City approves Arts Place $ (08/07/07)

Despite hesitation by several of its members, a local board voted to give funds to a regional arts group.

In a 4-3 vote, Portland City Council members approved the donation of $5,000 to Arts Place to help fund advertising.

Eric Rogers, executive director of Arts Place, said the funds were needed to help draw out-of-county visitors to cultural attractions. He said visitors from other counties spend more money at local businesses during their visit.

Before council members voted Monday they debated the issue.

Glen Bryant, a council member, said several years ago the city donated to several local organizations. He said the council was flooded with requests and decided not to make any more donations.

Rogers said the last time the council donated to Arts Place was in 1995. He asked the council for a donation of $12,250 in 2005, but no action was taken.

"If this works, we'll be back every year," Rogers said. "We hope you'll make the decision to say yes this year."

Council members Bryant, Stephens, Kip Robinette and Jerry Leonhard voted in favor of the request.

Before casting a dissenting vote, councilman Jim Sanders said he would like more time to consider the request. Council president Judy Aker and council member Bill Gibson also voted against the request.

After the meeting, Aker said she was afraid that if the city gave money to one group, others would ask for funds.

Jay County Commissioners also recently voted to donate $5,000 to Arts Place, Rogers said. That funding is subject to approval by Jay County Council.

The $5,000 is separate from funding for Arts in the Parks granted annually by the county.

Councilman Dolphus Stephens, a former member of the Arts Place board of directors, said advertising is expensive.

Rogers said a one-month billboard costs about $400, and newspaper ads are pricey.

In other business, council member approved the 2008 city budget on first reading.

The proposed budget is set to raise to $6,577,000 from this year's $6,458,051.

The budget includes appropriations for city officials, city departments, the planning commission, the city council and Portland City Council.

Before council members voted, a public hearing on the budget was held. No one in the audience commented.

Stephens said the city department heads have done a good job of keeping costs low.

Also Monday, council members:

•Approved an ordinance setting salaries for elected officials.

With the 2.5 percent pay increase, the mayor's salary will go to $43,755.66 from $42,688.36, and the clerk-treasurer's pay will go to $42,985.28 from $41,936.70. City council members will make $3,377.62, up from $3,295.23, and the city court judge will earn $12,997.14 in 2008, up from her current pay of $12,680.20.

•Approved a future land use map for the city and the 2-mile zone outside the city limits. The map amends the city's comprehensive plan.

Members of the Portland Planning Commission voted on Thursday to recommend that the council approve the map.

The map projects how land might be used in the future. Planning commission members can use the map when weighing future zoning change requests.

•Voted to re-zone land owned by a Portland daycare to neighborhood business from R-8 (medium density residential district).

The owner of Educare Child Center, 927 E. Votaw St., wants to convert a grassy area to a parking lot for his business. Brian Hurt told planning commission members Thursday that he does not have adequate parking for the business.

The lot is located at the southwest corner of Votaw and Pierce streets.

•Heard Bruce Hosier, mayor of Portland, remind council members that the Welcome Home to Portland festival will be held Aug. 19 from 4 to 8 p.m. in downtown Portland. Hosier said the city will have a booth set up at the event and council members are needed to run it.[[In-content Ad]]