Arts center talks move forward
Noaki Schwartz
NEWPORT BEACH -- Members of the library board and city arts
commission continued Wednesday to iron out plans for a governing board
for a proposed $12-million arts center. They will present a finalized
plan for the governing board to the public Oct. 6.
Three weeks ago the ad hoc committee chose a plan for the governing
board out of six proposed options. They decided that the Newport Arts
Foundation or another nonprofit group would oversee the board and the
arts commission, public members, library trustees and city staff would
all make joint decisions. While the committee swiftly agreed that that
the center would be owned by the city, whether or not it would be
operated by the city is turning out to be a much more time-consuming
decision.
“We’re on the horns of a dilemma,” said committee chairman Jim Wood.
If operated privately, the committee “might have challenges in getting
it approved by the city,” he said. But if operated publicly, they might
have challenges with fund-raising. And the possibility of taxpayers
forking over enough money to pay for the center is a slim prospect.
The committee plans to meet again next Wednesday in the hopes of
coming to a more conclusive decision regarding the governing board.
On Oct. 6, they will present their decision to the public at a meeting
of Speak Up Newport at the Harbor Nautical Museum.
All the latest on Orange County from Orange County.
Get our free TimesOC newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Daily Pilot.