HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes.WHLR.20150610.RegularWHEELER
OPERA
HOUSE
MINUTES
OF
THE
MEETING
OF
THE
BOARD
OF
DIRECTORS
DATE:
Wednesday,
July
15,
2015
TIME:
4:00pm
LOCATION:
Wheeler
Opera
House
Conference
Room
PRESENT:
Board
Members:
Brian
O’Neil,
Chairperson
Richard
Cohen,
Vice
Chairperson
Christine
Benedetti,
Secretary
Tom
Kurt
Chip
Fuller
Richard
Stettner
Absent:
Doug
Clayton
Daniel
Song,
Ex-‐Officio
Guests:
Jeanette
Darnauer
Jim
DeFrancia
Ashley
Feddersen
Staff:
Gena
Buhler,
Executive
Director
Rose
Bennett,
Sr.
Manager
–
Finance
Randy
Ready,
Assistant
City
Manager
RECORDED
BY:
Lauren
Pierce,
Marketing
Coordinator
I.
CALL
TO
ORDER
O’Neil
called
the
meeting
to
order
at
4:07pm.
II.
COUNCIL
CURRENT
DIRECTION
ON
ARMORY
BUILDING
Buhler
addressed
the
Board
regarding
City
Council’s
current
direction
regarding
the
Armory
Building.
At
this
point,
no
decision
has
been
made
for
the
future
of
the
building,
and
should
they
decide
to
move
forward
with
repurposing
of
the
Armory
Building,
Council
would
direct
the
future
of
the
Wheeler’s
role
in
the
operation/management/programming
of
the
new
space.
The
following
presentation
on
behalf
of
Bruce
Etkin’s
group
is
for
informational
gathering
purposes
at
this
time.
III.
GUEST
PRESENTATION
RE:
REPURPOSING
THE
ARMORY
BUILDING
Local
residents
Bruce
Etkin,
Jim
DeFrancia
and
Tony
Vagneur
have
joined
forces
to
create
a
non-‐profit
opportunity
to
renovate
the
current
City
Hall
as
a
community
center.
The
Armory
Repurpose
Committee
will
present
to
City
Council
on
Monday,
August
3rd.
The
Committee
requested
that
the
Board
of
Directors
agree
to
allow
them
to
communicate
to
City
Council
that
the
Board
and
the
Wheeler
Opera
House
is
interested
in
being
the
operator
of
the
proposed
community
center.
The
committee
presented
the
proposal
to
the
board
for
review.
The
highlights
from
the
proposal
are
in
the
attached
document.
IV.
BOARD
DISCUSSION
RE:
ARMORY
BUILDING
PROPOSAL
FROM
GUESTS
The
Board
discussed
their
opinion
regarding
the
Wheeler’s
involvement
within
the
structure
of
Etkin’s
Armory
Building
Proposal.
Cohen
expressed
his
concern
if
the
Wheeler
was
to
lose
the
opportunity
and
face
another
competing
venue
in
Aspen.
O’Neil
would
like
to
see
the
proposed
building
fill
the
role
as
a
community
center.
Fuller
pointed
out
to
the
Board
that
within
the
proposal,
20%
of
the
time
the
building
would
be
a
performance
venue,
in
which
the
Wheeler
has
expertise.
To
that,
the
other
percent,
the
Wheeler
has
no
expertise,
for
example
with
conventions,
banquets
and
weddings.
Stettner
questioned
if
the
Wheeler
is
the
correct
operator
of
the
proposed
space;
cooking
for
500
to
1,000
people
is
a
whole
other
challenge
than
running
a
performance
venue.
Fuller
proposed
that
the
Wheeler
Board
support
the
new
facility
to
the
ability
that
the
Wheeler
holds.
Cohen
endorses
whole-‐heartily;
the
Wheeler
needs
a
new
performance
space
to
program
in.
The
general
conscious
over
brief
discussion
is
that
the
Board
is
moving
forward
in
endorsing
support
of
the
Wheeler’s
involvement
in
exploration
of
this
proposed
repurposing
management
plan.
Buhler
expressed
that
the
use
and
need
of
the
building
proposed
has
not
yet
been
defined
within
the
proposal,
which
she
feels
needs
to
happen
in
the
exploratory
process.
