Above you can see the relevant portion of what VenuWorks’ Burnsville PAC staff sent out to those they consider worthy of seasons greetings (no, I was not one of those lucky few). The entire photo is the VenuWorks PAC staff, in caricature, skating around on an artist’s interpretation of what a skating rink in front of the Burnsville Performing Arts Center would look like. The important part of this greeting card is not that they forgot to add me to the e-mail list, it’s the fact that the PAC’s staff is skating on thin ice. Why is this important?
1. There is not going to be an ice rink unless it’s 100% funded by an outside source. No matter how many images they stick in newspapers or send as greeting cards, the Burnsville City Council better not go back on its promise not to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars adding a rink in Elizabeth Kautz’s backyard when the city closed thirteen elsewhere around town.
Speaking of spending more money on the PAC, there is already a note on the 12/22/09 Burnsville City Council meeting agenda looking to update the nonexistent (at least to the public) 2010 PAC Budget with money to lease a piano. If you all remember correctly, both Mary Sherry and Dan Kealey specifically stated that there would be no more expenditures for the PAC:
In the end both Mary Sherry and Dan Kealey said that the two items decided on tonight were the absolute last that they would approve for the Burnsville Performing Arts Center. Mary Sherry went on to say that she felt that people have had their hands out at every turn and that it’s time for it to stop. After the Slimy Bitch mayor tried to push Mary Sherry into making a motion to approve the spending on the measure (which Sherry curtly refused to do) they eventually ended up voting 5-0 in favor of approving the expenditures.
2. The second obvious point to mention is that the entire VenuWorks team is skating on thin ice with the public and hopefully Burnsville’s City Staff and Council. I’d guess they weren’t poking fun at themselves so while this very well may be a viable option, I am placing my bets on #1.
I really hope that this piano thing and the constant barrage related to that stupid fucking ice rink stops. Honestly I think that VenuWorks should be publicly admonished for this stunt. How about you?
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December 17th, 2009 at 9:01 am
A report came out the other day that said in Detroit Schools 69 percent of the kids that took the test scored AS IF they just guessed on every answer.
The PAC is a seemingly nice place It seems to me that even a guy like me could do what Mr Wolf did and like Detroit kids guess at every decision and do just as bad as the PAC did.
Like it or not the PAC is here. I just cant believe its so difficult to get shows/acts to come here.
The PAC needs to stop putting so much attn into selling to the public how great they think the PAC is. You don’t need to sell the building to the people. Bring in shows people want to see does that and you can’t do this by missing winter meetings. You don’t do this by bringing in shows like Jr Clause and trying to convince people its a holiday classic.
You can spend a million dollars telling me how great a show is but until you start bringing in shows that people want to see they wont come.
December 17th, 2009 at 11:30 am
Greg said it perfectly. Quit trying to sell everyone on how great this place is and start putting on some real shows that people will pay to see.
December 17th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
I saw the complete card, and thought the card/drawing was a big fat middle finger from a group of people who were paid a bunch of money and accomplished exactly zero objectives this year. The use of the ice rink is just symbolic of the disrespect this group and their supporters have for the people paying the bills. They ought to have sent out a “thank you” note to the citizens of Burnsville for the “Paychecks for Puffery” charity program we’ve got going on over there.
December 17th, 2009 at 1:13 pm
We have Dan Gustafson wishing for less scrutiny surrounding the PAC when we have the VenuWorks staff poking the Tax Payers of Burnsville in the eyes with a sharp stick. The entire council needs a reality check and really needs to consider if they are going to be helpful and put forth a focused effort to turn the PAC around. If not, resign now, and let someone else fix your mess now so we can at least stop the bleeding.
December 17th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
You know this whole greeting card thing bothers me a bit more than it should but it’s worth noting:
1. They obviously have some sort of talented artist on staff who can make half decent artwork.
2. The PAC’s “logo” (http://www.burnsvillepac.com/templates/bpacsecondary/images/logo/rotate.php) has been compared to a collapsed lung: http://twitter.com/ArtsOrbit/status/6758012609
3. If they can waste time, energy, and money paying someone to make a fucking Christmas card, why do their advertisements and BPAC logo look like someone threw up all over the fucking place?
December 17th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
Do you think that the residents to the west of the PAC will ever complain about why the west facing portion of the PAC parking structure was never finished and they get to look at a concrete parking structure?
