commissioner Damon Henke pointed out the commission has wanted to get rid of its financial obligation to support the Auditorium, and now DeVito is suggesting they take on more.
“It’s a huge goodwill gesture,” Sales Director Karen Pryor pointed out.
Bright mentioned that if the soon-to-be-hired Events Coordinator brings more activity to the Auditorium, it would mean more utility usage. The city has only so much budgeted for the Aud, so the CAPC would have to pick up the extra utility bills anyway. He said he would provide a spreadsheet on his findings at the Dec. 14 meeting.
Commissioners also agreed to have a budget workshop before the Dec. 14 meeting. Commissioner Terry McClung said, “We should put James’s request on the table. It’s not a permanent agreement, so it’s worth looking at.”
The group continued it ongoing conversation of what to do with festivals. Move them to a new date? Drop them? They agreed on the importance of events in town, but DeVito declared they should not “belabor staff to put on an event no one attends.”
Commissioner Susan Harman asked Bright for a breakdown on what they spent $15,000 on to put on the Folk Festival, for example, and Bright said he would provide that information.
Discussion regarding the future of the festivals will continue at the budget workshop.
Next meeting will be Wednesday, Dec. 14, at 6 p.m., preceded by a budget workshop at 4:30 p.m.