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Dear Sedona Times: As Sedona residents and /or Sedona parents, we should be concerned that a rift seems to be developing between the Sedona School Board and Sedona City Council concerning the Sedona Red Rock Performing Arts Center. This developing situation is not in the best interest for our students or community and should be reconciled as soon as possible. We must have a cohesive community.
The headline article in last Friday’s Sedona Red Rock News referenced the school superintendant asking the city council for $25,000 to help fund the operation of the performing arts center. The city council showed reservations of funding the center’s operations due to the fact that the school board has no operational plan for this facility. This concern is not unique to the city council. A number of parents and school groups have expressed the same concern of “NO PLAN” by the school board for over a year, without any positive response.
Prior to the school board asking the community to invest $12 million into a performing arts center in the school bond, there should have been a comprehensive written plan specifying how the school board and city agreed to work together on this project. The school board should have already had an oversight committee of school staff, students, and residents in place to oversee the planning, construction, and operation of this facility long ago.
At the city council meeting, council members asked the superintendant to return with a facility operational plan so they could discuss funding. In response to the council’s actions, the president of the school board recommended to the superintendant to “only open the facility for use by our students until we have all funding issues resolved to the full satisfaction of the governing board”. There still is no mention of an operational plan, thus leaving this facility to become just an expensive auditorium for the high school.
The school board cannot expect this facility to operate to its fullest potential, with or without city funding, for our students and community without a plan developed by an oversight committee comprised of qualified members. Our community has residents and school staff with tremendous knowledge, experience, and the ability to oversee the operations of this facility, who would be glad to participate.
Two issues concerning “poor communication” and “lack of planning” are listed on my website, www.RichardsonForBoard.com. This issue is a prime example of both. An oversight committee needs to be in place and running, well before the next school board election in November.
Zach Richardson
 Sedona Red Rock High School |
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As I wrote to the Sedona Red Rock News, I recommend the following solution to the Red Rock Performing Arts conundrum:
Initially, what the school needs is to become a “turnkey” operation. That is, the School District needs to lease the space to a non-profit organization for a minimum of two years or longer at $1/year.
The non-profit that leases the facility should be required to submit quarterly accounting reports to the School District for its review. In turn, the non-profit will be responsible for hiring all personnel required to operate and manage a 750-seatfacility; including a Director, Box Office Manager, and Technical Director at the barest of all minimums. Bookings are the responsibility of the Director.
How do I know this? I was office manager for a 1900-seatturnkey concert hall in Providence, Rhode Island for five years. I worked for the non-profit who leased the facility from the State of Rhode Island for $1/year.
Sedona has many non-profits that already exist. Certainly there must be at least one with the members who have theatrical experience and who have come forth in the past noting the need for such a venue who could undertake such a venture.