The following is a letter from FACC Board Chairman Bob Moore, as originally posted on the FACC blog.

Dear Patrons, Friends, and Supporters of the FACC,

Last year, under the leadership of Executive Director Rustin Lippincott, the FACC underwent a dynamic and positive shift by presenting a broad variety of affordable events that appealed to a high percentage of our local residents and which attracted approximately 17,000 out of town visitors. One significant result of this management transformation was that Center revenues grew over 400% last year. Mayor Ed Malloy along with many other Fairfield residents, civic and business leaders see the Center as a significant, irreplaceable Community asset for two primary reasons:

Quality of Life

photo by Will Merydith

1. A continuing and broad choice of top entertainment and cultural events for families and adults, without having to drive to Cedar Rapids, Des Moines or Iowa City.
2. A multi-functional, spacious location for parties, indoor markets and wedding receptions.
3. A place to get to know your neighbors better while having an enjoyable, relaxed time.

Economic Impact

1. Out of town visitors that came to Fairfield because of Center events generated an estimated $3,000,000 in additional spending in Fairfield in 2009.
2. Even during a recession and with traffic routed around Fairfield with the new bypass, Fairfield’s local option tax collections rose by 1% last year.
3. Local employers acknowledge the FACC as an important local feature for recruiting and retaining talented and skilled employees.
4. Over 100 local organizations have had successful meetings and events at the FACC.

The FACC building in itself represents our community working together for economic growth and improved quality of life.

Facilities like the FACC generally are constructed and operated to serve the community and rarely break even without community support. If you live in the Fairfield area, you are likely aware that even with our success in 2009, our recent business planning has clarified the need to become debt free and to establish an annual fundraising campaign to operate at breakeven each year.

Debt Free Plan

We are currently underway with a plan to eliminate our debt via a public/private partnership with the City of Fairfield, its residents, Iowa State Bank, the USDA, and our individual and business donors by raising a total of $1.6 million. To date, Iowa State Bank, the Fairfield City Council, the FACC Board of Directors and several key FACC donors have already made firm commitments to this plan.

Annual Fund Plan

photo by Guy Harvey

In December we launched our “300 for 100” Annual Fund Campaign to raise $360,000 by June 30th for needed capital improvements and operating funds in 2010. If only 300 businesses and individuals donate an average of $100 per month, we’re confident that the Civic Center will remain healthy, grow and continue to serve our community. Over the past three months, we have already raised $123,000 (34%) of these funds.

You may be interested to know that by May 1st we plan to insure that the FACC property remains under local control by:

1. Appealing to local businesses and individuals who have the committed vision and resources to invest in Fairfield’s long-term growth. We are raising $950,000 from this group, $550,000 of which has already been raised.
2. Helping more Fairfield citizens see and feel how the Center directly and meaningfully benefits their lives so that on May 4th, they will support passage of the referendum to permit the City to own the Center free and clear through a reallocation of approximately ½ of the 25% portion of its community betterment local option sales tax collections over a 9 or 10 year period ($650,000 in total).

As a patron of The Fairfield Arts & Convention Centerthere are a number of ways you can help secure its future:

1. Continue coming to Center events that appeal to you, and encourage your friends to do so. Also, your patronage is important at Fairfield’s other venues that present live entertainment such as – Morningstar Studio, Café Paradiso Red Rock Tavern, and Revelations. Every venue is an important contributor to Fairfield’s richness.
2. Become more informed about our 2010 business plan and the May 4th referendum by reading this website or contacting Rustin or any of our board members.
3. Support the FACC financially. Make an instant donation, or download a donation card which provides several payment options, including monthly automatic payments.
4. Vote on May 4th in favor of local option sales tax referendum.
5. Help us educate your friends and neighbors about how the Center enriches our community and family life and about the importance of voting Yes on May 4th.

Thank you for your past and future support.

Sincerely,

Bob Moore
President
FACC Board of Directors

As an integral part of its ongoing efforts to support the FACC, the “300 for 100” program will raise the $360,000 necessary to supplement 2010 revenues, acquire needed furnishings and equipment, and seed an endowment fund.

“Not unlike similar facilities across the country, the FACC requires  a donor supported annual fund to ensure its sustainability” commented FACC fundraising chairman Bob Ferguson. “The 300 for 100 campaign will go a long way towards enabling the Center to continue to provide its far reaching social and economic benefits to the citizens of Fairfield.”

The campaign seeks to capitalize on the positive momentum the Center has already experienced with fundraising, having raised $460,000 in 2009 from hundreds of businesses, organizations, and individuals.

With an initial focus on those prior donors, the campaign’s goal is to encourage 300 people to donate an average of $100 a month. Primarily through a mailing initiative in December, the Center has already raised $123,000 toward its $360,000 goal.

