Oil City’s
downtown arts revitalization effort is paying off, but the program’s
volunteer chairman has made it clear the project has to stay front and
center on city council’s radar.
Lee
Mehlburger told council members last week the program needs more money and
the city has to be willing to stay the course at least 10 years with the
year-and-a-half-old program.
“I wanted
council to realize there are about three things they’re going to have to
begin to think about,” Mehlburger said.
Among those —
the local arts coordinator’s position should bump from $15,000 a year for
15 weekly hour of work, to $20,000 for 20 hours of work. He also wants
council to consider plugging $50,000 into the annual city budget for
advertisement and marketing initiatives as well as designating a new
loading zone beside the National Transit Building.
The Transit
complex serves as the arts revitalization activity hub.
The project’s
artist relocation program already has lured one artist to the city from
Alaska. Charlie Whipple has purchased a historic downtown building where
he will live, open a new business and create his art. Several people also
are waiting to occupy shop and studio space in the National Transit
Building, Mehlburger said.
“I just want
council to understand that they have to begin to think about these things
and to act,” he said. “(The city’s Shepstone study from a couple years
ago) expects a 10-year commitment on the arts revitalization program.
We’ve been doing it for a year-and-a-half, and look at what we’ve
accomplished in that time.”
By the end of
this year, the $42,000 that council either committed in cash or in-kind
services has expanded into approximately $105,000 in other funds, in-kind
contributions and services. Anonymous donors have contributed tens of
thousands of dollars for the revitalization effort to purchase an art
studio and supplies for the National Transit Building, and to fund a new
boiler in the complex.
“Things are
beginning to move,” Mehlburger said.
One catch,
however, stems from the lack of available grant funds for a program like
the arts movement. Most charitable money that’s available cannot be used
for administrative costs, Mehlburger said.
He also spent
some time comparing Oil City and its fledgling arts revitalization program
to a similar, more-established campaign in Paducah, Ky. — citing
similarities to remind council and city administration that the artist
relocation program can work here.
“With its low
cost of living, municipal and community support for the arts, cultural
events throughout the year and an attractive incentive package, Paducah
offers a unique lifestyle for both artists and businesses,” Mehlburger
said. “Sounds like Oil City, doesn’t it.”
A series of
other similarities, including funding incentives and ready housing and
shop stock already are in place, he added.
But further
community cleaning up also must take place in Oil City to make the turf
more appealing and viable for relocating artists, Mehlburger said.
To start, he
would like the city to establish a rental license ordinance that allows
city personnel to insist that blighted and rundown properties be cleaned
up.
“I would hope
Oil City council would develop a task force focusing on this and the
blighted property issues,” he said. “This, too, is part of Oil City’s
economic development strategy. Clean and well-maintained building and
housing stock shows a love and respect for our community.”
He also
credited the creation of neighborhood watch associations that are
springing up throughout the city. Arts revitalization and cleaning up the
city are only small parts of the city’s economic development outlook, he
said.