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RAMSEY <br />FOUNDATION <br />May 1,2017 <br />Honorable Mayor Stromrncn & City Council Members <br />City of Ramsey <br />7550 Sunwood Drive NW <br />Ramsey, MN 553 03 <br />k = Management and Administration of the Draw Sumr.er Coneen Series <br />Dear Mayor Strommen & City Council Members. <br />Board Mamb rs <br />Duane Larson, Pr ent)Treasurer <br />Kevin Benner, Secretary <br />Ma+lc Kuzma <br />Mark fikverbrood <br />Al Pearson <br />III Erhart <br />Mary Jo Olson <br />liehi CnIOG <br />Tim Hoffman, Head Safe <br />Gary. Levine t, Founder <br />On behalf of the Board of the City of Ramsey Foundation, 1 am respectfully requesting that the City of <br />Ramsey and its staff assume full responsibility for the management and administration of The Draw <br />Summer Concert Series held annullly at The Draw Park & Amphitheater_ <br />For a bit of history, the City Of Ram. 4 FOUY/dLifiErin was incorporated as a 5' 0JJ(e . (3) non-profit <br />organization in 2006. As stated in the Articles of Incorporation, the City of Rarnsry Foundation was <br />"formed to support economic development as well as other activities to support and improve the general <br />welfare of the City of Ramsey and its citizens'_ One of the initial project_ supported by the Foundation <br />was the establishment of the community gardens. <br />The second major project initiated and supported by the Foundation was the Summer Event Series at The <br />Draw Park, beginning in 2011. Since its bumble beginnings, The Dncw Summer Event Series now hosts <br />twelve weekly concerts, beginning in mid -Jaye until the end of Augustt, with total attendance in 2016 of <br />over 4,600 people. The budget for the performers in 2011 was $4,450 and has grown annually as efforts <br />have been made to improve the quality of the performances. The budget for performers in 2016 was <br />$14,850, To raise funds for these concerts, the members of the &Pin/c/afire board have solicited <br />sponsorships from local businesses, corporations, the 2,ions Club and morn~ recently the City and the City <br />EDA. We also host the pancake breakfast at the l lappy Days festival and for the past three years, have <br />been soliciting contributions for raffle prizes during the concerts. <br />The current challenge facing the City of Ramsey Foundation is sustaining the management and <br />administration, including the all-important Funding, necessary for The Draw Summer Event Series_ The <br />membership ()four board is declining. Recruiting and sustaining; beard membership is an on -going <br />challenge, all while trying to oversce an ever-growing cvc nts budget that is required to lwsi quality events <br />for the citizens and interested City partners. Since the inception of The Draw Summer Event Series, the <br />City has provided essential administrative and management support through the Parks Superintendent and <br />summer intern. Now that The Draw Summer Event Series has been established as a successful program <br />that provides a highly -appreciated "quality of life" benefit to the community, we believe that transferring <br />ruff responsibility of the series to the City and its staff is vital for its on -going sur.cPss. <br />Again, we respectfully request your consideration of this request and are available to answer any <br />questions you may have. <br />Sincerely, <br />Duane Larson, President <br />City of Ramsey Foundation <br />