The FACC board will initiate another phase of the campaign this week by personally contacting prior donors. The campaign will also be supported by: an informational kiosk in the Civic Center lobby, inserts within programs at FACC events, the Center’s Facebook Fan Page, the FACC website, and www.FairfieldCenterInfo.com – which in addition to containing an updated FACC business plan, allows individuals to contribute online.

Saturday Night at the Sondheim series and FMC Productions is pleased to present “Motown R & B,” Friday, January 29th and Saturday, January 30th at 7:30 featuring Fairfield’s own “Soul Revue Orchestra.”  This event is being produced by FMC Productions who brought you concerts such as Woodstock!,  Good Die Young and Fairfield Unplugged.  Motown R&B will feature many of the musicians from these past productions as well as some fresh new talent.

Tickets are $15 and can be purchased on line or at the Fairfield Arts and Convention Center Box Office.

This production of Motown R&B is being co-sponsored by FMC Productions and KRUU-LP 100.1 FM, an open source, grassroots community radio station.

The Saturday Night at the Sondheim Series is part of a monthly program designed to raise funds to support the Stephen Sondheim Theater and the Fairfield Arts and Convention Center.

KMCD / Classic 96 will be hosting the Southeast Iowa Bridal Expo and Fashion Show Sunday February 21^st, at the Fairfield Arts and Convention Center.  

This show which will feature as many as 40 booths and will give brides a chance to get hundreds of wedding ideas, see the latest styles of wedding gowns and tuxedos, and learn about the products and services of some southeast Iowa’s most talented wedding professionals… all in one convenient location.

Watch the areas largest bridal fashion show presented by S and K Bridal of Keosauqua.

View the work of wedding photographers, taste the offerings of creative caterers and bakers, check out DJ and limo services, talented florist, and travel planners for the perfect honeymoon.  Talk with the experts, see the latest trends, get new ideas, and find money-saving show specials on everything you need for your wedding.

For more information contact KMCD / Classic 96 at 641-472-4191

The Fairfield Arts and Convention Center released a statement this morning announcing that they will not pursue LOST funds from the county. The Jefferson County Board of Supervisors voted 2-1 against holding an election to allow county residents to decide whether to reallocate LOST funds to form a public-private partnership with the FACC. That left the FACC board with the option to force a vote by filing a petition for a ballot, which would require 400 signatures from country residents.

Once the Jefferson County Supervisors voted 2-1 to disallow a public vote on a reallocation of Jefferson County local option sales tax funds, the FACC board met to consider the possibility of gathering 400 names on a petition that could force the hand of the County. At their board meeting on January 18th, FACC’s board of directors determined that it was in the FACC’s best interest to forego the option to petition the Jefferson County Supervisor’s to allow a vote. Instead, the board will focus the Center’s resources on the continuation of raising funds from the private sector and to support a “yes” vote in the City of Fairfield’s
special election on May 4th.

Our board is now focused on the pressing initiatives of fundraising and the upcoming city
election” commented board chair Bob Moore. “Although we saw a partnership with the City
and County as appropriate, the bottom line is that we need to exert our collective energies
where we believe we can achieve our greatest success. We are in discussions with officials
from Iowa State Bank to determine how to best proceed with the purchase of the Center’s
building without the County’s support.

The Jefferson County Board of Supervisors decided 2-1 against allowing county residents to vote on whether a reallocation of Local Option Sales Tax revenues should be made to fund the Fairfield Arts and Convention Center. Supervisor Dick Reed stood alone in his support for putting the issue to the ballot this May, a vote which would coincide with the City of Fairfield’s upcoming vote on a reallocation of the City’s LOST funds  (a measure approved by the Fairfield City Council this past Monday, January 11th).

Supervisors Dimmitt and Bergmeier voted against putting the issue to the voters. Dimmitt questioned whether the FACC is a viable building or business. He doubts the center will be able to secure enough donations to cover the $160,000 gap between revenue and expenditures projected for the 2010 budget. “It says to me that if we enter into this public-private relationship, that even though we’ve been told we can evict, and we know realistically that that’s not going to happen, so that means that we will continue, from my estimation, to subsidize it from here into perpetuity. I don’t think it’s a viable solution.”

The issue can still be forced to a public vote in one of two ways: either the FACC can collect a petition of at least 400 signatures from County Residents requesting the issue put to a vote, or the City of Fairfield can force the County to put the issue on the ballot since 51% of the county’s population lives within city limits.

The FACC Board of Directors has their work cut out for them. They now have to spend more time forcing the issue to the ballot in the County, and give more time to a contingency plan in the event the County’s portion funding is never realized.

