Mountain View Performing Arts Committee Special Meeting Summary - August 22, 2025
Mountain View Performing Arts Committee Special Meeting Summary - August 22, 2025
The Mountain View Performing Arts Committee (PAC) held a special meeting on Friday, August 22, 2025, at 6:15 PM in the Atrium Conference Room and via video conference. Chair David Garcia called the meeting to order. Committee Members Antara Bhardwaj and Vice Chair Carol Donahue were present; Committee Member Valerie Fenwick was absent. The meeting covered approval of previous minutes, review and approval of the FY2025-26 work plan, discussion of resident company presentation questions, and an overview of the rental process for the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts (MVCPA).
Consent Calendar
- The committee approved the June 18, 2025 minutes (3-0, M/S Bhardwaj/Donahue).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Connor Day, Managing Director of CLU Theater (a resident company), spoke from the floor. He expressed that a recent update to operating procedures for city-owned equipment use at MVCPA represents a major financial hit for nonprofit resident companies. He stated that the new mandate requiring a minimum of three MVCPA stagehands for main stage productions and two for second stage would result in a 35–40% year-over-year cost increase for main stage use and a 25–30% increase for second stage. Day also noted that potential future fee increases could add up to 55% over the next three years. He reported that during summer 2025, some new stagehands lacked basic training and required real-time training from CLU staff and volunteers, and that their presence did not make operations safer or more efficient. He concluded that if these requirements remain, CLU Theater's time at MVCPA is likely to come to an end very soon.
Discussion Items
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6.1 Review and Approval of the FY2025-26 Committee Work Plan Draft
- The committee reviewed the draft work plan. Members discussed minor clerical and wording changes, including adding "in support of council priorities of livability and quality of life" to item A, clarifying the description of the ad hoc committee with Visual Arts and Downtown committees, and renaming the client usage report to "quarterly impact report." The committee also discussed switching the order of items two and three (Art and Wine Festival review and increasing community connections). A motion (M/S Donahue/Bhardwaj) to approve the work plan with the discussed adjustments passed unanimously (3-0).
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6.2 Review and Approval of the Resident Company Presentation Questions
- The committee engaged in extensive discussion about revising the annual questions for resident company presentations. Members proposed shifting from specific data requests to more open-ended, narrative questions focused on organizational health, collaboration with Mountain View, audience development, and financial sustainability. Key suggestions included asking about break-even points, unanticipated expenses, strategic plans, community served, and program impact in Mountain View. Concerns were raised about making questions proportional to the size and capacity of each resident company (e.g., UpStage, PYT, and TheatreWorks). The committee ultimately directed staff to incorporate the major modifications discussed, schedule a special meeting to present a final version for approval, and prepare a draft with four categories: financial/budget/strategic, programming, collaborations, and marketing.
- A motion to approve the current questions was denied (0-3, with all members voting no).
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6.3 Overview of the Process of Renting the MVCPA
- Performing Arts Manager Theresa Yvonne provided an overview of the client rental process. She explained the primary booking season (deadline December 2, 2025, for the October 2026–September 2027 season), the priority given to resident companies, and the secondary rental process. She described the online application, licensing agreements (distinguished from rental agreements), ticketing and marketing worksheets, and the fee structure. Yvonne noted that fees had not changed in 15–20 years and that the citywide fee study would result in increases, recommending smaller, regular increments in the future. She also mentioned that 10 organizations had to be turned down from the primary booking season that year due to high demand. Members discussed the 10% complimentary ticket cap, convenience fees, and the need for new ticketing software; an RFP for new software is planned.
Key Outcomes
- Work Plan Approval: The FY2025-26 Committee Work Plan was approved unanimously with minor clerical and wording changes.
- Resident Company Questions: The current draft questions were denied; staff will incorporate major modifications and schedule a special meeting to present a revised final version for approval.
- Rental Process Overview: No action was taken; the presentation was informational.
- Ad Hoc Update: An ad hoc committee (VAC-DC-PAC) has selected artist Don Hirschman for a joint gallery reception, tentatively scheduled in September for further details.
- Art and Wine Festival: The committee discussed potential participation in the festival (a booth or outreach) but deferred concrete planning.
- Next Regular Meeting: September 17, 2025, at 6:15 PM; a special meeting is expected beforehand.
Meeting Transcript
Spanish and or Chinese interpretation via Zoom and translation of meeting materials are available at no cost upon request. Please contact the city by 5 p.m. at least two hours do business days prior to the day of scheduled meeting by phone at 650903 6608 or by email at MEP at Mountainview.gov. This meeting is being conducted with a virtual component. Anyone wishing to address the committee virtually may join the meeting online at Mountainview.zoom.us slash J slash 85206706172 or by dialing 66909128 and entering webinar ID 8526706172. When the chair announces the item on which you wish to speak, click the raise hand feature in Zoom or dial star nine on your phone. When the chair calls your name to provide public comment, if you are participating via phone, please press star six to unmute yourself. Okay, roll call. Staff. Committee member Andra. Member Vice Chair Carol Donahue. Here. Chair David Garcia. Present. And committee member Valerie Ferwick is absent. Excellent. Okay, on to item three, minute approval. Thanks. And if it's just for the right feet. I'm moved to closely fast. That's what the next step is. Yes. Do we have a second? I second. All in favor. Okay. Um do we have any item four, any oral communication from the public? Yes. Oh, what? And it's for this portion of the meeting is reserved for persons wishing to address the committee on any matter not on the agenda. Speakers are limited to three minutes. State law prohibits the committee from acting on any non-agenda items. Should I move or you can do it? Or do you anywhere you want to go? Yeah. Sorry. My name is Connor Day, managing director of CLU Theater, one of the resident companies at MPCPA. On Friday, August 15th, we received a letter from center staff with updates on operating procedures for city-owned equipment use at the center. This most recent update clarified the existing policy by mandating that all main stage productions shall be supported by a minimum of three MVCPA state cans and loading to load out and two for second stage. As a nonprofit committed to keeping our operation costs low to ensure our programs are accessible. Update is a major financial hit. For PYT, it equates to a 35 to 40% year year cost increase for our main stage use and a 25 to 30% increase for second stage. We also know that there are more potential fee increases on the way upwards of 55% over the next three years from the sprint citywide fee study. Originally, the new procedures that went into effect on June 1st simply stated that clients must hire city state chance to operate any necessary city equipment. Since those updates went into effect, our creative staff have put us in a significant amount of time to design our phone musical to avoid use of the main curtain and ringing system, as well as to acquire our own soundboard. This newest update seems now to render this class saving methods irrelevant. When we asked in our staff this week about for specific information about what these require stage would be doing, we were told their roles would be determined at production planning meetings with MPCPA, which we will schedule as soon as possible. This summer we used MPCPA stage hands as required for lights and sound, funded by the city as it was not in our contract signed a year prior to the productions. However, we observed that several of these new hires lacked basic training on the equipment and required real-time training from our staff and volunteers. Additionally, we often pay for staff who are not readily available when needed, spending in time and under other parts of the building.
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