SCC Chairman Perry Walker: "...there's a lot we don't know yet."

 
Sunset Community And Cultural Center
Location: E/s San Carlos St. between 8th Av. & 10th Av. 
City Council Agenda
Regular Meeting
November 7, 2006

V. Announcements from Closed Session, from City Council Members and the City Administrator.

C. Announcements from City Administrator.

• Receive SCC annual audited financials for FY 05-06 and the first quarter financial report.

Perry Walker, Chairman, SCC Board, addressed Council after Sarah Brown, Vice-Chair, SCC presented the financials on Sunset Cultural Center, Inc., as follows:

“I just wanted to emphasis that we’re still in the learning curve. We’re, you know, this is our second year, we’re very proud of our clean audited financial statement. But, there’s a lot we don’t know yet. So we’re probing, you know, how many shows, performances, are realistic, when is the market saturated, what kinds of shows, how do we reach the targeted audience, our primary audience, how do we segment that out, and so it’s a work in progress. But I think we’ll all agree that our first 2 years out of the box, we’re very proud, we’re making progress and we’ll just continue to learn and go step-by-step.”

“I truly appreciate, on behalf of the Board, the support the Council gives us and the confidence that you have placed in us, we take it very seriously and we appreciate it even more.”

“Thank you very much.”

COMMENTS:

• Interesting to note that SCC Chairman Perry Walker voiced appreciation for the support of the Council, but didn’t mention the residents of Carmel-by-the-Sea; what is omitted is often more meaningful than what is articulated.

• “SCC is poised to launch exciting new programming at Sunset Center...To do this we need capital to underwrite risks and expenses. Accordingly, we plan to raise an Impresario Fund of at least $250,000 – and do it in the next 18 months.”

“We are looking for 25 individuals and couples to step forward and become members of the Producers’ Guild by making a one-time contribution of $10,000 to out Impresario Fund.” (Source: Sunset Center The Producers' Guild, http://www.sunsetcenter.org/produce.htm)

• Perhaps with the City’s declining subsidy over the first three year contract period between SCC, Inc. and the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea, the SCC Board of Trustees believes that the Impresario Fund is critical not only to honor their commitment to “new programming,” but essential to honor their commitment to Carmelites to decrease the city’s subsidy over time.