Minutes 04-04-2013 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Margo Pinkerton said part of it would be from fund raising and there will also be an operating agreement with the County. Jeff Thompson said he does not envision any of the revenue from the Facilities Use Agreement going to the OCCC, but only the ticket sales from events put on by the OCCC. Rosie Summers lives near the Whitted Center. She said it sounded like the intent of the operating agreement is for the cultural center to actually decide the events that will take place in the Whitted Center as opposed to the County determining that by the Facilities Use Policy. Chair Jacobs said this has not been discussed as a Board yet. Jeff Thompson said the Facilities Use Policy governs the public use of County facilities. The Eno River Farmer's Market is similar to this, in that there are very strict guidelines for the facility use. 4. Public Comments Mark Donnely is a volunteer with the Hillsborough Arts Council. One of the projects that he loves is the Handmade Parade. He said there is no place for the people to work on this, and this facility would be very helpful. He is a bit concerned that there may be another layer of administration. In the past, they have gone directly to Orange County to apply for the space. He is concerned that if OCCC coordinates it then there may be additional costs. Deryl McGuire was representing the Orange Community Players. She said this is a community theater that started about eight years ago. Orange Community Players does not have a home but has been working in cooperation with the school board and churches. This is a true community theater and it desperately needs a home. She said that this performance facility is needed. David Gephart is Chair of the Chapel Hill-Orange County Visitors Bureau. He is pleased to see the positive conversation about the cultural center. The downtown literary and arts community is growing and they need to strike while the iron is hot. He said Hillsborough's time is now. Cher Tuskey is a member of the Orange County Arts Commission and she spoke on their behalf. She said the mission of the Arts Commission is to promote the arts in Orange County. She said the cultural center's vision is consistent with the goals of the Arts Commission. This space would provide a place for citizens to enjoy the lighter side of life. Chris Graebner is a member of the Hillsborough Gallery of Arts. Many artists would be interested in teaching classes, and this facility would provide a place for this. Thomas Watson is a lifelong resident of this community. He said this location would make a great hub for showcasing the diverse and wonderful culture of the community. He thinks this building would be a perfect place to hold plays, reunions, concerts, etc. He thanked the County Commissioners for renovating this site. He would like to see it used properly. Steve Gardner lives on Tryon Street. He said he opposes the use of this building for the proposed purposes of the OCCC. He said work has been done behind the scenes and many neighbors were not aware of the proposed use until getting a letter from the Town of Hillsborough in March. There is a concern about the impact of vehicles, noise, parking, lighting, etc. He does not think these concerns have been adequately addressed. He said there was strong neighborhood opposition in the past for a proposed private event house to hold events. He said this proposal seems like an uncontrolled use of the space. He believes that the proposal would be detrimental to the neighborhood. Deborah White said, looking at the history of the building, the surrounding neighborhood was in place and the use was compatible with the neighborhood. She shared what it was like to live in the neighborhood. She hears the gravel of cars in and out of the parking lot every day. There is noise from the chiller. She said there is a disparity between what is proposed and what is experienced by the neighbors. She is concerned about the facility being used during the