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the City goes forward with these recommendations, the forthcoming agreement ensure that Redwood City groups have access to the Theatre, and that the agreement should be very specific as to the amount of time City groups would be able to use the building. Council Members discussed the the need to spend City dollars wisely, the desire to have quality cultural events in the City and to keep the Fox Theatre as a vital part of the downtown area and as a cultural center. The twelve-month experiment was designed to keep the Fox Theatre viable as all parties seek its Historic Register status and build support for its place in the cultural life of the City. It was recognized that restoration and cultural events at the Fox would not cause a renaissance of the downtown area all by itself, but there is no doubt it would have a positive effect on the City as a whole. Councilman Greenalch asked the Civic Cultural Commissioners who opposed the recommendations if having the Fox Theatre go dark would be more beneficial to the City, and asked them what they wanted over the next twelve months. Councilman Greenalch advised that in 1985, the Civic Cultural Commission made recommendations for the Cultural Element of the General Plan which were adopted by the City Council in November of 1985. Page 1 states "the City will promote a closer, more productive relationship among business, government, the arts, and the community." Page 10, number 2 states "Provide funding to support cultural planning and activities." And finally, Page 12 states "Primary responsibility for implementation of this element is within the purview of the City (through the Council, Civic Cultural Commission, Park and Recreation Commission, Historic Advisory Committee)..." Councilman Greenalch advised the current proposal for the Fox Theatre is an i implementation of the Cultural Element of the General Plan, and asked for i clarification on why the proposal was a problem for anyone. Virginia Ball, Vice Chair of the Civic Cultural Commission, stated the people opposed to the proposal were concerned with spending taxpayers money on a few productions staged by an outside group who would not ensure local access to the Theatre. Council Members discussed the quality productions staged by Peninsula Center Stage the last three years; the $15,000 to the Civic Cultural Commission can be spent on any cultural event they wish to stage and as many as they can; the City is not going to buy the Fox Theatre now or in the future, as there is no groundswell of support to purchase it and it is not fiscally possible to do so. Council Members further discussed the $750 per day rental and that it compared favorably with other facilities; school auditorium rentals are lower as they are controlled by Civic Center Act; the emphasis on the desire for quality, 1st rate productions; the Fox Theatre as private property and not a municipal building; the agreement that must be reached between the City and the Peninsula Center Stage ensuring restoration, historic status, and local access; restoration and lighting of the marquee; submittal of breakdown of production costs by Peninsula Center Stage; alternative venues for rehearsals and set building; and physical limitations of the building. I I Adjourned Regular Meeting Minutes I MINUTE BOOK NO. 51 March 2, 1992 Page No. 010 Page 5