The Danbury City Council decided to give more than $52,000 in funding to Ives Authority for the Performing Arts in the coming year's budget, despite a committee recommending that the money be held until some answers about financials are provided.  The City Council plans to form a different committee at their meeting next month to talk with the Authority about their fiscal situation.  

 

Councilman Ben Chianese was concerned with a financial report, over 15 months, showing a loss of $100,000.  West Conn Professor and Ives Authority Chairman Frank Herbert says they have a small positive cash flow because they have reduced expenses.  West Conn is now providing some equipment they previously rented.

 

Executive Director Phyllis Cortese works at West Conn and was ill with norovirus during budget negotiations. Mayor Mark Boughton said Tuesday night that stripping the funding, even temporarily, would have effectively shut down the concert park.  

 

In the 90s, Ives would take on the liability for a big act, including if it rained, causing financial trouble.  Boughton says promoters have backed away because they are now the ones taking on the liability.  He added that musicians are not making as much from album sales and downloads so their appearance fees have also gone up.  He says Ives then changed the mission to be more community-based.

 

The money is about 10 percent of the organization’s annual budget. Danbury created the Ives Authority 14 years ago, bolstering the operation with $125,000 in seed money, in order to make it self-sufficient.  But the approximate $50,000 contribution each year has been allocated.