Ready
informed
the
Board
that
City
Council
would
benefit
from
a
list
of
comments,
concerns,
and
questions
regarding
the
proposed
Armory
Building.
Ready
gave
examples
such
as,
“if
the
Armory
becomes
a
community
amenity,
programmed
by
the
Wheeler,
how
does
or
will
this
effect
the
RETT
renewal
and/or
does
this
proposal
belong
on
a
ballot
question?”
Buhler
requested
that
the
Board
send
her
questions,
concerns,
and
comments
by
July
24th.
V.
MOUNTAINSUMMIT
FESTIVAL
LAUNCH
Buhler
updated
the
Board
on
the
current
status
of
the
seventh
annual
MountainSummit:
Mountainfilm
in
Aspen
festival,
taking
place
August
27
–
August
30.
The
first
day
of
pass
sales
was
successful.
A
promotional
video
that
is
currently
screening
in
the
Aspen
Airport
was
presented
to
display
the
new
branding
and
digital
direction
of
the
festival’s
marketing.
Buhler
presented
an
overview
of
the
festival
film
schedule
and
new
activities.
Buhler
has
introduced
a
kids
program,
more
discussions
to
provide
audiences
with
the
opportunities
to
speak
further
with
guests,
a
concert
and
interactive
activities.
The
festival
is
expanding
beyond
a
film
festival
to
become
a
destination
event
for
Aspen.
VI.
RENOVATION
PROJECT
UPDATE
Buhler
updated
the
Board
on
the
current
status
of
the
remodel
project
with
new
design
renderings
of
the
first
and
second
floor
(front
of
house
views).
The
project
will
open
the
box
office
space
to
invite
patrons
to
flow
naturally
to
the
second
floor
lobby
space.
The
new
design
and
esthetics
project
the
feeling
that
one
is
in
a
historical
theater.
The
lobby
space
will
introduce
new
programming
opportunities.
Patrons
and
the
public
will
be
invited
to
the
second
floor
to
the
bar
before
a
show.
The
new
design
introduces
a
coat
check
and
separate
men
and
women
bathroom
locations,
in
which
both
amenities
increase
customer
service.
The
project
has
identified
the
constructor
as
R.
A.
Nelson.
Of
the
four
construction
companies
that
submitted,
R.A.
Nelson
came
within
the
budget
and
the
strict
timeline
of
September
1st
through
December
3rd.
The
project
will
move
forward
this
fall,
pending
Council
approval
at
the
end
of
July.
VII.
FINANCIALS
Bennett
presented
the
June
2015
financials.
The
financials
do
not
have
any
significant
changes
in
June,
due
to
the
Aspen
Music
Festival
and
School
in
residence.
Buhler
informed
the
Board
that
the
staff
submitted
thorough
forecasts
for
the
remainder
of
the
year.
The
numbers
related
to
the
programming
in
December,
as
well
as
the
final
outcome
of
the
August
MountainSummit
festival
would
determine
final
expenses
and
revenues.
VIII.
MEMBER
COMMENTS
Cohen
informed
the
Board
that
he
met
with
a
representative
to
speak
about
the
TABOR
Amendment,
regarding
the
Real
Estate
Transfer
Tax
renewal.
The
representative
recommended
an
attorney,
Matt
Grey,
who
has
worked
with
RETT
renewal
processes
with
comparable
municipalities.
Grey
is
researching
to
determine
whether
or
not
the
Wheeler
is
in
jeopardy
of
losing
the
RETT,
if
changes
were
to
be
made
to
the
distribution.
Cohen
urged
the
Board
and
the
City
to
prepare
to
fight
for
the
proper
renewal
of
the
RETT.
IX.
APPROVAL
OF
THE
JUNE
10,
2015
MINUTES
The
Board
reviewed
the
minutes.
Cohen
made
the
motion
to
approve
the
minutes;
Fuller
seconded.
The
Board
unanimously
voted
to
accept
them.
X.
SET
DATE
FOR
SEPTEMBER
MEETING
The
Board
scheduled
the
September
meeting
of
the
Board
of
Directors
for
September
23,
2015
at
4:00pm.
XI.
ADJOURNMENT
O’Neil
called
for
a
motion
to
adjourn;
Cohen
made
the
motion;
Fuller
seconded.
The
meeting
was
adjourned
at
5:44pm.