Carefree Truth

Issue #347, October 20, 2014

 

 

 

Mayor Schwan announced that the purpose of the forum was to bring everyone together to hear the same information simultaneously, and to share some facts.  He wanted to take what he saw as some negative actions in the community and turn them into something positive, so all could move forward together for the benefit of Carefree.  The Mayor established by a show of hands that the large audience supported the Ed Lewis Project and the establishment of a cultural attraction.  He agreed with these goals, saying he wants to see the Ed Lewis Project succeed and wants to bring in one or more cultural amenities.  

 

 

 

Gary Neiss presented an update on the current status of the negotiations between Ed Lewis' Butte Properties and the Town.   A slide with the existing 2014 timeline can be viewed on the video starting at 1:54.  Mr. Neiss and Town Attorney Mike Wright reviewed the draft of the development agreement submitted by Butte, after which it was reviewed by the Council.

Comments from the Town were passed on to Mr. Lewis during a meeting with his staff.  The Town is awaiting a response.

 

 

 

Gary Hayward requested the "sticking points", asking what Mr. Lewis wanted that the Town was unwilling to grant.  Mr. Neiss said there was some agreement and the negotiations are now in "waiting mode".  The Mayor added that it is inappropriate to publicly discuss ongoing negotiations.  Phil Corso asked if the issues were zoning related and was told they were not.

 

 

 

Mayor Schwan reported that meetings were held with the Phoenix Art Museum, the Heard Museum, the ASU Museum, and the Foothills Community Foundation (FCF)/Desert Foothills Theater (DFT).  All agreed on 3 fundamental principles.  1. They cannot lose money.  They must at least break even.  2. They must be here for an extended period, so must be sustainable.  3. The Town cannot donate to the yearly operating expenses.  Carefree can only contribute to the capital investment in a facility.  All require substantial donations from established community donor groups.

 

 

 

Vice Mayor Les Peterson reported that there was a meeting in the spring with the Phoenix Art Museum and the Heard Museum heads, the Town, and potential donors.  Both museums wanted an endowment in the range of $20 million. To give perspective, their endowments in Phoenix are in the range of $6 million.  In addition, they required the Town to underwrite any potential annual operating losses, which Carefree is unable and unwilling to do. 

 

 

 

Next, Mr. Lewis approached the ASU Museum.  Concurrently, DFT approached the Town of Carefree.  The Town pursued both avenues.  There were 3 preliminary meetings with ASU, which the Vice Mayor felt were positive.  ASU offered to bring up a professor who worked on the Mars Rover project for a lecture, as an example of what they could offer.  Carefree required a sustainable business plan and more frequent activity.  ASU asked what Carefree wants in terms of activity, and were told the Town wants a satellite facility that includes varying and broadly appealing subject matters, with steady year 'round activity including youth oriented summer programs. These activities should take place 6-7 days a week and on some evenings.  If a sustainable business plan were presented, Carefree would share in the building costs of a facility, the balance of which would be supplied by the occupant through fundraising efforts.  The occupant must generate the annual operating expenses. 

 

 

 

The Town is prepared to move forward on this project with one or both occupants, meeting the established criteria.  They discussed the scope of ASU's interest, asking if ASU wanted to be the sole occupant of a facility, or if they wanted to participate in a collective venture with FCF/DFT, and potentially the Heard Museum.  The Vice Mayor told ASU that the Town needed input, and was very interested in moving forward. 

 

 

 

ASU said their understanding had been that they would get a free facility in which they could put on occasional lectures or performances.  Under the circumstances, they would have a considerable amount of work to do.  ASU has no money to put towards this project, and it is not in concert with their Strategic Plan.  Outlying areas with ASU satellites have classrooms, and the cities and towns hosting those satellites fund the facilities and contribute to the annual operating costs. There is no counterpart for a museum. 

 

 

 

If they were to come to Carefree, they must change the Strategic Plan.  ASU is precluded from investing money in locations other than their main campus in Tempe.  In order to change the Strategic Plan, they must get approval from the Department Heads of each College and ultimately from the President of ASU.  That process would take 2 to 2-1/2 years, after which they would turn to the ASU endowment group to run fundraising efforts. ASU would require the money in hand before signing a contract, and the Town would require a contract before beginning construction.  Construction would take 12-18 months.  Using the best case scenario, the Vice Mayor estimated it would take 5-6 years for ASU to come into downtown Carefree.  

 

 

 

They next asked if ASU would be willing to be a component of a facility that would include DFT, which could also help generate local awareness of what ASU has to offer, and they could begin fundraising.  If it looked feasible, the Town could consider funding a separate ASU facility in the future. ASU confirmed they would like to operate in concert with DFT at this juncture. 

 

 

 

The objective is to get projects going ASAP.  It was felt that the plan being discussed with ASU is very viable, but ASU can't authorize anything at this time.  Getting ASU into Carefree will involve the required process on ASU's end.                        

 

http://vimeo.com/user18676056/review/108701840/225a388361

 

 

Lyn Hitchon

 

 

 

Prepared by Carefree Truth

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