NEWS
Board debates Overture financing
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- D'Angelo resigns at Overture (September 21, 2005)
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by Darryl Schnell
Wednesday, October 5, 2005
The City of Madison Cultural Arts District Board addressed refinancing issues for the Overture Center for the Arts and the Bob D'Angelo sexual-harassment scandal and subsequent investigation at a meeting Tuesday.
Approval for refinancing of the Overture with the aid of the city is still in question.
Ald. Zach Brandon, District 7, a member of MCAD, expressed concerns about the Overture's financial situation.
"We're in dire straits here," Brandon said. "I'm nervous and I'm worried about where we'll end up in terms of the financial situation."
The structure of the refinance plan, if approved by City Council, would commit Madison to potentially fill a $5 million gap in funds if the Overture Center cannot bring the funding up to the necessary $115 million to complete construction.
With regard to the arts hub's refinancing, MCAD committee members raised concerns of Interim President Michael Goldberg's plan to use $53,000 of leftover funds from the Overture Center for the Arts' grand opening to help finance the opening of Phase 3 of the center.
Goldberg defended the use of the funds for the grand opening in May 2006.
"A successful grand opening will go a long way and help [the Overture Center] out a great deal," Goldberg said. "We think a big grand opening next spring will give us a lot of public leverage."
However, Brandon, who is also on the city's Board of Estimates, said even though $53,000 seems small compared to a $5 million commitment, Overture should show a commitment to funding the construction of the center, not necessarily the grand opening.
Committee member Michael Skindrud said Madison citizens are skeptical of the refinancing.
"We are under extreme public scrutiny," Skindrud said. "We've said things and done things that we haven't followed through with."
The Board of Estimates will pass the final vote on the issue Oct. 10 and the council will make the final decision whether to approve the refinance Oct. 18.
The board also generally addressed the Bob D'Angelo harassment issue and the investigation of the Overture Center's workplace environment.
James Ruhly, chair of the MCAD, clarified the situation, stating the city's investigation of the Overture Center was not to determine whether or not Bob D'Angelo sexually harassed his former secretary Monica Everson.
"The city's investigation is not an investigation of Monica and Bob, but of the workplace environment at the Overture," Ruhly said.
Investigators have interviewed almost all staff and both Goldberg and Ruhly have implored staff to be candid with investigators.
According to Ruhly, D'Angelo's contract with the state will last until his retirement Nov. 19, and he will be paid his usual salary of $118,300 until he officially steps down.
Ruhly also addressed the process of finding a permanent replacement for D'Angelo.
"With respect to the hiring, the city is putting together a process to select a replacement," Ruhly said. "The mayor has said he would like one representative from MCAD to be on the selection board."
Mario Mendoza, business and legislative liaison for the mayor, will lead the committee and the mayor will nominate a candidate to the Common Council for final approval, Ruhly added.
