Capitol Centre general manager Dee Adrian tells city councillors that the organization is in need of upping their budget to help address their staffing issues at City Hall on Tuesday night. PHOTO BY LIAM BERTI
North Bay's home for arts and entertainment is in need of some extra funding this year.
Dee Adrian, the general manager of the Capitol Centre, delivered a presentation to City Council on the first night of budget discussions with the different Agencies, Boards and Commissions on Tuesday, where she painted the real picture of the organization's situation.
They are seeking an additional $17,700 over last year’s operating budget to help balance their 2015 numbers, which will be used to help address their dire staffing situation and wages, one of their biggest concerns moving forward.
Last year, alone, the Centre had a staff turnover of 12 positions, made up of a variety of full-time, part-time and grant positions. As it currently stands, the team consists of seven full-time staff, including the WKP Kennedy Gallery team.
Adrian, who is in her 15th year with the organization, said being unable to consistently maintain staffing and not having sufficient funding to hire a bigger team has resulted in many one-person departments, such as their marketing division.
“We have a major staffing problem where we have some fantastic employees, but its tough to keep good employees because of the wages we can afford to pay,” said Blake Beam, president of the Capitol Centre Board. “We need to have people in our organization being groomed for the next level so they can move up the ladder.”
Instead, the Centre has had to rely on their community partnerships and diligent grant-seeking on both the provincial and federal levels.
What’s more, the core employees of the Centre have only increased their salaries concurrent to the rate of inflation and cost of living for seven years now.
“We do have to have more bodies, period,” Adrian said bluntly.
Beyond that, the existing infrastructure is a liability moving forward, Adrian said. The structure itself was built in 1929 and despite the many renovations and upgrades that have been done over the years, there is still much to be done.
“The building is in great shape, but tomorrow something could go,” Adrian explained after the presentation. “We do our best to make sure that it is 100 per cent because it’s the safety of the public, our artists, our staff, the whole works; but I don’t know if something’s going to give.
“You’re at the mercy of the age of the building,” she continued. “We do the best upkeeping we can with the dollars that we have, but at any point things could go.”
Most notably, they said adequately powering the building is a big update as well as the ongoing boiler patching process, repainting the floors, maintaining the dressing rooms, and replacing the lighting, among a list of others.
The facility has made some significant progress over the years though, which the team is quite proud of considering their limited financial parameters.
Adrian said that when she first took over as the general manager, promoters taking their acts anywhere north of Toronto would skip North Bay and go straight to Sudbury or Sault Ste. Marie because of the inadequate set up at the Centre.
“That has certainly changed with the enhancements we have been able to add to our theatre,” said Adrian. “There’s never any indication that promoters are bypassing the city now.”
There was also some discussion about a potential partnership between the Centre and Memorial Gardens, which is expected to be concert-ready by next October.
While Beam did say that the acts that would fill the arena likely wouldn’t be the same that the Capitol Centre would be competing for, he did say that there is reason for concern.
“It’s still entertainment dollars; if somebody can go to see an act put on at Memorial Gardens, they might not go see two or three at the Capitol Centre, so that is definitely going to be a challenge for us,” he explained.
Beam did say that the Board is interested in seeking partnerships, but no formal plans or strategies have been developed. He was also quick to call attention to just how critical Adrian has been in the organization’s success.
“Dee is a master at that; she has partnerships with everybody in every industry,” said Beam. “Dee has been there for 15 years and she keeps the whole place together; if we lose her we are in big trouble, so we need to plan for what comes next.”
They are currently screening applicants for an assistant manager position in hopes of addressing those succession concerns.
The North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority, Library Board and the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit Board also presented their proposed budgets on Tuesday night. In general, they all requested anywhere between a 2-3 per cent increase in their operating budgets.
Wednesday night’s schedule is set to feature presentations from Casselholme, the Police Services Board and the District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board.
