Memo- Response to Items Fom August 11th Council WSM mo
1. Use of volunteers
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Hopkins Center for the Arts
To: Steve C. Mielke, City Manager
From: Jay Strachota
Dat 09/04/98
Re: Responses to Discussion Items from August 11 Council Work Session
This is a response to your August 17, 1998 memo recapping the discussion that the Council
had concerning HCA staffing. Thank you for breaking out the discussion into topics. I will
respond to each topic as it is numbered in your memo.
To staff the information desk with volunteers each month requires the scheduling and
training of enough volunteers to work 360 hours or 120 -3 hour shifts. These people
must be interviewed, scheduled, trained, and training must be updated on a regular
basis. These things need to take place in order to utilize volunteers to their greatest
extent. Part of the request for additional staff was to have a person to administrate the
volunteer program.
The volunteers at the information desk do have a phone they are to bring to the
information desk at the beginning of their shift. They use the telephone to page or call
staff when needed, to do calling for staff, and in some instances answer incoming calls.
2. Part time workers responsibilities
Currently I'm interviewing part -time night workers or Art Center Supervisors due to some
turn over in personnel. I tell these interviewees that the position can be broken down into
thirds. One third of their time is to be spent doing custodial and room setting tasks.
Another third is spent dealing with the public who visit our facility and a third of the time is
spent being aware of and monitoring the security and functions (such as HVAC) of the
facility. I look for "self starters" who can work alone and find work when they complete
the tasks assigned. A "perfect hire" would be willing and able to perform the physical
tasks of custodial work and setting up tables and chairs, be an effective communicator
with the public, possess office and computer skills, be a self starter and able to react
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calmly and systematically when crisis arises, and do this all for $7 -8.00 per hour. We
need about 5 -7of these employees to cover evenings and weekends.
Part of what is being requested for additional staffing at the Art Center is for a part -time
employee to assist with operations scheduling. Operations scheduling translates into
assistance in scheduling part -time employees, tracking the training of the part -time
employees and coordinating tasks such as room setting, painting, art hanging with the
part -time employees and full time staff. When scheduling and coordinating part -time
employees the new employee would match the strengths of each part-time employee
with tasks that need to be accomplished. Having someone performing these operation
tasks frees up the Facility Manager to access the effectiveness of our evening and
weekend staff. This enables us to improve and refine the operations for the long run
rather than assigning day to day what needs to be accomplished most at the moment.
3. Time allocations by existing staff
Currently staff spends most of their time scheduling and coordinating time for our
tenants and occasional users; scheduling, training part -time staff and volunteers; and
dealing with tenants, occasional users and special events issues as they arise. Our
tenants and users are constantly trying new program and ideas to meet their own needs.
This is not an unusual situation for a new facility. Everyone involved in this project is
trying to find what works for them in this facility and they all need some of HCA staff
assistance to do this.
The additional staff would relieve some of the demands on staff time in the form of public
contact, tours, answering basic questions, scheduling of users and tenants, part -time
employees and administration of volunteers. Existing staff would then have more time to
step back from the day to day operations to improve procedures and policies; work more
closely with the Operations Board to develop a more defined vision of the direction we
are going; and be proactive in management decisions.
4. More information on the fund raising plan
It is apparent that to make the Arts Center successful financially, there will have to be
revenue brought to the facility beyond what the tenants and occasional users can
provide through leases and rents. Fundraising will have to be incorporated and this will
be a function of the Operations Board. The Board is discussing ways to incorporate
501(c)3 status with the Arts Center. This will have to happen to make the Center
fundable for grants and donations. The Operations Board will also formulate a
membership plan and fundraising events.
5. Is this enough staffing?
The Operations Board asked this same question. The Arts Center does not have as
high a staffing level as most art centers of similar size. However, the Arts Center is new
and does not create the revenues that other centers create through established
membership programs, grants, donations and classes.
If we took 40 hours of part-time evening employee hours and replaced that with a full -
time employee we would be increasing staffing costs about $16,000 beyond the current
request. This would add stability to the evening /weekend staff and lessen the
administrative load of supporting part-time employees.
The reasons I did not request a full -time staff person at this time are:
♦ At this point revenues do not support a full time position
♦ Rather than hire a full time person to work evenings /weekends we may find once the
fundraising plan and 501(c)3 status are established that we will want to hire a full time
position to administrate these functions and that position would eventually justify itself
with increased revenues.
The proposed increase in staffing would best be described as a cautious approach to
growth that allows flexibility until the true needs of the operation are established.
Just as the council is concerned that volunteers, part-time staff and full time staff are
functioning to the best of their ability, I too want to maximize their contribution to the
facility. I also want to be sure that we are requesting exactly what is needed when we
approach the council for a full time position.
6. Clarify financial picture
I've attached the projected year end 98 budget and also the proposed 99 budget. Here
are a few key budget points:
• The 1999 budget includes the personnel costs for the proposed increase in staffing.
• Non - operating costs increased substantially due to the allocation of $68,000 for
depreciation and $29,000 for inter - govemmental loan payment. The $68,000
depreciation charge will not affect the Arts Center working capital balance. (The
$300,00 originally allocated to the project as working capital). While revenues will
exceed operating costs, revenues will not completely cover non - operating costs.
♦ Grants, memberships, fundraising /donations are non - rental revenues that add a total
of $30,000 to revenues. These are new programs, which will be a top priority of the
Operations Board and staff.
• The greatest opportunity to exceed budget revenue projections are in non- rental
revenues, and studio and theater rental. (As these spaces demand the highest rental
fee.)
♦ The projected "bottom line" for the first year of operations is a negative impact to
working capital of $27,298. (Revenues minus expenses and adding back in the
$68,000 depreciation charge.)
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