Agenda - 03-20-1991 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Al t - Address at the Chapel Hill Public Forum on Capital Improvement Outlays March 19, 1991 Hello, I am Carolyn Leith, and I am speaking on behalf of PALS -- Performing Arts Lovers at CHHS. Our group works to support the Cultural Arts activities that take place at CH High -- specifically in the Cultural Arts Building. We want to propose that the County set aside some capital improvement funds in next year's budget to take care of the maintenance of this bond -built building. The school system has not had the resources in its meager share of the Capital Improvements budget to take care of this wonderful County resource that seats 850 people. A recent assesment of the building by our group revealed some real physical problems that will take about $1.25 per County resident to fix. On February 12th, we hosted a building tour with Neil Pederson, Assistant Superintendant of Support Services for Chapel Hill - Carrboro City Schools, and the Cultural Arts staff. Once rated the best school auditorium in the state, it is apparent that CHHS has lost that honor due to inattention to maintenance and replacement of vital parts that a theatre needs to operate. It would be short sighted for the county to ignore the very real but necessary costs associated with maintenance. The side (black) curtains and the gold velvet drapes have never been cleaned, and in some cases, they are falling apart. This item is slated to appear on the school system's Capital Improvement Plan list and we urge you to appropriate funds to meet this basic stage need. However, the biggest need is a total lighting system rehab for the stage that could cost between $50,000 and $100,000.- -BIG DOLLARS- -The system has lights that don't work consistently, the circuitry is inadequate, and it generally operates on a prayer and a lot of ingenuity on the part of John Thomas, our very able theater tech instructor. He has