Mayor and council at odds over future of arts center
Costs of operation are higher than expected
By Sylvie Belmond belmond@theacorn.com

Part 1 of two

Redevelopment funds paid out to subsidize the High Street Arts Center operations could be put to better use elsewhere, said Mayor Patrick Hunter, who serves on the city's Finance Committee.

The City Council will review the theater operations and related fiscal matters next month.

The city purchased the arts center, formerly known as the Theater on High Street, from Larry Janss in 2005.

After renting the facility to several local organizations, and because the city was unable to lease the facility to a private operator, the City Council, via the Redevelopment Agency, voted 41- with Hunter dissenting- to sponsor the High Street Arts Center to create a cultural venue to attract people to the downtown area.

Officials hired L.J. Stevens in June 2006 to serve as the general manager of the theater. With the support of the Redevelopment Agency, the little theater has featured an eclectic mix of shows that have attracted theater arts enthusiasts to the heart of Moorpark, but attendance hasn't been sufficient to sustain costs.

"City leaders were asked to assume $300,000 in operating debt over three years, meaning that even if the theater loses $99,000 per year it's a success? This doesn't make sense," said Hunter.

As of Dec. 1, 2007 the city has spent $217,000 to cover the shortfall, which is about $50,000 more than originally anticipated. This means the city is paying almost $14,000 per month to sustain the theater, Hunter said.

The deficit has been growing beyond expectations, said Hunter, pointing to a recent Sunday matinee show of "Marley's Ghost" that sold 16 seats in a theater that can hold 270 people. "That's a number that's almost laughable if it weren't painful," he said.

If attendance doesn't improve, the city subsidy could go up to $27,000 per month, he said.

That money is unrestricted redevelopment money that could be used for housing, rehabilitation of substandard housing and other projects in that area, Hunter said. However, the other four council members defend the city honoring its three-year commitment.

"The theater is an anchor for High Street. Having a vibrant center that includes the arts is what redevelopment is all about," said Councilmember Roseann Mikos.

"You can't expect a new venue to be instantly 100 percent successful. The seats can't always be filled. That was never predicted," she said.

"The city should periodically reevaluate the theater operations and where the money is spent. But it's also important to give the theater a chance to succeed without pulling funding right away," said Councilmember Mark Van Dam.

Attendance has fluctuated and it has been low in recent weeks, but this doesn't mean you throw the baby out with the bathwater, said Mayor Pro Tem Janice Parvin.

"Arts are a valuable asset to the community, and it takes a while to develop programs that will attract a large audience," she said.

"We knew it was going to take some time for the theater to gain some traction in the community," said Councilmember Keith Millhouse.

From a fiscal standpoint, the facility can't hemorrhage funds for an unlimited time, so local residents need to come out to support the endeavor. "I'd sure like to see a lot more showing up to the shows," Millhouse said.

If attendance doesn't increase over time, then the mayor's concerns are legitimate because the whole community is subsidizing something that only benefits a few people, Millhouse said.

According to Stevens, the theater was never intended to make a profit.

"Just like soccer fields and other public amenities, the arts center was not put in place to make money," said Stevens, who hopes that the theater will support its own productions.

In addition to providing cultural enrichment for local residents and bringing people downtown, the theater will attract new businesses to produce a synergy on High Street, she said.

Theater art centers need time before they can thrive. It took a decade before the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center was able to recoup production costs with ticket sales, she said.

Severyn Aszkenazy, a developer who plans to build a retail and office center south of High Street, agreed. "The theater is very unique. It's one of those treasures that help to define High Street as a special place," he said.

Whether it's supported by the city or a private entity, the venue must be preserved to reinforce the revitalization and character of the downtown area, Aszkenazy said.

"The mayor is not a theatergoer himself, so he doesn't see the arts as a major component of the services in the community," said Clint Harper, chair of the Moorpark Arts Commission. The city provides support for team sports enthusiasts, and it should serve groups who enjoy the arts as well, he said.

This weekend, the theater sold 235 tickets for three presentations of "Marley's Ghost." At this point last year there were 504 people who came to see "Christmas Carol," and in contrast 774 people in total came to see "Marley's Ghost" thus far, said Stevens.

About 160 people also attended the High Street Broadcast, a free monthly golden-age radio event that includes sketch comedy performed as a live 1940s radio show. Stevens created the broadcast to help introduce new theatergoers to the local venue.

"While it's true that the theater is running in the red because not enough people are coming to see the shows, the theater manager has done a superb job," Harper said.

However, Hunter maintained that the city should not continue to sponsor the theater at the expense of local families who are trying to make ends meet.

Although it made a commitment to the theater, the Redevelopment Agency should not continue down the path blindly while people live in substandard housing, wear substandard clothing and miss meals, he said.

"I'm absolutely astonished at the philosophy that we have to continue with a losing commitment that costs tax payers an enormous amount of money. Where is the commitment to be good stewards with the public's money?" Hunter concluded.

Part 2 of this story will highlight Steven's point of view about productions featured at the theater and discuss issues concerning the need for a nonprofit foundation to help sustain the High Street Arts Center.