Oldsmar won't open exit door for arts group

The city wants to work things out with the Cultural Arts Foundation - and says the group doesn't have a choice.

By ED QUIOCO, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published May 23, 2002

OLDSMAR -- A cultural arts foundation that wants to back out of its contract with the city will have a tough time doing so.

For one thing, the city's attorney says the agreement requires the Oldsmar Cultural Arts Foundation to stick it out.

For another, City Council members say they aren't ready to jettison the city's partnership with the arts foundation. At their meeting Tuesday night, they called for an end to the bickering that has strained the relationship. The city pays the group $6,000 a month to provide community arts programs.

"Fighting, we all lose," City Council member Don Bohr said.

In a May 10 letter to council members, the foundation said it would rather give up its monthly stipend from the city than deal with what it described as growing hostility from Mayor Jerry Beverland. The group also told the city to consider the letter a "30-day notice of the foundation's exercise of its option to terminate the service agreement and lease" with the city.

There's just one problem.

"There is not a 30-day out clause for the foundation," City Attorney Tom Trask said. "There is a 30-day out clause for the city. It's not reciprocal."

The council voted 3-2 to have Trask inform the foundation that it cannot pull out of the contract. Council members David Tilki and Brian Michaels voted against the motion.

The nonprofit group of volunteers works hard putting together shows and classes, and deserves the city's support, Tilki said.

"I think there are some personality issues here that we need to keep separate from our contract with them and our support of them," Tilki said. "We need to do everything we can to resolve this rift right now and we need to continue supporting them."

Beverland said the problem was not with him and read a list of things he has done for the foundation and items he has donated to the group for its fundraising, including his own artwork and his son's paintings.

"The arts are very important to me," Beverland said. "To say that I have hindered them, I have tried to do everything I can to help them."

Tilki mentioned a recent example of when Beverland may have treated the group unfairly. Last month, the mayor demanded an inventory of all the artwork that has gone through the foundation after an artist complained that a painting was sold without her permission.

Beverland could have tried working with the foundation first, Tilki said. "I believe they have the right to expect to be treated fairly," he said.

Beverland said he did try working with the foundation but got no response. He is to meet with foundation president Ed Manny today. Council members said they hoped that would settle the squabble.

"There is nothing to resolve with me," Beverland said. "I'm not in this rift."

Manny could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

City Council member Marcelo Caruso said it was time to stop pointing fingers.

"I think maybe it's a misunderstanding on both sides," Caruso said.

The foundation was incorporated in December 1998 to strengthen the city's arts programs and to raise money for a cultural arts building. In January 2001, the group began receiving $6,000 a month to stage art exhibits and receptions, symphonies, concerts, dance lessons and art classes.

Since January, the foundation has held three art receptions, two symphonies, a concert, and art and dance classes, according to a city report.

Beverland said all he has done is reminded the group not to forget about its primary goal of raising money for an arts building.

"Maybe they haven't moved as quickly as some have wished they would," Tilki said. "I don't know if that's something that we should be critical of. I think it's something that we should be supportive of and find out if they need assistance."

In an unrelated matter Tuesday night, council members approved a Subway restaurant on Tampa Road near the Wal-Mart Supercenter after a formal hearing.

City staffers originally expressed concern that the Subway would generate more traffic than is allowed for the Cypress Lakes development. After taking a another look, city officials said they discovered an abandoned proposal for an office development near the proposed Subway.

Assuming the offices will not generate traffic that officials once expected, the traffic from the Subway would not exceed the overall limit set for the area. The council approved the restaurant 4-1, with Caruso voting no.

-- Ed Quioco can be reached at (727) 445-4183 or quioco@sptimes.com.

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