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Council leans against renting stage
By Blaine Crimmins, bcrimmins@starlocalnews.com
The city's Park and Recreation Department purchased a mobile stage in 2008 for use at various city or city sponsored events. In the years since, the city has received requests from private residents and organizations interested in renting the stage.
During a council work session last week, City Manager Troy Powell said that renting the stage was discussed when it was first purchased but that it only had been used at city functions thus far.
"Is that a business we're interested in getting in? If not, we're happy with the use of the stage as we have it now," he said. "The advantage of getting into that is any revenue that we could put into a fund to replace the stage as it gets older. I don't think there would be enough to totally replace the stage because I don't think it would be used that often. The downside to getting into that is obviously that we're obligating staff ... to go out set up the stage and bring it back when it's done."
Council member Allen Harris wasn't opposed to the notion so long as the city could afford the overtime hours for city staff and related insurance costs.
"I don't like to see things just sit idle. I wouldn't mind allowing that," he said. "I don't want to make it a big revenue source but make sure all our costs are covered."
Council member Richard Boyer agreed. "I think people will look into this so seldomly that it's not going to be that big of a deal. If it's a resource that can generate a little money instead of just sitting idle, rusting, then I think that's fine," he said.
Council member Jeff Connelly, however, suggested that renting the stage would put the city in competition with businesses that provide stage-rental services.
"I don't think this is a core service of the city," he said. "I don't think we ought to be … putting our stage out there to incur possibly more wear and tear on it than what needs to be. It's great for the events that we have. ... I just don't see a need for us to be out there competing with the private sector."
Council member Perry Schrag echoed Connelly's comments.
"We're not in the business of renting stages. I do show production, I don't rent stages but I'd be a little aggravated if the city was in competition with me," he said. "The city bought the stage for city functions and that's what we should use it for."
City Attorney Jeff Moore said that any fee associated with renting the stage would need to be defined as a recouping of costs, not a generation of revenue. Equal use of the stage would also need to be offered, or a strict definition of who could use it determined (especially since it bears the city logo), such as non-profit groups.
No formal vote was taken since the item was discussed during the work session and pulled from the regular council agenda by Powell.
During a council work session last week, City Manager Troy Powell said that renting the stage was discussed when it was first purchased but that it only had been used at city functions thus far.
"Is that a business we're interested in getting in? If not, we're happy with the use of the stage as we have it now," he said. "The advantage of getting into that is any revenue that we could put into a fund to replace the stage as it gets older. I don't think there would be enough to totally replace the stage because I don't think it would be used that often. The downside to getting into that is obviously that we're obligating staff ... to go out set up the stage and bring it back when it's done."
Council member Allen Harris wasn't opposed to the notion so long as the city could afford the overtime hours for city staff and related insurance costs.
"I don't like to see things just sit idle. I wouldn't mind allowing that," he said. "I don't want to make it a big revenue source but make sure all our costs are covered."
Council member Richard Boyer agreed. "I think people will look into this so seldomly that it's not going to be that big of a deal. If it's a resource that can generate a little money instead of just sitting idle, rusting, then I think that's fine," he said.
Council member Jeff Connelly, however, suggested that renting the stage would put the city in competition with businesses that provide stage-rental services.
"I don't think this is a core service of the city," he said. "I don't think we ought to be … putting our stage out there to incur possibly more wear and tear on it than what needs to be. It's great for the events that we have. ... I just don't see a need for us to be out there competing with the private sector."
Council member Perry Schrag echoed Connelly's comments.
"We're not in the business of renting stages. I do show production, I don't rent stages but I'd be a little aggravated if the city was in competition with me," he said. "The city bought the stage for city functions and that's what we should use it for."
City Attorney Jeff Moore said that any fee associated with renting the stage would need to be defined as a recouping of costs, not a generation of revenue. Equal use of the stage would also need to be offered, or a strict definition of who could use it determined (especially since it bears the city logo), such as non-profit groups.
No formal vote was taken since the item was discussed during the work session and pulled from the regular council agenda by Powell.
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