The Soldotna City Council adopted a resolution supporting the Alaska Children’s Institute for the Performing Arts’ application to the Alaska State Council on the Arts for its Community Arts Partnership Grant Program. The resolution was sponsored by Assembly Member Justin Ruffridge and Mayor Paul Whitney.
Whitney was responsible for vetoing a resolution that would have provided $25,000 in ARPA funds to the Triumvirate Theatre, citing the process not being properly followed. An attempt was then made to override Whitney’s veto by Ruffridge, which failed on a 3-2 vote as there was an excused absence by a fellow council member.
Joe Rizzo of the Triumvirate Theatre, at the time, told council that Mayor Whitney’s veto makes it much harder to secure grants if it shows that the city council is not in support:
“It’s very hard for me, as the Executive Director, to write those grants and persuade these folks to support this partnership with the council or with the city of Soldotna when it’s on the headlines that it’s being vetoed and then, if tonight it’s sustained, that basically tells the people I’m asking for funds from to support this event for the city of Soldotna, it tells them the city is not truly in support of it.”
This resolution, especially with it being sponsored by both Whitney and Ruffridge shows the support that Rizzo was looking for.
Ruffridge at Wednesday night’s meeting said:
“Obviously we’ve talked many, many times about the Alaska Children’s Institute for the Performing Arts in the last couple of meetings, better known at Triumvirate Theatre, through some resolutions. This is a support from the municipality or from this council for the grant program that was identified through some of the process that we were going through in identifying maybe having a musical in the park and this would be a way to ensure that that is able to happen through this grant program that is in the process of being written now and is due at the end of April. This would go a long way towards establishing this support for that grant.”
Mayor Whitney echoed similar sentiment:
“I strongly support this resolution. I wish the council and hope the council will vote for approval. This will show that the city of Soldotna and the administration and council strongly support arts program that the Triumvirate Theatre is trying to put on and that we certainly hope that they do receive the grant.”
The resolution also expresses a commitment to an ongoing partnership with the theatre to provide in-kind support for accessible community theatre productions in the city. The city has long partnered with community organizations to help facilitate and coordinate public events that serve to enrich the quality of life in the community and promote public well-being for residents and visitors and the city wants to support a continued partnership with Triumvirate Theatre to facilitate future accessible outdoor community theater productions that reinforce the enriching role of the arts in our community, highlight Soldotna’s beautiful public parks, and bring community members together to enjoy the artistic talents of their friends and neighbors.
In unanimously passing the resolution, a copy will be sent to Rizzo and to the Alaska State Council on the Arts Community Arts Partnership Grant Program.