Failure to grant
Who knew what and when seems to be two questions going unanswered in the fiasco involving Main Street McMinnville and its financial inability to move forward with a grant it secured from the Levitt Foundation. A third question of “who dropped the ball” is also unknown.
This controversy reminds me of Park Theatre Group’s failed attempt to renovate Park Theater. While group members might argue with that assessment, the old saying of “it is what it is” comes to mind.
After obtaining a lease from the city of McMinnville on the building – if memory serves, the agreement obligated the group to pay $1 a year in rent, because the city had to request something monetary for this to be a valid lease – I felt public interest required me to attend a Park Theatre Group meeting in which they were going to discuss future plans for the property.
I sat quietly, as I always do in meetings, as they discussed the minimum amount of money they’ll need to generate through fundraising before they can obtain a loan and begin renovations. I can’t remember that magic number exactly; however, it wasn’t chump change by anyone’s standards.
Now, I’ve never claimed to be the smartest person in the room or the brightest crayon in the box, but I do know that you cannot borrow money against property you don’t own. That thought is running through my head as the meeting continued. I waited, ever so patiently, for one of the members to enlighten me as to how that would be possible. Nothing.
After the meeting ended, I walked over to a member – never mind which one – and asked how they plan to jump the hurdle of not owing a property they intended on borrowing money against. I was assured that they had figured everything out. No explanation as to what they plan on doing, just an adamant assurance that someone – I guess someone smarter than myself – knew what they were doing.
I wrote the article based solely on what I heard at that meeting and did not write a column regarding my belief that this endeavor was doomed to failure. People wanted that project to succeed, and they likely wouldn’t appreciate a cold splash of reality. I wanted the building renovated, as well. I have fond memories of Park Theater. I had my first date at the age of 16 there with a boy named Doug Duncan. The relationship didn’t last, but you can’t hold that against a building.
Fast forward a few years later, I’m sitting in a Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting and the same person who told me that they had everything figured out was there to hand the keys to the building back to the city. When asked why, the reason given was that they couldn’t borrow money against property they only leased and didn’t own.
And there it was: Vindication for me, in which I took no joy.
That controversy mirrors this one. People wanted to know who knew what and when and who dropped the ball. Additionally, they wanted to know what would happen to the donated dollars. It was a hot mess, as this one is with Main Street McMinnville.
Here’s my thought: I think people, even very intelligent people, can get too caught up in the excitement of what they want to do that they stop looking at anything else. They’re focused on the goal. Period. At some point in the process, they are hit with a cold splash of reality. After a period of “how do we salvage this situation,” it’s time to come clean and take that hit.
So, who knew what and when and who dropped the ball with Main Street McMinnville’s grant? I guess the answers are hidden somewhere behind all the finger pointing. It would be nice if someone took responsibility. However, knowing who’s to blame would only give people a clear target. I can understand why that person(s) would rather withstand the controversy and hope it subsides quickly.
On a personal note, Doug and I are now engaged. We reestablished our relationship at the age of 54. If we ever get married, Park Theater might be our venue choice. A big ‘thank you’ to the city of McMinnville for saving it.