Arts Center could receive Hotel taxes
By Joey Berlin
Originally published 01:50 p.m., February 14, 2008
Updated 01:50 p.m., February 14, 2008
The Emporia Convention & Visitors Bureau is set to pledge $20,000 to the Emporia Arts Council’s effort to secure a bigger, better facility next to the Granada Theatre.
At the city commission work session Wednesday, the commission responded favorably to the CVB’s recommendation to contribute hotel taxes to the Arts @ the Council campaign. The contribution would come in $4,000 increments each year for a period of five years. The city planned to put the contribution move on the agenda for its next action meeting.
The Arts @ the Council Campaign has been focused on raising $2.6 million, most of which would go toward buying, reconstructing and refurnishing the buildings immediately north of the Granada. The new Arts Council building and the renovated Granada would coordinate events between each other.
“I think the project provides a lot of synergy between the Arts Council building and the Granada Theatre, and I can see a lot of dual uses,” Commissioner Jeff Longbine said. “One of the things that excited me about the project was the fact that there is an opening between the two buildings, and it can be a shared facility.”
The Arts Council has raised more than $1.8 million of the $2.6 million goal thus far. It is trying to reach a March 1 deadline to meet the $2.2 million requirement for a $330,000 challenge grant from the Mabee Foundation of Tulsa, Okla.
Arts Council Director Melissa Windsor said the council is looking at completing the entire campaign by the end of July and hopes to see construction on the new center begin in the fall.
In other activity Wednesday, commissioners:
F Discussed the language of a proposed ordinance that would permit a planned shooting range on the west side of town.
F Expressed approval of a proposed new city logo created by the Building Futures campaign committee. The logo features the city’s name in bold capital letters with a shooting star running above the name, a tie-in to the state of Kansas logo. Any organization that wishes would be able to use the new logo subject to copyright rules.
F Examined proposals for a new city health insurance plan from American Sterling, which is the city’s current provider of self-funded insurance, as well as Coventry Health Care and Blue Cross Blue Shield. The commission asked Personnel Specialist Dorothy Shipman to receive cost prices for three tiers of coverage from both American Sterling and Blue Cross.
F Listened to a presentation from City Engineer Keith Beatty on Emporia’s water rights. Beatty told the commission that Emporia needed to come up with a new water-conservation plan.
F Listened to City Manager Matt Zimmerman’s update on city activities, including the latest on the response to the Tyson layoffs. Zimmerman said that as of Tuesday, 61 employers were signed up for space at Saturday’s Job/Community Fair, and the city is hoping the event will end up with 70. Eighteen of the 61 employers are from Emporia. Zimmerman also talked about the city’s effort to set up a “one-stop shop” intake center for all persons affected by the Tyson cutbacks. He said the city’s goal was to have some details on the intake center worked out by March 1.