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Home My WebLink AboutMinutes.WHLR.20200617.RegularVirtual Wheeler Board Meeting Board Meeting Minutes | Wednesday June 17, 2020 - 3PM Submitted by Julie Gillespie In Attendance: Wheeler Opera House Board Members: Chip Fuller, Chairperson Christine Benedetti, Vice Chair Nina Gabianelli, Secretary Ziska Childs Dr. Tom Kurt Amy Mountjoy Richard Stettner Justin Brown Peter Grenney (alternative) In Attendance: Wheeler Opera House / COA Staff: Scott Miller, Interim Assistant City Manager Diane Foster, Assistant City Manager Nancy Lesley, Interim Wheeler Director Jim True, City of Aspen Attorney Meeting Recorder: Julie Gillespie DISCUSSION ACTIONS RESPONSES o Meeting called to order at 3:04 PM o Approval of May 20, 2020 meeting minutes. Approved No public comment for Virtual Wheeler Board Meeting Any comments can be sent to Chip Fuller via email accessible on Wheeler Opera House website. Board Discussion (Chip Fuller) o Arts & Cultural Arts Grant Recovery Program • Chip Fuller currently on committee to review COVID relief grant funding for arts organizations.  Review of applications will take a few months as organizations start to apply.  Variety of criteria the committee will look at it – organizational impact and sustainability, previous arts grant applicant, implementation of community activation event, recovery plan, etc.  $396,000 approved funding only available for community arts organizations - allows for max award of $30,000 and funding cannot exceed 10% of annual budget. Director’s Report (Nancy Lesley) o Construction Updates • Elevator project – elevator passed inspection and will be finalizing other project aspects in the coming weeks. • June 8 Council Meeting – will move forward with exterior masonry work and begin in July.  Project would start at freight elevator location and move to more impactful sides of Virtual Wheeler Board Meeting Board Meeting Minutes | Wednesday June 17, 2020 - 3PM Submitted by Julie Gillespie the building.  Project to go through fall/winter depending on weather and COVID effects, asset working with contractor to narrow down exact timeline.  Discussing the plan with the tenants and others who would be impacted. Fall programming will be challenging no matter what. • FULLER: Does this mean absolutely zero events at the Wheeler until December? • LESLEY: July – September no events; hard to imagine October events being able to hang on through construction project. • FULLER: Assuming COVID allows – could there be programming in November or December? • LESLEY: November and December more likely. • GABIANELLI: Is the Vault space not going to be utilized during this time? Will the restaurant be impacted? • LESLEY: Masonry work will potentially be noisy/dusty, wait to see what the noise/dust level will be on the interior and exterior of the building during this project. We are discussing this with Aspen Public House. • FULLER: Board agrees having the Wheeler closed is a challenge. Board would like to reiterate that during this time, the Wheeler should put effort towards creative programming. Events occurring at Buttermilk, we are hoping to see something about the Wheeler being involved. • LESLEY: Do not want to compete with the non-profits that need every dollar for those events they are implementing. Buttermilk event more of a fundraiser for non-profits than revenue based. • CHILDS: Suggestion to reach out to the Tabor in Leadville – they currently are doing masonry work and we could potentially utilize those stoneworkers at the Wheeler. SkiCo major contributor for Buttermilk event, people will let us know when the Wheeler should be involved. • FULLER: Is there a dialogue going on with those organizations? Any discussion of co- producing events? • LESLEY: We are having some conversations, with COVID everything is very nebulous. • BENEDETTI: There is no Wheeler programming planned for the fall? What happened to the film festival? Was there a conversation about taking it virtual? • LESLEY: Correct, no programming. We cancelled all programming through September. We would be better off not doing that virtual festival, the market is very saturated. • CHILDS: Disagree with the saturation of virtual options. Unsure of when live performances will return, should be focused on virtual and streaming possibilities. • FULLER: What about broadcasting and streaming live events from the Wheeler? Possible partnerships with organizations that have content they want to stream? • CHILDS: