By Nicky Boyette – At the CAPC budget workshop last Wednesday, the first challenge was to see where in the 2017 budget commissioners could find $40,000 to cover utility costs at the Auditorium for 2017. The management agreement between the CAPC and the city calls for the city to pay the utility bill at the Auditorium, which is projected to be about $40,000 next year.
Commissioner James DeVito pointed out, “The city is in dire straits.” He listed protective gear for firefighters among the line items the city is struggling to pay for in next year’s budget. “The city is pinching pennies all over the place.” He maintained the CAPC has the revenue, so in a good will gesture it should cover the city’s Auditorium utility bill next year. He speculated they could find funds by examining the budget, and the search began.
Spending on festivals popped up immediately. Commissioner Damon Henke was skeptical about the request of $25,000 by the Arts Council for the May Festival of the Arts. Executive Director Mike Maloney emphasized the May Festival of the Arts is a CAPC event, and asked the Arts Council to help put it on. “They asked for funds to make it happen,” he said, referring to the request.
Maloney added the Arts Council has been a helpful facilitator of the event, and the month-long festival kicks off the tourist season. He commented that commissioners could fund whatever amount they want, “but that event is still our major event.” Commissioners settled on $15,000 for the May festival.
Scrutiny went toward other festivals, and Henke commented he wanted to keep $8,000 or so in the budget for the Bluegrass Festival. Finance Director Rick Bright said he put extra funds in the Music in the Park line item to be used for jazz and bluegrass weekends with the idea the festivals would continue with music in Basin Park, but without big acts in the Auditorium.
Commissioner Terry McClung noted that Friday night jazz in Basin Park was very popular, and there was agreement a festival could extend from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon. McClung said he did not want to lose the Folk Festival. He was okay moving it to a different weekend, “but it needs to be retained.”
Maloney suggested they allocate $10,000 – $12,000 to the Folk Festival instead of $15,000. He said he would be going to the Folk Alliance event in Kansas City where he was confident he could find quality new acts that would fit the budget. The challenge would be to attract the demographic that appreciates these new acts, such as the Fayetteville college crowd. Commissioners decided on $12,000 for the Folk Festival and moved it to the Nov. 3-4 weekend.
Maloney offered to reduce his 2017 Internet expense back to $100,000. He said that amount worked well in 2016, and he already knows where they will spend it.
With that change, Bright pointed out they now had $43,000 available in the budget.
“So we can cover the Aud utilities,” DeVito noted.
Commissioner Susan Harman pointed out the agreement with the city needs to be re-worked, and it should be made clear this is a one-time gesture by the CAPC.
Other items
With the budget settled, Sales Director Karen Pryor told commissioners she would add shows in three new areas in 2017: faith-based groups, the small meetings market, and the mountain bike sector. She estimated she would be gone 130 nights next year. Her first trip is to an American Bus Association show in January where she already has 40 appointments scheduled over five days. Her travel schedule runs through October with the last one being Boomers in Groups where she has 30 appointments so far. Pryor said Eureka Springs has seen many visitors over the years as a result of this particular show.
Maloney announced Parks Director Justin Huss and his crew brought several international bikers to ride the trails at Lake Leatherwood City Park, “and they loved our trails.” Emphasized was the fact Tom Walton, mountain biking enthusiast and noted benefactor, now knows about the trails around Eureka Springs.
Maloney also mentioned he will begin advertising for an Events Coordinator next week.
Subsequent conversation turned toward ways in which the Chamber of Commerce and the CAPC partner well, and ways in which they duplicate each other. Some thought went toward providing better customer service by redefining roles. The Transit Department was identified as another logical partner in making sure visitors could easily get the information about what to do in town.
And the new information is…..blah, blah, blah!