Two arts center meetings this week

By:ERIN MASSEY - Staff Writer | Sunday, July 27, 2003 6:24 AM PDT ∞

ESCONDIDO ---- On Tuesday and again on Wednesday, the public and city leaders will have the chance to discuss a proposed budget and operating agreement for the California Center for the Arts, Escondido.

The City Council postponed a decision last month on approving a budget plan and a 5-year management agreement with a private nonprofit group that runs the city-owned arts center. The budget and contract were set to start July 1.

On Tuesday, the council will attend a special workshop hosted by arts center officials to review the history of the 9-year-old performing, visual arts and conference center that graces city-owned land next to City Hall.

Arts center President Vicky Basehore said last week the workshop was scheduled after some council members voiced concerns over a lack of communication between the arts center and the city.

"The City Council indicated they needed more information," Basehore said. "This is a good opportunity for us to answer their questions and to share with them the history of the center."

The public workshop is set for 7 p.m. in Salon 1 of the conference center of the arts center, 340 N. Escondido Blvd.

Mayor Lori Pfeiler agreed that the council needs the brush-up lesson.

"The discussion I've heard made it seem like we need a better knowledge of what the center does," Pfeiler said. "Whenever the center comes over to the city, it is always a budget discussion."

Budget discussions will continue when the City Council meets at 4 p.m. Wednesday in Council Chambers at City Hall, 201 N. Broadway.

The council is not expected to make a decision about how to help the arts center dig out from under a $2.5 million debt created by years of budget deficits. Last month, the board of the arts foundation asked the city to pay off the debt or take back control of the arts center.

Council members said last week they need to focus on the budget and contract first, before taking action on the debt.

"My position is to not do all of that in one shot," said Councilwoman Marie Waldron. "We need to see how their budget pans out in the future. Maybe there is a way to start whittling away that debt."

The council will review the arts center's $5.8 million budget, which cuts the center's spending by 17 percent and slices revenues by 12 percent over last year. The budget, however, would allow the foundation to hire key sales people and give employees a 3 percent cost-of-living raise.

The arts center has 49 employees now, after opening in 1994 with a staff of 88 full-time employees and a budget of $9 million annually.

The council is also expected to approve a different kind of management contract. Instead of a one-time fee of $1.76 million, the city would pay the foundation a smaller subsidy of $1.3 million but would also absorb the center's power bills, estimated at $642,000 per year.

The total city cost of the new contract would be $1.94 million instead of the $2.5 million the city paid in fees and services last year.

The arts center foundation is expected to ask the city to approve a three-year contract instead of the proposed five-year agreement, and include a new requirement for better city access to arts center information.

Contact staff writer Erin Massey at (760) 740-5416 or emassey@nctimes.com.