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Home My WebLink About12/13/1993 Work Session . . . ~ City of Springfield Work Session Council Meeting MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE SPRINGFIELD CITY COUNCIL HELD MONDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1993 The City of Springfield Council met in the Springfield City Hall, Meeting Room 2, 225 N. Fifth Street, Springfield, Oregon, on Monday, December 13, 1993, at 6:00 p.m. ATTENDANCE Present were Mayor Morrisette and Councilors Maine, Burge, Shaver, Schanz, and Beyer. Councilor Walters was absent (excused). Also present were City Manager Mike Kelly, Assistant City Manager Gino Grimaldi, City Attorney Joe Leahy, City Recorder Eileen Stein, and members of staff. 1. Filbert Festival Committee Proposal for 1994 Festival City Manager Mike Kelly introduced Mr. Bruce Berg, Chair of the 1994 Filbert Festival Committee. Mr. Berg introduced other member of the committee present including Aaron Merrill, Janice Morrisette, Steve Moe, Mary Horvat, Rose Habetler and Maureen Maine. Mr. Berg discussed the 501(c) (3) process the committee is going through to change the festival ownership to a community non-profit group. He stated the steering committee has 13 dedicated volunteers who will help take the festival through this transition year from city sponsorship to non-profit. Mr. Berg outlined the committee's proposal as presented in the staff report. He explained the changes that will take place in 1994 including lowering admission estimates, more conservative estimating of revenues and more generous estimating of expenses, reducing the festival budget from $136,269 to $89,550, conducting only a two day festival, and changing the date to the weekend before Labor Day. Mr. Berg recapped the commitment made by Willamalane Parks and Recreation District for the 1994 festival. He reported Willamalane will become a major sponsor, donate office space, and place a staff member on the steering committee. Mr. Berg asked the city to help with a financial commitment of $30,000 to $40,000 in room tax funding to assist the committee during the transition year. Council discussed the room tax allocations for the 1993/94 budget and how funds were previously reallocated by the elimination of funds to the Eugene/Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau. Mr. Berg explained the committee is asking for less than one-fourth of the remaining room tax dollars,' for continued support by Public Works and Police Department staffs, for the city to assist the committee in the 501(c) (3) process, for grant writing assistance, Finance Department staff assistance, city coverage for liability insurance as provided in previous years, and for the city to provide a booth and staff assistance at the Lane County Fair. . . . City of Springfield Work Session Council Meeting Page two Mr. Berg stated the committee would not be asking the city for financial responsibility, marketing or public relations support, office space, data bank use or City Manager's Office staff time. He told the Council the committee will resolve problems of past years and will not ask for any city General Fund dollars. Councilor Shaver asked if the committee has a plan for future festival funding. Mr. Berg replied future funding had not been discussed by the committee, but he discussed his expectations for future city funding and said he hoped the festival would eventually reach a funding plateau of $15,000 to $20,000 in room tax revenues in future years. Councilor Shaver asked what level of assistance the committee needed from the Finance Department staff. Mr. Berg responded approximately three to four hours was needed right away, to explain what went well and what did not, and some additional hours at the time of the festival. Councilor Shaver asked Development Services Director Susan Daluddung if the storage space requested at Booth-Kelly is ready to be rented to an outside party. Ms. Daluddung replied the space is not ready for renting currently, but could be made available in the future and is in an, area targeted for future rehabilitation. She said the Council would see the area when the Booth-Kelly Master Plan is presented in February. Councilor Shaver asked about the amount of Public Works Department staff time used in previous years. Mr. Kelly replied approximately $9,000 (wages and benefits) were used for the 1993 festival, and the time was donated by the city. Councilor Burge questioned the amount of room tax dollars available. Ms. Daluddung clarified allocations and distributed a detailed hand-out showing the figures. Councilor Burge