Burnsville names 9 to advisory board for arts center

On the same day that an annual audit of Burnsville's business practices found a lack of oversight by the city in 2009 of the publicly owned Performing Arts Center, the Burnsville City Council named a nine-member advisory board to help it better monitor the goings-on at the controversial facility.

The audit findings, presented to the council on Tuesday, mirror those of an internal review of procedures earlier this year, after the art center's first year of operation. While no major violations were found, the review found areas where policy was not strictly followed by employees of VenuWorks, the management company hired to operate the facility.

The decision to form an advisory board was based on those findings earlier this year. The council sought volunteers with skills in a variety of areas, including business operations, marketing and communications, finance, entertainment, fundraising and event planning. Applicants were required to either live in Burnsville or operate a business there.

In announcing the board, the council members said they were impressed by the breadth of candidates from which they were able to choose.

Garrick Dietze, Steve Preus and David Ulrich were named to one-year terms. Paul Jacques, Mark Pevan and Kathleen Cleveland were named to two-year terms, and Sal Mondelli, Lynn Bishop and Brad Rixmann to three-year terms.

Dietze has a long theater background and has served on the board of directors of the Chameleon Theatre, now based at the Burnsville Performing Arts Center, since 2005.

Preus' background is in financial services, with experience in fundraising and grant making.

Jacques is the former director of the Cheyenne, Wyo., arts council. He also had a long career in banking.

Pevan, semiretired, has been in the entertainment business for more than 30 years. Most recently he was a regional vice president for Centerplate, a national hospitality company.

Cleveland works for Lifetouch, a photography company with an office in Eden Prairie. She said she views her position as a chance to represent the voice of the "silent majority" in the community who value the Burnsville Performing Arts Center.

Mondelli is managing director of Jefferson Wells International, a business consulting firm.

Bishop is a trained actress who has appeared in a number of movies and TV shows. She is new to the Twin Cities and works as a theater evaluator. In applying for a position, Bishop said there is no reason the arts center shouldn't be profitable as long as the right productions are booked.

The board will serve as an advisory committee to the council on matters involving the arts center.