Theatre owners ask city for aid
By Judi Brinegar
Staff Writer, The Courier-Tribune
ASHEBORO - The Sunset Theatre and Cable TV franchising topped the agenda
at a special meeting of the Asheboro City Council Thursday night.
Clyde Foust, chairman of the George Washington Carver Community Enrichment
Center, made a presentation on the theater, which it purchased in December
2000. The non-profit organization hopes to renovate and transform the building
into a performing arts center.
"This project was derived from the George Washington Carver College
for Afro-Americans in Asheboro," Foust said. "We own the property
where the college once stood and someday hope to build an enrichment center
on the original property."
Foust said that revenue generated from the theater will make that dream
happen.
But it can't be done with the few active members of the GWCCEC, Foust
said as he asked the city to consider helping with the $1 million project.
"If we don't get help from somebody, we can't do this," he
told the council. "We, as a black people, want to do something for
Asheboro, but we need all of Randolph County to be involved. This is our
chance to make a good community a better community."
Some of the needs for the theater include maintenance upkeep, minor repair
work, grant writing, a new marquee and curtains, adequate heating and air
conditioning and bathroom additions.
"If anyone has any suggestions on these items, we would appreciate
their support," Foust said.
Dave Harris of Piedmont Triad Council of Governments updated the council
concerning its cable television franchise renewal with Time Warner Cable.
The city is looking at a 10-15-year franchise contract and had contemplated
asking for an additional three channels for educational, government and
public access.
"Looking at it from a practical standpoint, you have 5,164 subscribers,"
Harris said. "Do you need three additional channels? It would be expensive
to process and do 24-hour programming. They would not be self-supporting
channels. The cost of doing that programming would come from the city or
be passed on to the subscribers. It's not cheap."
Michael Politoski, vice president of the Praise Broadcasting Network,
Inc., asked the council to reconsider asking for a public access channel.
"Fifteen years is a long time," he said. "I'm asking you
to be visionaries and put the public access channel in your contract."
Politoski suggested that there were many ways to make use of the channel,
such as promoting the local chamber of commerce, the N.C. Zoo, church services,
library hour, courtroom proceedings, city council meetings and more.
"You need the foresight to ask for public access, and the government
and educational channels in your Time Warner contract," he said. "You
owe it to the community to have the opportunity to present their materials."
Harris said that he would go back to Time Warner, negotiate for three
additional channels in the franchise and then come back to the council for
its recommendations.
Ginger Booker with Piedmont Triad Council of Governments outlined the
process involved in strategic planning for the council.
"Strategic planning is a systematic way to manage change for the
best possible future," she said. "It's a way for Asheboro to promote
change. You have to take into consideration that technology and environmental
issues will change as you move forward."
Booker said that the process of strategic planning could take up to a
year to complete. Of the cities that have done strategic planning, she said,
60-70 percent followed through on their plans.
"Your next step is to decide how serious you are about doing this,"
she added.
The following items on the agenda were deferred:
* Consideration of approval of formal findings of fact, conclusions and
orders entered by the council under file numbers SUP-04-05 and CUP-04-28.
* Consideration of a resolution authorizing a two-year lease to Fairway
Outdoor Advertising of certain city-owned real property for an existing
outdoor advertising structure.
* Consideration of a resolution authorizing the mayor and city clerk
to execute an economic development incentives contract between Technimark,
Inc., the County of Randolph and the City of Asheboro.
Copyright 2002, Stephens Media Group
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