[UPDATE: the County Board of Supervisors voted no to have a public vote on whether to fund the FACC with LOST revenues]
The Jefferson County Board of Supervisors held a public hearing Thursday evening on whether or not the county should hold an election to support the Fairfield Arts and Convention Center (FACC) with a portion of the Local Option Sales Tax (LOST).   A standing room only crowd filled nearly 200 chairs and then lined the sides and back of room.   Thirty two citizens expressed opinions that varied widely from the thoughtful to the absurd during the 2 1/4 hour public hearing at the fairgrounds.

The meeting started with each supervisor giving some background on the issue, then Pat McMahon and Dave Neff spoke on behalf of the FACC.  Then a steady flow of citizens started to approach the microphone, some didn’t necessarily like the idea of having any change in the LOST allocation, but did support the process of letting the people express themselves at the ballot box.

The current allocation for the county portion of the LOST funds is 80% for property tax relief and 20% for bridge and culvert repair.  According to the supervisors, the current property tax relief that could be put toward the FACC, should a vote be held and it passed, is $6 per $100,000 of  valuation.  In other words, a county resident with a property valued at $500,000 would lose $30 of tax relief per year, however, many speakers were not interested in having any of their money going toward the center.

One speaker was not interested in holding an election because they didn’t want the county to incur the cost. Bob Moore of the FACC board responded that they have the money raised to cover the election cost for both the city and county, they will make a donation of that amount to each entity.

Jim Salts spoke in favor of the center and the vote saying, “if we don’t look forward and make the community attractive, our young people will have no reason to return and live here after college.”

A ’show of hands’ vote near the end of the meeting indicated that the majority of citizens in attendance were not in favor of putting the issue to a vote, nearly half of the speakers indicated a desire to put the question to a vote.

The Board will vote on holding the election during their regular meeting Monday @ 9:00, an estimated 4500 residents in the unincorporated areas of the county would be eligible to vote in the proposed election.

Facts and information about the plan to save the FACC can be found at http://www.fairfieldcenterinfo.com/

It was standing room only at tonight’s Fairfield City Council meeting as over eighty residents packed City Hall. The council opened up the meeting to hear public comments on the proposed vote to shift 12.5% of the local option sales tax (LOST) to create a public-private partnership between the City of Fairfield and the Fairfield Arts and Convention Center.

Mayor Ed Malloy opened the public hearing explaining that the question before the council tonight was whether to put the issue to a public vote, which would probably take place on May 4th. Getting ahead of perhaps the biggest criticism of the proposed funding of the FACC, Mayor Malloy explained that the FACC grows the revenue for LOST and therefore will contribute to sewers and streets (which currently receive 75% of LOST funds). Furthermore the Mayor assured that the re-allocation of LOST funds to the FACC, would not take away any current allocation of LOST funds to sewers and streets.

In a lighter moment from the meeting, residents were asked to limit their comments to two and a half minutes, with a thirty second warning given by City Clerk Joy Messer.

Over a dozen residents addressed the council and nearly all of them told the Mayor the issue should be put to a public vote (no matter whether or not they supported the re-allocation of funding).

Public comments opened with several FACC supporters speaking, including Dave Neff, Ken Ross, Fred Swartz and Pat McMahon (Fred and Pat are both members of the FACC board of directors). They were all well spoken and represented different perspectives on why the FACC is an asset to the community and therefore important to support with public funding.

Ken Ross, who has run several companies in Fairfield, provided a business perspective on one of the biggest criticisms of the FACC – a poor business plan that had to be redone. He explained that it’s common for a business plan to be re-written once a venture is launched in order to adapt to new information and unforeseen challenges.

Ray Griffin was the first resident to speak in opposition to the proposed funding of the FACC. Ray Griffin is also the author of a recent ad in the Fairfield Ledger where he argued that “bailing out the Civic Center” may jeopardize other programs like Little League, Police Department, Jefferson County Trails, Green Strategic Plan, and Parks Department. He addressed the council with concerns over lack of education over the proposed partnership and potential increase of property taxes. Mr. Griffin argued that if the FACC were to take LOST funds, then other entities would be underfunded, which would then force an increase in property taxes to cover the difference.

Another resident who addressed the council agreed to hold the vote, although she was opposed to the proposition of funding FACC. She expressed her opposition by questioning priorities. “What would happen if the public voted on more funds for our streets?”

The most unique comment of the evening came from resident Denyce Rusch, who spoke not of business plans, costs, or tax priorities, but of taking a sick relative to a musical at the FACC, and the emotional value of having access to the arts in our community.

After hearing everyone in the crowd who wished to speak, the council spoke briefly about the proposal, including a short thank you from councilwoman Susan Silvers who thanked the residents in attendance for voicing their different opinions “in a professional manner” (unlike some of the more heated hearings this council has witnessed in the past).

The council voted unanimously to put the proposition to a public vote this Spring. The next immediate step for the FACC board is to find residents of Jefferson County to convince their officials this coming Thursday to approve a similar vote for county residents.