Fiscal Note – Agreement with The Vera Project

Department:	Contact Person/Phone:	DOF Analyst/Phone:
Seattle Center	John Merner 4-7124 Ned Dunn 4-7212	Helen Welborn 3-7884

Legislation Title:

AN ORDINANCE relating to the Seattle Center Department; authorizing the Seattle Center Director to execute an agreement with The Vera Project for 2003 and 2004 for presentation of an all-ages music and art program.

Summary of the Legislation:

The attached legislation authorizes a two-year agreement with The Vera Project, a Washington non-profit corporation, for the development and presentation of an all-ages music and arts program. The Vera Project will present music shows and other arts events for persons under twenty-one years of age, with people of all ages welcome. Under this agreement, The Vera Project will present a minimum of 99 all-ages concerts and other arts events, while also providing training opportunities for young people in the technical aspects of presenting events, including sound, lighting and security. City funding to support the Vera Project was included in the 2003 Adopted Budget and 2004 Endorsed Budget.

Appropriations:

Fund Name and Number	Department	Budget Control Level*	2003 Appropriation	2004 Anticipated Appropriation
Seattle Center Operating Fund (11410)	Seattle Center	Cultural and Community Heart of the City	10,000**	10,000**
Pro-Parks (33850)	Parks Department	Community Recreation Services	10,000**	15,000**
General Subfund (VA00100)	Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs	Arts and Cultural Affairs	25,000**	25,000**
TOTAL			45,000**	50,000**

* This is the line of business for operating budgets, and program or project for capital improvements

Notes: **The 2003 sums below are appropriated in the 2003 Adopted Budget, not by this legislation. The 2004 Anticipated Appropriation is included in the 2004 Endorsed Budget, not in this legislation.

Expenditures:

Fund Name and Number	Department	Budget Control Level*	2003 Expenditures	2004 Anticipated Expenditures
Seattle Center Operating Fund (11410)	Seattle Center	Cultural and Community Heart of the City	10,000**	10,000**
Pro-Parks (33850)	Department of Parks and Recreation	Community Recreation Services	10,000**	15,000**
General Subfund (VA00100)	Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs	Arts and Cultural Affairs	25,000**	25,000**
TOTAL			45,000**	50,000**

* This is the line of business for operating budgets, and program or project for capital improvements

Notes: The 2003 sums below are appropriated in the 2003 Adopted Budget, not by this legislation. The 2004 Anticipated Appropriation is included in the 2004 Endorsed Budget, not in this legislation.

Anticipated Revenue/Reimbursement (in $1,000’s):

Fund Name and Number	Department	Revenue Source	2002 Revenue	2003 Revenue
		None
TOTAL

Notes:

Total Permanent Positions Created Or Abrogated Through Legislation, Including FTE Impact; Estimated FTE Impact for Temporary Positions:

Fund Name and Number	Department	Position Title*	2002 FTE	2003 FTE
		None
TOTAL

* List each position separately

Do positions sunset in the future? (If yes, identify sunset date):

n/a

Background (Include brief description which states the purpose and context of legislation and include record of previous legislation and funding history, if applicable):

An all ages performing arts venue was a key recommendation of the City’s Music and Youth Task Force. The Vera Project, which is named after a youth music venue in the Netherlands, recently completed its second successful year. This agreement extends City support for the program for another two years, at a reduced level. The Vera Project received $70,000 in funding from the City for its initial year of operation in 2001. In 2002, Vera received $75,000 in support from the City, between the Arts Commission, Parks Department, and Seattle Center. In 2003-4, The Vera Project will receive $50,000 each year through the City: $25,000 from the Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs (formerly Seattle Arts Commission), $15,000 from the Department of Parks and Recreation, and $10,000 from Seattle Center. The agreement between the City and The Vera Project includes $95,000 in City support over the two years. Another $5,000 for work outside the scope of this agreement already has paid to The Vera Project through a grant process administered by the Department of Parks and Recreation. The Vera Project will leverage City funding to obtain additional funding for its activities. The agreement with The Vera Project will be administered by Seattle Center.

The Vera Project is a youth-driven, volunteer-based organization providing artistic events as well as training and mentoring opportunities for young people, while supporting young and emerging artists. In 2002, The Vera Project secured a permanent location at 1916 Fourth Avenue, the former home of the Annex Theatre.

The financial cost of not implementing the legislation (Estimate the costs to the City of not implementing the legislation, including estimated costs to maintain or expand an existing facility or the cost avoidance due to replacement of an existing facility, potential conflicts with regulatory requirements, or other potential costs if the legislation is not implemented):

The funding for The Vera Project is included in the 2003-4 Adopted/Endorsed Budget.

Possible alternatives to the legislation which could achieve the same or similar objectives (Include any potential alternatives to the proposed legislation, including using an existing facility to fulfill the uses envisioned by the proposed project, adding components to or subtracting components from the total proposed project, contracting with an outside organization to provide the services the proposed project would fill, or other alternatives):

Is the legislation subject to public hearing requirements (If yes, what public hearings have been held to date):

No

Other Issues (including long-term implications of the legislation):