UPDATE: A Columbian article with an email reply on this matter they received from City Manager Eric Holmes is here

City Council member Jack Burkman tries to defuse community outrage here

For the past 45 years, Slocum House Theater has been performing community plays in the renovated Italianate villa style home since it was saved from the wrecking ball and moved to its current location in Esther Short Park by volunteers of the Old Slocum House Company in 1966. Volunteers of the Old Slocum House Theater Company with cooperation from the Fort Vancouver Historical Society accomplished the renovation of the then century old home in 1972.

Money was raised for the project by presenting plays and manning an automobile license station. Currently, the Theater shares the building with the Farmers Market, who maintains an office upstairs.

The Non-Profit Theater Company leases the home from the City of Vancouver, paying $635 a month with the City responsible for repairs to the building, an arrangement that has been beneficial to the community for many years and charges a general admission price of $13 for a play, $11 for seniors and children 12 an under.

We also know that the city, struggling during this continuing “Great Recession” is experiencing budgetary problems. Some are of their own making many feel and some due to the depressed economy. Everywhere we seem to look, taxes and fees are being raised to cover the expenses of the city and to continue pursuing expensive projects many citizens feel are unnecessary.

I can only imagine the shock felt by the Slocum House Theater Board, realizing their lease expires December 31, 2011 when they recently received a draft agreement proposal from the city informing them that their monthly rental fee is to be increased by 400%, from the current $635 a month to $2500 a month!

I do not know just who at the city wrote the draft or decided that the rent must be raised to such an astronomical amount, but the draft has signature blocks for City Manager Eric Holmes, who just received a very nice pay increase that even the Columbian questions during these economic times, as well as the city clerk and the city attorney.

Bear in mind that Holmes’ wages being increased to $167,152 annually (plus benefits) or his deserving such an increase at this time has no direct bearing on this issue. It only indicates some of the ways our tax dollars are being spent currently.

We read in the draft proposal a long list of what the city has done in regards to Slocum House and the surrounding neighborhood since the home was first moved to Esther Short Park that gives me cause to think as we also read,

“The [Slocum House Theater] Company is currently the primary tenant of the Slocum House; however, the Company agrees to amicably reside with other suitable lessees or tenants when, and if, the City enters into additional House Use Agreements.”

An appeal to the community was sent out that included,

“The city states that they have already been approached by a business that can afford their ‘market rates’.”

In 2 meetings held earlier this year with the city, the Theater was informed they could expect a “small” increase, the city desiring to achieve “market value” gradually over a few years. A 400% increase to a community oriented non-profit with 2 weeks notice is not my idea of gradual or small.

The city has claimed an expense of $30,000 a year spent on Slocum House and I am waiting on a breakdown of those expenses, hopefully sometime this week.

I am also told of needed maintenance and repairs to the structure that the Theater Company would buy the materials and the city would use their people to do the work, capable volunteers being prevented from doing the work and saving the city some money due to “union issues.”

The Theater Company has agreed to take over the utilities and insurance and has been told they could rent the building out for special events to help increase funding to cover expenses.

Council member Jack Burkman said in a short facebook discussion,

“I know there has been an ongoing conversation with the Slocum House group over much of this year. The city is looking at all expenses and the best use of city assets, including this one. The city has been spending quite a bit of money on this venue and isn’t in the position to continue to do that.”

The “ongoing discussion over much of this year” amounts to 2 meetings.

I concur with looking over all expenses in these dark economic times. But, I am also reminded of this same city council recently granting a Millionaire Developer a tax abatement amounting to over $1 Million and their ability to come up with $250,000 in hopes of the construction of yet another park, while many of the others parks around the city wilt away from lack of funding, neighborhood volunteers also being prevented from performing the needed maintenance themselves.

I am also reminded of the overly ambitious pursuit of a Waterfront Development and transportation projects that could drive many citizens and businesses towards bankruptcy.

Well known community activist Temple Lentz states,

“Yes, the city budget is horrible and it’s easy to see why they would want to raise the rent. However — our city far too often makes the mistake of selling off our greatest assets instead of preserving and supporting them.”

It is said a “business interest” has approached the city, willing to pay the new “market value” for the use of Slocum House. That raises the question of would such a new arrangement that would shove the Theater out of their long standing home in Esther Short Park violate the stipulation made when Esther Short donated the land for the Park to the city back in 1855, that it be “a public plaza,” a “public gathering space?”

This might seem odd coming from a pro-business conservative, but even we have a sense of community. The Slocum House Community Theater has served the community for over 45 years now. Such plays and events as they host not only provides citizens with entertainment, but it gives citizens within the community with an artistic talent an outlet within the community to utilize their talents.

The City Council would be wise to preserve this historic landmark and initiate a more reasonable lease agreement with the Theater Company allowing them to continue serving our community.

I urge Clark County residents and all others to read the appeal to the community from Slocum House Theater and contact the mayor and each city council member, expressing support for Slocum House Theater and not to evict them from Slocum House.