Industry is currently focused on digital content. Wheeler could be looking into Virtual Wheeler Board Meeting Board Meeting Minutes | Wednesday June 17, 2020 - 3PM Submitted by Julie Gillespie streaming options and what we could put out as the Wheeler brand. • BROWN: Many small – medium organizations are trying to get up to speed with streaming. Creating this content is a specific skillset, the Wheeler team does not have that skillset. Recommend working with other organizations, whether that be in the Wheeler or offsite. If Wheeler staff are currently reassigned, there would not be the support to put out content. • LESLEY: Staff reassignments still in place, will go through September. Once construction is wrapped, staff will be brought back one day per week. • MOUNTJOY: Has the city discussed any ideas of what community events they would like to do? LESLEY: Had a conversation with Theatre Aspen and Aspen Film, many great ideas and we are listening. • Shining Mountains Film Festival  FULLER: Any decision from City Council on SMFF for fall 2020?  LESLEY: Events most likely not occurring at the Wheeler in October. Asked City Council to have festival outside of the Wheeler, City Council declined that option. o City Manager’s Office Update (Diane Foster) • Executive Director Recruitment  Working with HR on a hiring plan. Most aggressive part of the schedule will be August – November (see timeline document for recruitment plan and schedule).  Will be important to have someone when programming starts. • GABIANELLI: Will the community and board be involved in this recruitment process? • FOSTER: Unsure but discussions with partners, board and staff will be an intensive process. Board will have opportunity to meet the finalists and might have a Wheeler board representative involved. o Theatre Projects Update • FOSTER: Issues with the initial report, Theatre Projects team did not provide options, and this was a part of the overall project scope. Report did not offer options, so they were pushed to explain in more detail. We were struggling with the why behind certain statements. Meeting with the Theatre Projects team on Friday to follow up. • FULLER: When will the board be able to review the Theatre Projects draft? Main request from board members is to review this draft report. • FOSTER: Do not know what their timeline is for providing an update. • CHILDS: Is the Theatre Projects team recommending any recruiting options for the Executive Director search? I would recommend reaching out and asking Theatre Projects to help with this. • FOSTER: No, they have not. HR is putting together a list of recruiters. Option to hire someone from the industry to assist, could possibly aid as an advisor. Virtual Wheeler Board Meeting Board Meeting Minutes | Wednesday June 17, 2020 - 3PM Submitted by Julie Gillespie o Board Ordinance & Questions • The Wheeler Board is not a managing board, all boards have different responsibilities. • Jim True available for questions. • FULLER: Any questions? • CHILDS: City Council at one point stated they would allow the mission statement as part of the duties and roles. Is this something that will be finalized in the future? • TRUE: If that is City Council’s desire it can happen. I have not been directed to make any amendments or amend this ordinance. o Future Meeting Schedule Review (Chip Fuller) • July 8 | TBD Regular Meeting, Agenda TBD, Budget Update • August 5 | TBD Regular Meeting, Aspen Mountain Film Festival, Quarterly Financial Update • Board meetings to occur first Wednesday of every month o Meeting Adjourned at 3:55PM by Chip Fuller Motioned by: Chip Fuller Jun-20 Jul-20 Aug-20 Sep-20 Oct-20 Nov-20 Input gathered City Council, Wheeler Advisory Board, Community Arts Organizations & Wheeler staff Screening Discussions with Recruiters Develop & Issue RFP to hire recruiter Hire recruiter Post Job, Candidate Interview & Hiring Post job internall & externally Preliminary review top applicants Screening Interviews via GotoMeeting/WebEx/Teams Live Interviews of Semi-Finalists Final Round of Interviews -Finalist Meet & Greet -Tour of the Wheeler -Housing Tour -Final Interviews Target Start Wheeler Executive Recruitment Draft Timeline v3 updated June 15, 2020 Recruitment Plan Development Wheeler Staffing & Structure Assessement and Integration of Consulting Study Options Update Job Description, Develop Position Profile & Perferred Candidate Traits ("Must Have" vs "Nice to Have") using: Activity Hiring Recruiter Dec-20