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Does anyone really know what the renaissance committee does? Iâve been thinking about it for years because there sure ainât no renaissance happening to have a committee meet about.
Just another layer of useless Waukegan self stroking nonsense.
Now I am not trying to be so cynical, but it surely seems that enough is enough. How long will we as citizens stand and watch this train wreck continue? The time to step up and start demanding a streamlined government has long since passed, but a HUGE window is opening up again in one short year. Every alderman is up for re-election. Time to either hold their feet to the fire for the disasters that we are wading thru now and let them know that they will be accountable for decisions that craft the nature of our City.
They need consistent reminders that their job is only as secure as their last decision.
Now is time for them to step up and analyze how the renaissance committee has done ZERO for our community and ask for its disbandment.
Perhaps a decision that would bode well in the next election.
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Well the Renaissance Committee had nothing to do with the Genesee. You can thank the Friends of the Historic Genesee Theatre for that disaster. The Friends guaranteed that the City would never realize any returns on that venue and the aldermen followed their lead by approving SMG as the operator.
But add the 6 figure salary of Robin Schabes (who was appointed due to the work of the Renaissance Committee) to the debt service of the Genesee and you have two failures that the City continues to fund strictly due to lack of performance.
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The City of Waukegan has always owned the Genesee. The Friends have never had any decision-making authority when it comes to the managing, spending or promoting of the theatre. They are solely a fund-raising not-for-profit organization. It was the city's decision to hire SMG; the Friends had nothing to do with it. Even today, the Friends have nothing to do with the management of the building/production of the shows...etc. They just donated $50,000 of privately-raised funds to purchase the film equipment to have the theatre open on non-show nights.
I am a donor to the Friends, and am happy to participate. They have a nice membership program, open to the public and totally tax-deductable. I get early tickets (aka SWEET seats!) sent directly to my house for free, discounts during shows, comped parking and lots more. You all should check it out. It's a great way to support the theatre and get a nice tax break.
See you at Willie Nelson! I'll be sitting row A!
Westleigh
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The Friends after making the decision to abandon the original plan for the theatre solicited and conducted interviews and ultimately made the recommendation to the aldermen to hire SMG. The council acted solely on that recommendation.
And since indeed the theatre has always been owned by the City of Waukegan, every expenditure for the Genesee restoration was approved by council.
Quite honestly, regardless of how much was spent on the Genesee, it is still the only thing in Waukegan that draws anything that resembles a crowd to our city. You can rightly debate whether or not the Genesee should have been restored and question the cost but it is arguably the only thing that regularly puts Waukegan on the map these days.
Thus the question what does the renaissance committee do? Other than events at the Genesee, and a smattering of locally promoted events hosted by various organizations (none by the renaissance committee), what or who attracts those whith capital to invest in our town? Again, I only ask the question because the renaissance committee has been meeting for years with virtually zero to show for it.
And I very well might be mistaken. There may be a mountain of facts and figures that show that the renaissance committee has been really doing something.
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It's high time we protested our property assessments, nothing is selling at 2007 prices and we are only enabling these people to continue their profligate spending. Like I said, I'm tired of these tax and waste fools who vote for ill-conceived, or inappropriate development projects so as to have a few bullet points to add to their re-election literature. Of course, this is only my opinion, so far. Stand up and be counted, those of you that don't depend on gov't for your livelihood. And those that do, we will have to pare back your salary and benefit package to more closely reflect the current times. Harold Beadling
