Kinda Dismal Overture Update

July 19, 2011 6:28 pm

So, how are they doing on their commitments in the structural agreement? Doesn’t seem like its going so well if you ask me . . . very slow . . . kinda dismal, actually. Are they serious about this? This report sure doesn’t make it seem like it. Maybe it is just me, but this is not inspiring me.

Structural Agreement – Status Report Checklist

The structural agreement by and between the City of Madison and 201 State Foundation, Inc. dated
12/31/2010 called for a number of conditions to be met by 201 State/Overture Center Foundation. As of
July 12, 2011:

Article I, 7 Bylaws and Meetings. 201 State shall post on its website the time and location of its Board and
Committee meetings.

Board agendas are posted at http://www.overturecenter.com/contribute/overture-centerfoundation

Article I, 8. Community Advisory Board. 201 State will establish a Community Advisory Board broadly
representing the community in terms of culture, ethnicity, geography, age and socio-economic level.
In process. OCF submitted names of possible appointees to the Mayor’s Office on May 10.

Article I, 9. Resident Advisory Board. 201 will maintain its Resident Company Advisory Board.
The Resident Advisory Board’s next meeting is scheduled for July 26, 2011.

Article I, 11. Facility Status. 201 State will develop an initial capital maintenance plan using [the Statz and
Mortensen reports] as a baseline.
The OCF Operations Committee is working on a capital budget and plan.

Article I, 12.A. Staffing and Related Contracts. 201 State will negotiate the terms and provisions for any
CBA directly with the related union or unions.
Negotiations with AFSCME and IATSE locals are in process

Article I, 12.E. Employment Offers. 201 will make an offer of employment to all permanent employees as
of September 1, 2011.
In process.

Article I, 12.F. Job offers. 201 State will prepare job descriptions and establish initial terms and conditions of
employment…no later than March 1, 2011. No later than July 1, 2011, 201 State shall make job offers to
permanent City employees at Overture. The benefit package to be offered…shall include substantially
similar categories of benefits.
Preliminary terms of employment (benefit categories) were communicated by March 1, 2011. Prior to July 1 written offers of employment were made to all permanent City employees at Overture. These offers contained a final job description and a summary of the leave and benefit packages. The benefit package includes the same categories that City employees currently have.
(Offers of employment for represented staff included language indicating that the offers could by adjusted by the collective bargaining process.)

Article I, 12.I and J. Bargaining. 201 State will seek to complete bargaining [with IATSE and AFSCME] by
April 1, 2011.
Negotiations with AFSCME and IATSE locals are in process. Scheduling difficulties have delayed bargaining sessions but completion is anticipated soon.

Article I, 16. Accounting. Upon 201 State undertaking operation on January 1, 2012, a final accounting and
settlement of liabilities between the City and MCAD shall be made.
To be done.

Article I, 17. Financial Reporting. An annual financial audit will be provided to the City no later than 90
days after the end of 201 State’s fiscal year.
To be done.

Article I, 19. Insurance. 201 State will provide the City with evidence of insurance pursuant to the usual
terms for grant recipients.
To be done.

Article II, 1. Annual Performance Contract. 201 State will apply for a grant on or before August 1, 2011.
The City and 201 State shall meet to negotiate and finalize the terms of the Annual Performance Contract
on or before March 1. 2011.
The annual performance contract is making its way through the City approval system. The grant application is being written.

The proposed Annual Performance Contract also references requirements to complete Strategic Planning and a Fundraising Plan by October 15, 2011.

Article I, 2 (a). OCF will develop and revise a strategic plan. The initial strategic plan will be drafted on or
before October 15, 2011.
Overture is conducting a short-term strategic plan (for the next 18 months) with planned input from the Resident Organizations, staff, Board members, customers, donors, and the community.

Initial sessions with the Resident Organizations have occurred including providing feedback on their suggestions. A more in-depth visioning and planning exercise will be conducted once the CEO search has been completed.

Article I, 2(f) An initial plan for fundraising shall be developed on or before October 15, 2011.
In progress.

Article I, 2(h) OCF will prepare an initial plan for institutional marketing on or before October 15, 2011.
In progress.

Brenda — I have to say I don’t share your pessimism. First of all, the top priority for Overture has been taking care of employees. Putting together a benefit package and getting official job offers to people before July 1 was front burner. And we did that with a couple weeks to spare, actually.

To respond specifically to the points you’ve colored red:

Community Advisory Board. In process. I don’t see a deadline there. We submitted names on May 10, which seems reasonable. That ball’s in the mayor’s court.

Two points on union negotiations. This has been a tough one. First of all, it says we will SEEK to complete negotiations by April 1, which we all did seek to do. But Walker and friends really caused a bit of a distraction for the Unions. And sometimes it’s just hard to get the a relatively large number of the right people in the same room at the same time. The unions and the City have been very understanding about this and CBAs are very, very close to completion.

The accounting thing clearly says UPON TAKING OVER OPERATION ON JANUARY 1, 2012…. which is still a ways off, right?

Annual performance contract is, once again, in the City’s hands.

This stuff is not easy. We’re working on taking care of employees, making sure they get their accumulated sick leave paid out, making sure we can offer a decent benefit package. We’re working on basically starting up a whole new business from the IT perspective. And we’re getting a new board up to speed, fundraising our butts off, putting together another really successful season, hosting one or two weddings every weekend, all with only about 37 full time staff. All in all, I think that looks pretty good.

1 COMMENT

Rob Chappell July 20, 2011 6:42 am At 6:42 AM

Brenda — I have to say I don’t share your pessimism. First of all, the top priority for Overture has been taking care of employees. Putting together a benefit package and getting official job offers to people before July 1 was front burner. And we did that with a couple weeks to spare, actually.

To respond specifically to the points you’ve colored red:

Community Advisory Board. In process. I don’t see a deadline there. We submitted names on May 10, which seems reasonable. That ball’s in the mayor’s court.

Two points on union negotiations. This has been a tough one. First of all, it says we will SEEK to complete negotiations by April 1, which we all did seek to do. But Walker and friends really caused a bit of a distraction for the Unions. And sometimes it’s just hard to get the a relatively large number of the right people in the same room at the same time. The unions and the City have been very understanding about this and CBAs are very, very close to completion.

The accounting thing clearly says UPON TAKING OVER OPERATION ON JANUARY 1, 2012…. which is still a ways off, right?

Annual performance contract is, once again, in the City’s hands.

This stuff is not easy. We’re working on taking care of employees, making sure they get their accumulated sick leave paid out, making sure we can offer a decent benefit package. We’re working on basically starting up a whole new business from the IT perspective. And we’re getting a new board up to speed, fundraising our butts off, putting together another really successful season, hosting one or two weddings every weekend, all with only about 37 full time staff. All in all, I think that looks pretty good.