By Lynne Bronstein
Observer Reporter
Once again, the City Council has approved a contract with Boulevard Music to produce the popular summer concert series. The amount to be spent is not to exceed $39,662.
The summer concerts, featuring a variety of folk, blues, jazz, country, and rock entertainers, have run for 20 years and have for the most part, been produced by Gary Mandell, proprietor of Boulevard Music.
The producer of the concerts is responsible for contracting and overseeing the musical artists, sound engineering, custodial services, event security, and marketing.
The City had traditionally supported the concert series through funds from the city Redevelopment Agency. With the dissolution of the Redevelopment Agency in 2012, funding became a challenge. Concerts in 2012, 2013, and 2014 were produced with the help of sponsors and the use of monies from the General Fund.
Mandell's cost proposal for the 2015 summer concert series included the following:
The City will pay for steam cleaning of the City Hall courtyard where the concerts are held. The steam cleaning contract is with Shine Walk, LLC.
Three banners will be hung across city streets announcing the concert series dates. Mandell requested the city waive the $119 city banner permit application fee and pay for the $1,004 installation fee.
Mandell requested a producer's fee of $6000 and a sales fee (for obtaining sponsors) in the amount of $2000 as well as a marketing fee of $2000.
Mandell recommended that all sponsors (that he secures) make their tax
deductible donations payable to the Culver City Cultural Affairs Foundation, with the hopes of offsetting the City's General Fund costs for the 2015
Concerts.
Concert seats will sell for $10 per seat per concert at the Boulevard Music Box Office. A check will be remitted to the city for the amount of all seat sales at the end of the 2015 Concert Series.
While $39,662 is the limit to be spent, if Mandell raises $15,650 in sponsorship revenue and $4,350 in ticket sales for reserved seating, as he did in 2014, the City could potentially recover $20,000.
The funding is to come from the Cultural Affairs Foundation. Mandell promised to seek sponsors.
The Council passed the contract with five ayes. There were no objections this time from the Cultural Affairs Commission, which in past years had opposed Mandell's continued role as sole producer of the summer concerts.
In other actions, the Council approved the organization of property and business owners along Washington Boulevard from Inglewood Boulevard to Beethoven Street as the "Washington West Business District" and determined that the District's future events are deemed city-sponsored events.
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