reported he had calculated the total festival costs over the years to be the following: 1990 Festival costs $14,721 + $12,000 of staff time, etc. 1991 Festival costs $45,999 + $12,000 of staff time, etc. 1992 Festival costs $81,587 + $12,000 of staff time, etc. 1993 Festival costs $54,847 + $12,000 of staff time, etc. TOTAL $197,154 + $48,000 4 YEAR TOTAL $245,154 (an average of $61,288 per year for 4 years) Councilor Burge asked for clarification on who would be financially responsible for the 1994 festival. Mr. Berg replied the city will have no financial responsibility because the festival will be a community non-profit organization. Willamalane Parks and Recreation Board member Tom Atkinson explained the 501(c) (3) process and said it may take up to six months for the festival to become a non-profit corporation. . City of Springfield Work Session Council Meeting Page three The Council discussed the use of room tax funds and the city providing a fair booth at the 1994 Lane County Fair to promote the festival. Councilor Shaver suggested giving the committee a cap of dollars to be used for staff time and to charge any additional amounts against their room tax allocation. Mr. Atkinson explained why the Willamalane Parks and Recreation District decided to support the festival and gave background information on how the Board reached it's decision. The Council discussed their policy of allocating 35% of room tax funds for local projects and marketing. Councilor Schanz spoke of past management mistakes and stated he would be willing to the give the committee $25,000, but not to support the booth at the Lane County Fair. Councilor Burge stated he would not support giving the committee any funds over the amount of $15,000. Councilor Beyer said she was comfortable with the committee's proposal and would support the use of room tax funds. . Councilor Maine clarified the consensus reached by the Council at a previous work session on regarding the Filbert Festival. He suggested the Council support $20,000 for the 1994 festival and $10,000 for 1995 and 1996 festivals, with the same staff commitment as in the past and the city providing a fair booth. Mayor Morrisette suggested festival volunteers be allowed to work more shifts at the fair. The Council discussed the appropriateness of the city sponsoring a booth at the Lane County Fair. City Attorney Joe Leahy reported the legality of the city fronting cash for bankable receivable notes (item F of staff report) was questionable and suggested the Council not agree. He also stated the city could not provide and carry insurance or liability coverage for the 1994 festival. IT WAS MOVED BY COUNCILOR BURGE, WITH A SECOND BY COUNCILOR MAINE TO PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING FOR THE 1994 FILBERT FESTIVAL: $20,000 FROM ROOM TAX FUNDS, WITH A $10,000 COMMITMENT GUARANTEED FOR 1995 AND 1996 FESTIVALSi TO PROVIDE 350 HOURS OF STAFF SUPPORT IN THE AREAS OF PUBLIC WORKS, PUBLIC SAFETY, GRANT WRITING ASSISTANCE AND FINANCE STAFF SUPPORT; TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE STORAGE SPACE AT BOOTH-KELLY, PROVIDED THE SPACE IS NOT BEING USED OR OBLIGATED; THAT THE 1994 FILBERT FESTIVAL COMMITTEE COMPLETE THE 501(C) (3) PROCESS CHANGING THE FESTIVAL OWNERSHIP TO A COMMUNITY NON-PROFIT GROUP; TO NOT PROVIDE CASH IN THE AMOUNT OF PLEDGES RECEIVED FROM DONORS; TO NOT TO PROVIDE INSURANCE AND LIABILITY COVERAGE; AND TO PROVIDE A BOOTH AND ASSISTANCE AT THE LANE COUNTY FAIR, TO PROMOTE THE FESTIVAL UNDER THE DISCRETION OF THE CITY MANAGER. . Mr. Berg stated $20,000 in funding would seriously compromise the event and encouraged the council not to consider doing this in a transition year. He said the committee would like to receive $40,000 and would omit the requests for grant writing and 501(c) (3) assistance. Mr. Berg also told the Council that festival volunteers could staff 80 percent of the shifts at the fair. . . . .,. . '. City of Springfield Work Session Council Meeting Page four Ms. Habetler clarified the committee would need assistance with future festivals also, and stated they would seek room tax assistance next year also. THE MOTION WAS AMENDED BY COUNCILOR SCHANZ WITH A SECOND BY COUNCILOR SHAVER TO CHANGE THE DOLLAR AMOUNT TO $25,000 FROM ROOM TAX FUNDS, WITH A $5,000 SET-ASIDE. THE MOTION PASSED BY A VOTE OF 4 FOR AND 1 AGAINST (BURGE) . THE ORIGINAL MOTION, AS AMENDED, WAS PASSED BY A VOTE OF 4 FOR AND 1 AGAINST (BURGE). 2. Council Business There was none. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 7:15 p.m. Minutes Recorder - Shari Higgins ~ftLYlil~ ATTEST: ~uJJe~- City Recorder #4331