School board hears update on auditorium fund-raising progress

By James Grob, jgrob@charlescitypress.com

Tim Mitchell, co-chairman of the non-profit group “Friends of Fine Arts,” updated the school board last week regarding fundraising for a new auditorium.

The group — made up primarily of current and retired fine arts directors and other community members who are performing arts supporters in Charles City — has come together to raise funds to create a 21st-century rehearsal, competition and performance space that meets the needs of students and the community. The group is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization.

“This group understands that the task is daunting,” Mitchell said. “We are well-aware of the current climate, and the idea that a bond issue would take a number of votes to get passed.”

Mitchell said that the plan is to raise the funds for the facility without a bond issue.

“We want to step up to the plate and try to make this happen without asking to raise taxes at all,” Mitchell told the board. “We believe in this, and we are going to make this happen.”

The committee has been meeting weekly since last summer and toured facilities in other cities that have completed similar projects. The goal is an 800-seat state-of-the-art auditorium for school and community events. It would be owned and operated by the school district and be available for daily use, such as music rehearsals and drama classes.

The committee has been given an estimate of $12-15 million for the total project.

The group has visited communities that have built auditoriums that are both larger and smaller than Charles City, including Osage, Waverly, Western Dubuque, Independence, Washington, Denver, Dike, Aplington-Parkersburg, Hudson and Union.

“They’ve all found that a facility like this helps their community as whole,” Mitchell said.

The committee is working with professional fundraiser Keith Christensen, who is the former vice-president of Luther College in charge of development and currently holds a similar position at the Mayo Clinic. Christensen lives near Greene and is a member of the Charles City Rotary Club.

“He has been amazing,” Mitchell said. “We’re very thankful to Keith for his continued support.”

Mitchell said he was asking nothing from the board except their support. He said that the group made its first ask for a donation on Monday afternoon. He said the group intended to get some of the initial asks for donations out of the way before they “open it up” and start accepting donations from the community at large.

“Once we get a few big donations in place, then we’ll roll it out,” Mitchell said. “We are going to offer anyone who would donate $5 million dollars or more the ability to name the facility.”

He said the group’s goal was to raise the funds and then turn it over to the school district and let the district take over. He added that the group was also looking into grant opportunities.

“We’re looking to explore every opportunity we can, so that we may get this done without raising taxes,” he said.

Mitchell is a 1983 graduate of Charles City High School, and attended Luther College and recently retired and returned home after 34 years of teaching vocal music and theater at Union High School. The other co-chair is Nancy Western, a retired Charles City fine arts teacher.

He explained to the board why the North Grand Auditorium is no longer a viable option for an effective fine arts program. He said the group has conducted a extensive feasibility study of the North Grand facility. The North Grand Auditorium underwent cosmetic renovations about 40 years ago, Mitchell explained.

“When you walked into that space, it was pretty then,” Mitchell said. “I would say it’s not as pretty now.”

The auditorium is now privately owned, part of the sale of the older part of the North Grand Building to Shawn Foutch for renovation as apartments.

Foutch has said the auditorium will remain as part of his renovation project and will be available for public and private use, but the groups that have used the space extensively say it is unlikely to continue to meet their needs.

“Even 40 years ago, that space was not adequate for fine arts performances,” Mitchell said. “Paint cannot fix the lack of space behind the stage, only building can do that. More comfortable seating cannot create the fly space you need for a 21st-Century performance facility.”

Mitchell called access to the stage lighting “treacherous.”

“You have to replace the lights while balancing an extension ladder on the seats of the balcony, leaning it over the open space,” Mitchell said. “I can’t imagine doing that.”

He also addressed the lack of preparation space for performers and the lack of storage space for costumes, props and other essential elements of stage production.

“The people of Charles City actually owe every fine arts director they’ve had a huge bit of thanks for producing the shows they have in that limited space over the years,” Mitchell said. “They made it seem like it was a great space. It is not.”

North Grand Auditorium has been regularly used by the middle and high school bands, orchestras and choirs for performances. The high school musicals as well as the high school and middle school plays also use the auditorium for performances and weeks of rehearsals. The elementary school music departments also use the auditorium for about four performances a year.

The stage is used for many non-fine arts events as well, including staff meetings, school-wide presentations, awards ceremonies, Baccalaureate, National Honor Society induction ceremonies, senior recognition night and Veterans Day events.

Non-school groups that frequently use the auditorium include the Stony Point Players, the Charles City Singers, the Community Orchestra, the Municipal Band and the Alumni Jazz Band. The space is also utilized for local piano recitals, dance recitals, the Bill Riley Talent Show, local church functions and political events. In 2017 it even hosted a public session of the Iowa Supreme Court.

“We have the same equipment we’ve had since the 1930s,” Mitchell said. “Try to run any business today with equipment from 1930 — it just isn’t possible.”

Mitchell said that now, under private ownership, the district has lost everything except the stage and the house.

“There is no storage, there is no space for the performers to get ready and prepare,” Mitchell said. “There’s nowhere for the performers to be when they aren’t on stage.”

He said that private ownership also limits access time, as the productions won’t be able to use the stage until a few days before the production.

“When you’re doing a musical you spend months on your set,” Mitchell said. “That will not be available now.”

He said that it was time to stop “kicking the can down the street” and that the group was stepping up to help the school district.

“As an alumni, I would call that auditorium an embarrassment,” Mitchell said. “We are not providing for our students.”