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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes.WHLR.20230412.Regular1 Wheeler Advisory Board Meeting Minutes April 12, 2023, | 3:00 p.m. In Attendance: Wheeler Opera House Advisory Board Members: Chip Fuller, Chair; Amy Mountjoy, Vice-Chair; Daniel Benavent; Nina Gabianelli; Richard Stettner*; Ziska Childs; Jennifer White (ex-officio, MAA); and Lauren Foreman (alternate) * Attended via Zoom Wheeler Opera House/City of Aspen Staff: Lisa Rigsby Peterson, Executive Director; Alixandra Feeley, Business Manager; and Karen McConnell, Administrative & Artistic Specialist. Absent: Dr. Tom Kurt, Secretary Meeting Recorder: Karen McConnell ________________________________________________________________________ Chair, Chip Fuller, called the meeting to order at 3:02 p.m. Public Comment Chair Fuller requested public comment. None was offered. Chair Fuller mentioned that March minutes had been presented to the Board and there were no edits. Nina Gabianelli moved to approve minutes from the March 8, 2023 board meeting minutes, Daniel Benavent seconded, and Board members unanimously approved adoption of same. Wheeler Updates, Lisa Rigsby Peterson Ms. Rigsby Peterson shared the following updates with the board: Wheeler staff met recently with Community Development about the upcoming change in the City’s lighting code. If approved, there may be an opportunity to explore exterior lighting for the building with Historic Preservation Commission approval. We expect Council to hear about the proposed changes in late May or early June. There are a number of 2023 and 2024 capital project updates, beginning with the Qsys system which coordinates the audio visual system for the building. Staff is examining bids and we will award the recipient within the next two weeks. Preliminary work will begin in May. September will mark the time period for completion of this project. The rigging project will be pushed to 2024 with fall timing preferred due to scheduled programming in the spring of 2024 and celebration of the Wheeler grand reopening and the festival in the summer. As 2 a reminder, the theatre will need to be closed for 12 – 16 weeks to complete the project. Additionally, the sound system replacement will move into 2024. Furniture replacements are under consideration to accommodate patrons with mobility issues and to increase seating capacity in the bar lobby. Accessibility initiatives are key in our 2024 capital budget planning, including the possibility of a captioning system. Replacement of companion seating for those in wheelchairs is also under consideration. There are also safety and potential backstage accessibility possibilities. At the May board meeting, Ms. Rigsby Peterson would like to invite the board into the theatre to examine and consider these prospects. Wheeler financials were emailed to board members. Ms. Rigsby Peterson invited questions or comments and noted that currently the Red Brick financials are combined with the Wheeler. Alix Feeley, our business manager, is creating separate reports specific to the Wheeler financials. After April 20th, and on or about the 20th of each upcoming month, board members will receive current financial statements generated by Alix. An agreement with Escobar to run the Wheeler bar operations was finalized and will go before Council later this month for their approval. Expect about a 4-month period until Escobar is added to the Wheeler liquor license, at which time they will fully take over the bar operations. Ms. Rigsby Peterson shared that Aspen Public House, as allowed by their contract, will close for (2) weeks beginning Monday, April 17th for refurbishing and refinishing their bar area including minor capital improvements such as furniture and lighting. Bill Johnson, owner, was intentional about planning this temporary closure after the mountain closed. The Board’s recommendation regarding Valley Fine Arts lease expiration later this year was presented to City leadership last month. After a great deal of discussion, the recommendation is to go to a public Request For Proposals process for this tenant space to provide a fair and open process. If the Council chooses to go to RFP, it is likely that the RFP could be issued by end of May with a final decision by late summer. The current lease expires November 30th. Ms. Rigsby Peterson reminded the board that the Wheeler staff is focused on volunteer engagement and safety training, including on actions to take in the event of an active harmer. Leadership provided by Alex Glen and Ashley Massow, our house managers, was praised for renewed emphasis on recruitment, volunteer appreciation and safety training. Approximately 35 to 40 ushers attended a recent meeting and discussed vision, philosophy, customer