Title
Approval of Amendments to the Operating Agreement with the Washington Center for the Performing Arts, Incorporated (WCPA)
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a committee.
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to approve recommended changes to the Operating Agreement between the City of Olympia and the WCPA. City staff and Councilmember liaison to the Washington Center Jeannine Roe, have met with WCPA staff and Board members concerning these changes. All recommend the changes as proposed.
Report
Issue:
Whether to approve the recommended changes to the Operating Agreement between for the WCPA.
Staff Contact:
Steve Hall, City Manager (360) 753-8730
Jane Kirkemo, Administrative Services Manager (360) 753-8499
Presenter(s):
Steve Hall, City Manager
Background and Analysis:
The City of Olympia owns the Washington Center for the Performing Arts. The City has had an agreement for the past 30 years with the (WCPA), a nonprofit organization to operate and market the facility.
The current operating agreement expires in December 2017. Staff had intended to make minor modifications and amendments in 2016 to clarify the relationship of the parties. Those relate to items of housekeeping, clarity of maintenance responsibilities and the list of hotels for which WCPA receives lodging proceeds.
However, recently WCPA and City staff learning that in order to qualify for State Building for the Arts (BFA) grants, the State is requiring that WCPA have at least a fifteen year lease with the City to operate the Center. This is different than the information we received from the State Department of Commerce in January of this year related to grant eligibility.
The WCPA is currently in the process of applying for BFA grants in 2016 and 2018 to enhance the Center. Without an extended lease with the City, we are told that the WCPA would be ineligible for BFA grants.
Therefore City staff and Liaison Roe, as well a...
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