Politics & Government

City Funds Development Specialist for Foundry Art Centre

City Council approved agreement with Foundry Art Centre on Tuesday.

The St. Charles Foundry Art Centre likely will exhibit a new employee in the next few weeks.

The St. Charles City Council voted 8-0 to approve an agreement with the Foundry for a $65,000 grant for a new development and marketing position. 

The position will handle fundraising, event planning and building foundation support. It is part of a campaign by the organization to combat annual shortfalls of about $60,000 in its $500,000 budget. 

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In late November,  asking for help in the form of $75,000 to cover shortfalls, $60,000 to cover utility costs or $55,000 for a development and marketing specialist. City Council members decided in December to help fund the development position, but not cover shortfalls or utility costs. 

Then during the March 28 meeting, the council voted to waive city utility taxes for the Foundry--a $6,000 annual cost. On Tuesday, the board voted on the formal agreement to provide the $65,000 for the marketing position. 

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Besselman, the new Ward 2 councilman, questioned whether the city should be adding a new position given the uncertain state of city financing. He said the $65,000 had come from funds set aside for a new community center.

“If we do build a new community center at some time, should we be looking at putting $65,000 into a new position?” Besselman asked.

Council president Mike Klinghammer, Ward 8, said the council had decided at budget time that it would not be building a community center this year.

“This $65,000 is a one-time grant to the Foundry Art Centre,” Klinghammer said. “It will not be something we fund in subsequent years.”

Ward 6 Councilman Jerry Reese said, “This isn’t our employee."

The Foundry Art Centre has a new board and a new director whose goal is to get the organization operating on budget, said Reese, a member of the Foundry's board of directors.

“If that Foundry fails, it becomes ours, because we own the building. Anybody involved in it certainly does not want to see the Foundry fail,” he said.

Reese said this past March was the first month the Arts Centre operated in the black for a long time – and that was without hosting a wedding.

“The new director is doing some good things to turn it around,” he said.

Laura Helling, executive director of the Foundry, said they have not yet hired anyone for the development and marketing position, but expect to do so in the next two weeks. 


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