Live blogging, part 4, 7 hours and still going . . .
OK, should be back around 12:30. Or . . . 12:45.
Roll Call: All present except Judy Compton, excused. Pham-Remmele excused.
People questioned it. Clear says she asked to be excused. Cnare said she had a root canal, give her a break.
Schumacher asks Joe Sensenbrenner about the transition and the implications of going for the transitional phase.
Former Mayor Joe says that has flow implications, they’ve always been fundraising $1M per year, that needs to double or more. He asks about annual need to raise substantial money now, not in two years. Who in the community will give $250K or half million or more without a board and employees who won’t have a study job and without a clear and consistent mission. All of that will be under study. Beside who will populate the board of directors, new governor, may be different. If any of you advising a very rich uncle or aunt, interested in symphony, orchestra, etc and you were going to talk to them about the Overture in the next 12 months, while plan 3 is being pursued, what questions would you get and how would you answer it. The 3rd option is fatally compromising the financial viability. If they give to Wilmar Center, they expect things to happen and if no board an other issues, they would give it to Goodman. The confidence people have and dollars they give would be compromised.
Schumacher asks Carto about the financial implications. What are the implications on operations and implications for city.
Carto says that current budget, 2011 budget developed with additional fundrasing in it, an additional $500K, in the transition fundraising plan. It was assumed debt off table and could raise the to make ends meet. Stressed staff, over time, working on a shoe string budget the plan was that we could repopulate the staff to run a world class center. There are other issues. This is the most important period for annual fundraising. We are ready to print letters for end of the year appeal, we can go to donors and lapsed donors, if we can’t do that, it will be a real challenge. Already getting questions from promoters, broadway partner, etc, they are investing millions in shows to Madison, we doubled our subscribers in 2 years. There are blockbusters in the pipeline, but the agents and promoters won’t do business with us in flux. We have 12 or 14 weddings booked, brides are calling to ask if they should ask for different space. He wants closure so they can do the fundraising. We think donors are waiting. We have evidence that they will.
Schumacher says frustrated about deadline, never believe the banks will shut us down and it will go dark, thought it was a poker game and they were bluffing. But I”m hearing another deadline, we all think if more time we can come up with better solutions, but if we delay half a year, there are costs in booking and fundraising. Forget about the bank. Can you estimate for us.
Carto says half million more just to shore up budget, not sure if they are willing to help with transition. The debt is one thing, that is a huge cloud and has hampered everything in last 2 years. If no clear picture, we will be under great financil stress. 201 can’t handle it, if another source of income to supplant that, perhaps we could do that. That won’t solve operation problem with vendors.
Schumacher says if don’t get the money and we do transition, what does that mean.
Carto says can’t borrow, even short term, an’t fundraise, lay off people, shore up budget, cut programs. He says if not money to fund operations.
Schumacher asks if ask city for more money?
Carto says that would be up to the board.
Clear asks Kerr if she wants to make a motion. She declidnes.
Maniaci says “alright” what would you like us to do this evening.
Sensenbrenner says you need rest to make good decisions, schedule a special meeting, could get more material. Helpful to do a straw vote. People have been keeping their vote close to the vest, that would be one of the best outcomes. He would hope the group would develop a process to find highest priorities, if they want employees in union. There was a plan in June, Bugher group approved it. If you feel owning it is too risky, even tho you had a study and a further review, al of which found the original plans, they found nothing lurking, no surprises. There is a plan, its expensive, but there is a plan. There are two alternatives looked at and vetted. If do plan A, what do we need to know. If option 2, here is what we need to know. But third plan won’t work. People have said this is not a real deadline, we’re being falsely rushed. He thinks opportunities might have been missed. Doesn’t want to risk operational issues and push bank.
Maniaci asks Undercoffler we’re about to start discussion, what is your take away after all you have heard and seen this evening.
Professor says there are three things driving people, if 201 State or private entity is included, they have to be transparent and inclusive. Second is public employees, workers cannot be penalized by any model, there has to be a hybrid solution, not ideal, but could not the employees in local 60 who turn 211 can’t they be offered the equivalent of what they would have with WRS. Need to treat them fairly and then city financial liability. If owned it, is there a way to limit potential. Even tho there has been two studies, still concern that could be an open wound. He thinks they could be in one model. He thinks the model, model one if take public authority and adopt recommendations in his report, you might have something.
Maniaci asks about concrete, aspirational, etc performance standards are in the report.
Professor says he didn’t do aspirational but that was a good add.
Clear asks if Kerr has a motion . . . adjourn and reconvene as committee of whole later this week. Seconded. Kerr says to change that to recess. 1:07 am.
Kerr says she has never been more embarrassed of us than I have tonight, I’m at my wits end, its 1am, its a huge and important decision, multiple options, what seems to move us forward is to have discussion among ourselves. That is why if we have a discussion around a table in a committee as a whole, we could see what has traction. 4 models and 21 amendments. We should not be making these decisions in the middle of the night. This is not accountability, if you think people up there watching you and evaluating your performance as an alder I don’t know what you are thinking, they are asleep.
Maniaci speaks against it, wants to go til two, wants to hear from alders, we have to start discussion tonight, don’t want to vote tonight, supports committee of the whole, but I”m sorry, I can’t support the motion, we have to keep doing our job, everyone knew this would be a late meeting. There are councils that meet in the middle of the day. We have to start, we have to push through.
Schmidt, I appreciate where Kerr coming from and spirit but not vote for it right now, but in a little while.
Clear substitute, committee of the whole now. Seconded by Kerr.
Alders ask for explanation.
Michael May says that advantage is that less formal, can ask people where they are without taking formal votes, committee of the whole has to make a recommendation to council that reconvenes.
Mayor says he means to recess and committee as committee as a whole.
Bruer asks Clear what you are thinking, go on for an hour or two, until decide, put a time limit or just get will of body.
Clear says that its the later, to get a sense of where we are and how long we would continue is up to the will of the body. Having a sense of where we are as a body would be helpful.
Palm has comment on initial motion.
Rhodes-Conway ways that preferred the former motion. Agnostic on current. If we do recess, she would try to consolidate the amendments, there doesn’t need to be 21, she would try to condense them so soemthing better to discuss. She thinks that agrees with alder Kerr, we are not prepared to have the discussion and it wouldn’t be productive without more work on what we are voting on. She thinks the amendments should be more logical. But she understands desire to have a sense of the body, if that is all they are going to do she would agree to that.
Skidmore wants to keep going, has a day job, can’t meet later in the week.
Motion to convene immediately as committee as whole, passes unanimously.