service and manners in which we treat those who arrive in our building. At the recent active harmer training, two members of the Aspen Police Department provided information in the form of an instructional training video and then discussed important principles. The video was a simulation which focused on three words we all should remember in an incident such as this: RUN – HIDE – FIGHT! There will be upcoming evacuation and active harmer drills at the Wheeler, including one (1) full drill per year and re-emphasis of the safety plan bi-monthly for staff members. Board members will be notified of the drills and invited to attend. Ms. Rigsby Peterson shared a great deal of information about live streaming in response to an inquiry by Dr. Tom Kurt. Both in consultation with the Aspen Music Festival Staff, as well as based on her previous experience in the area, she shared that live streaming requires a large investment in equipment and training, as well as the securing of rights and payment of royalties. There are also additional considerations which make this a complicated undertaking. Live streaming was important during the pandemic for a variety of reasons, but even for organizations that did so, the number of viewers was typically very small. Jen White of the Music Festival shared that the practice was 3 important for her organization for a handful of reasons, but that their viewership was also fairly limited. Ms. Rigsby Peterson noted that especially with the new Wheeler vision, our focus has been and will continue to be on the live experience between artists and audience members in the theatre itself. Ms. Rigsby Peterson reminded the Board that the Wheeler is part of the city’s “North Star Program” which helps identify strategic focus areas, called a Compass Plan. The Wheeler’s Compass Plan has four goals, the first of which is called: “Welcome all to the Wheeler” which supports our diversity, equity, including and accessibility (DEIA) efforts. This goal also encompasses capital projects highlighted earlier in this meeting around accessibility initiatives. As an update to the need for replacing the failing Wheeler boilers, which were last replaced in 2007, Ms. Rigsby Peterson shared that after meeting with city Asset and Utilities departments, the cost for creation of the infrastructure for electric boilers would be substantial, and the departments do not have time in 2023 to add a project of this scope. Because one of the boilers no longer functions and a second boiler is undergoing frequent repair, we cannot wait to move ahead with this project. We are sourcing the highest efficiency boilers available for the replacements. Finally, Ms. Rigsby Peterson provided a season update. Bone Hill next Friday is the final show of the season, and will be preceded by an outreach program earlier in the day at Aspen Country Day School. An Italian company, Compagnia TPO, which produces interactive work for Pre-K through 4th or 5th graders, will visit Aspen in early May for both a school outreach program at Glenwood’s Riverfront School, as well as to research the Aspen area. We’ve commissioned re-adaptation of one of their works to feature the topography and feeling of Aspen and the Roaring Fork Valley. Part of this re- adaptation may include the photography of John Fielder, famed Colorado photographer, who has donated virtually all his vast body of Colorado photo captures to History Colorado. Some of his work features Maroon Bells and the Snowmass Wilderness In the upcoming season, we are also looking at more student engagement possibilities. One example is a young Canadian hip hop artist who has created biographies of contemporary heroes and heroines such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Malala Yousafazi and Muhammed Ali in which he performs inspirational (5-6 minute) hip hop live with a video of the subjects behind him. Chair Fuller asked if there were any surprises regarding ticket sales over the past year. Ms. Rigsby Peterson said that while it was disappointing that sales for “Our Song, Our Story” were low, everyone attending absolutely loved the performance, and this is also our hope with upcoming Bone Hill. Bringing in new programming like this takes time to build an audience. Ms. White shared that The Music Festival has a packed summer of programming ahead and excitement was expressed for the collaboration between the Wheeler and Music Festival. Board Discussion - Chair Fuller asked if there were any other topics to be discussed by the Board. None was offered. Amy Mountjoy moved to adjourn the meeting, Ziska Child seconded the motion and Board members unanimously approved. The meeting concluded at 3:54 p.m. Future Meetings Schedule May 10, 2023, 3:00 p.m. June 14, 2023, 3:00 p.m. July 12, 2023, 3:00 p.m.