07 Desk Item - Contract Negotiations for Music in the Park Coordinator
MEETING DATE: 3/2/09 ITEM NO: 7 DESK ITEM COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT DATE: March 2, 2009 TO: MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL FROM: GREG LARSON, TOWN MANAGER SUBJECT: APPROVE THE ARTS COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION
REGARDING THE FUTURE OVERSIGHT OF MUSIC IN THE PARK CONCERT SERIES AND TO AUTHORIZE STAFF TO COMMENCE CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS WITH LOS GATOS MUSIC & ARTS FOR MUSIC IN THE PARK COORDINATION
Attached is a letter from Chris Miller, Resident ofthe Town of Los Gatos, datcd March 1,2009, regarding Music in the Park. PREPARED BY: Regina A. Community 'es Director
N:\CSD\TCRPTS\2009 TCRPTS\MIP desk item.doc. 9' by: MAssistant Town Manager$TownAttomey __Clerk Adminish'ator __Finance __COlmnunity Development
Chris Miller Los Gatos, CA 95030 ·408-395-7949· camillerlg@aol.com TOWN OF LOG GATOS DEPARTMENT Dear Council Members, It was with great interest that I read agenda
item #7 for the March 2, 2009 council meeting regarding Music in the Park (MIP). Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend the council meeting, as I will be at a Project Cornerstone
Meeting at Los Gatos High School on Monday evening. I have enjoyed attending and volunteering at the arumal summer concert series and I continue to be amazed at the work the Arts Commission
does throughout the year to prepare and nm the concert series. Kudos to MIP chair Valerie Hopkins and her team! At the same time, I question the need for the town to give up ownership
of the MIP series. The town has run the Music in the Park program for a successful 20 years, and many other municipalities in the county have their own summer concert series run by the
town/city. While I do support public/government-non-profit organization relationships, I am not clear as to the benefit of having Los Gatos Music and Arts take over the whole MIP program.
As you know, I serve on the Los Gatos Union School District Governing Board (although I am not speaking on behalf of this organization in this letter), and we have a wonderful partnership
with the Los Gatos Education Foundation (LGEF), in that the foundation raises money and the contributes money to the school district for programs. This is a great pmmership because the
LGEF supports the educational program, and leaves the implementation up to the district. It would seem to me that the town of Los Gatos would best be served by transferring the funding
responsibilities for MIP to Los Gatos Music and Arts and let the town continue to operate and be responsible for the event production of the MIP series. Four of the five current challenges
listed on the first page of attachment I relate to funding issues; if LGM&A became responsible for funding ofMIP, most of the challenges would cease to exist. I am available for any
questions you may have. Thank you, Chris Miller Resident, Town of Los Gatos