PORT ANGELES — We need executives, especially those who can get excited about raising money; we want arts people with connections; and we need community activists, “people kicking tires and asking questions.”
So went consultant Karen Powell’s description of the future Lincoln Theater board of directors.
On Wednesday night, in the first of three public forums, Powell spoke about reopening the closed-down Port Angeles movie theater, turning it into a nonprofit performing arts center and recruiting the people who will be its stewards.
Nine attend
Just nine people — including Lincoln project architect Michael Gentry and business manager George Bergner — came to the meeting in The Landing mall conference room.
So Powell, with her husband and business partner, Scott Nagel, welcomed the group and urged them to bring more people to the next meetings, to be held in August.
The common perception is that boards are formed behind closed doors, Powell said.
“This is our chance,” she said, “to not close any doors.”
Then she outlined nonprofit board members’ responsibilities, starting with the fiduciary: ensuring sound planning and management.
The board will work with a paid executive director — and Nagel wants that job — to make the Lincoln Theater a sustainable operation.
For many months, since he made an offer of $235,000 to Sun Basin Theatres of Wenatchee, Nagel has been mapping what he calls “business lines.” Those are revenue streams for a reborn Lincoln: not only movies but also stage productions, concerts, conferences, children’s theater, dance performances, company parties, even weddings.
To Nagel’s mind, that’s the mission — and the sustenance — of a performing arts center: providing a space for a variety of events.
Board of directors
The board of directors would be responsible for protecting and advancing the mission, Powell noted.
She and Nagel have been talking about their vision for the 99-year-old cinema since last winter, when they began the Light Up the Lincoln campaign.
The pair want to cover the $235,000 purchase price with donations; so far, they’ve got $175,000 worth of pledges. To bring in the rest, Nagel is turning his energy toward grants and major gifts from companies and foundations.
At Wednesday’s meeting, he was asked why he can’t put something fresh on the marquee.
For over a year now, the message above the theater at First and Lincoln streets has read “Building for sale,” along with real estate agent Dan Gase’s phone number.
And yes, “it could be bought by anyone at any time,” Nagel said. Gase has shown the property a number of times.
Nagel, however, is optimistic about raising the money and buying the place, at last, by summer’s end.
Upcoming open house
He also plans to have an open house at the Lincoln Theater on a Saturday in September and said the seller has given him permission to do so.
What Nagel and Powell are hearing from grant makers, though, is that they should have a board of directors in place for their nascent nonprofit organization.
Hence the forums on the matter.
The next one, titled “Building an Effective and Efficient Board of Directors,” is set for Aug. 12, and the last one, “Creating Profiles for Great Board Members,” will be Aug. 26. Both will start at 6 p.m. in the upstairs conference room at The Landing mall, 115 E. Railroad Ave.
Collaborators needed
While the board has to have “wealth and wisdom,” Powell said, it also needs many collaborators. Ideally, board members have a lot of partners across the community; they work with committees on specific projects.
When everybody gets together like that, she said, “it is killer-lovely.”
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Features Editor Diane Urbani de la Paz can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5062, or at diane.urbani@peninsuladailynews.com.