December 17th, 2009 at 9:36 pm
How did they have the budget for custom art for their holiday greetings when their only revenue this month is from concession sales? Actually, concession sales AFTER taxpayer-paid staff salaries, electricity, heating, water, janitorial, insurance, advertising, TicketMaster fees, and snow removal?
December 18th, 2009 at 1:46 am
Speaking of budget, I see 8 names and 8 pairs of skates. What are each of their jobs and what are their salaries that the tax payers of Burnsville are funding? Not sure about you, but I get paid for my performance, no pun intended since the performance is lacking at the PAC. Their salaries should be made public and directly tied to their performance against the VenuWorks Budget and success of the PAC.
December 18th, 2009 at 9:25 am
“Speaking of budget, I see 8 names and 8 pairs of skates. What are each of their jobs and….”
Melissa is the Event Coordinator and Booking Contact
Randall is the Ticket Manager
Alejandra is the Office Manager/Art Gallery Director
Roger is Director of Marketing & Development
Chris is Building Superintendent
Susan is Business Manager
Stephen is Production Manager
Wolf is the outgoing Executive Director
I received this e-postcard as well, and the timing of the send is just funny, happening on the same day that the news of Wolf’s departure was all over the media.
(long time reader, first time poster…. hi.)
December 18th, 2009 at 9:55 am
AM2C, thanks for the informative first comment! Welcome.
December 18th, 2009 at 10:09 am
Man, I want Randall’s job. Can you imagine?
8:00 a.m. – Arrive at work promptly
8:01 – 10:00 – Kick your feet up on the desk, “Rise and Wine” with some complimentary coffee and beaujolais from JoJo’s while reading praise-filled articles about your employer in the Pioneer Press.
10:01 – 10:30 – Hand deliver tickets to the 6 people that purchased them for performances between Jan. 1 and May. 30, 2010.
10:45 – 11:00 – Contribute to another record-breaking sales month at Subway, conduct celebratory presser with Jim Skelly, Communications Coordinator with the City of Burnsville.
11:01 – 11:30 – Perform death-defying crossing of Nicollet to get back to work with (gasp) only a crosswalk and no stoplight.
11:35 – Walk into the backroom of the PAC office and accidentally interrupt Councilman Dan Gustafson handing Wolf Larson a manila envelope filled with unmarked $100 bills.
12:00 – 2:00 Return to desk, watch several back episodes of “ThisWeekLive” with Jeff Achen on the computer.
2:15 – Head down to Melissa’s desk, wake her up for her daily pilates class over at Snap Fitness across the street.
2:30 – 3:30 Troll LazyLightning.org, post glowing reviews of average-to-sucky restaurants like Parkway Grille around the south metro.
3:30 – 4:00 Track down Yahtzee dice to help generate random numbers for Susan’s “PAC 2010 Budget and Projected Revenue”
4:15 Leave early to pick up Sinbad (or other comedian people haven’t heard from in nearly a decade) from the airport and bring him to JoJo’s to be Rised and Wined by the Mayor and her cronies before his show at the Black Box theater.
December 18th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
Sinbad would be a MARQUEE name for the BPAC.
December 18th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
Chad, true…too bad it’s not 1993 when he was actually a household name. But being that their big names include Lorie Line and George Jones, 1993 is fucking recent as hell. WTG VW!
December 22nd, 2009 at 7:48 pm
[...] I mentioned last week, Burnsville would be discussing adding a piano to the PAC at additional cost to the city’s [...]
December 29th, 2009 at 8:27 pm
Keeping it in the face of the public. At least this time it was in an article about the Foundation: http://www.startribune.com/local/south/80173457.html
December 29th, 2009 at 9:26 pm
“My wish would be that people let bygones be bygones, that there can be a truce.”
Well, when those responsible for this nightmere resign, Mayor Kautz, Dan Gustafson, and Liz Workman, I would be happy to let bygones be bygones and call it a truce. Until then, game on.
January 7th, 2010 at 5:49 pm
http://www.twincities.com/dakota/ci_14132057?nclick_check=1
But Kautz told residents Tuesday that no matter how big a job the conference is, she will not forget her first job.
“Burnsville can be assured I will always put Burnsville first,” Kautz said.
i dono” you can put all kinds of expletives deleted in that quote, i guess if i lived in burnsville, i’d be sleeping good tonight knowing the slimy bitch is taking care me and my fam:(
with all due respect to b-ville’ites:)
bb