Loose Leaf Notes

Part I of the following, which was published in The Floyd Press, December 30, 2010, can be found HERE.

It takes a lot of manpower and dollars to run the Jacksonville Center without the benefit of a large endowment, something that other art organizations often have.  Like other non-profits, as well as many small businesses and families across the nation, the center has been affected by the economic recession.  As class enrollments and sales of higher priced art have decreased, energy costs to keep the center running have continued to increase.

Recent news about the financial struggles of Roanoke’s Taubman Museum has brought more attention to art organizations like the Jacksonville Center.  “They have the same challenges as other art organizations but on a bigger scale.  We’ve already done a lot of what they are doing now. We’ve learned a lot,” said McEnhill, who noticed trends of a slowing economy in 2007 and began making cost-saving cutbacks then.

The Jacksonville Center is supported by 40% earned income and 60% unearned income from grants, donations, and memberships.   Nine part-time employees with a combined payroll of less than $80,000 a year keep the center running smoothly day-to-day.  Staff positions include an education coordinator, marketing coordinator, volunteer coordinator, a business manager, office manager, maintenance worker, front office staff and executive director.  Board members and committees also help guide center operations.

Many of Jacksonville’s committed employees receive stipends and all work off-the-clock hours, McEnhill reported.  Thousands of volunteer hours are put in each year by hundreds of volunteers.  The center also sub-contracts some jobs and utilizes the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEEP), a Department of Labor training program that employs unemployed seniors.

As temporary sources of income ended and the economy stalled, the center responded by adding an “on demand” class schedule and by replacing their paper newsletter with a cost saving e-newsletter.  “We’re looking into getting a property tax waiver from the county. They have granted waivers for non-profits in the past,” McEnhill said.  He reported that rooms at the center are heated as needed.  Closing for winter months is not an option because of the risk of frozen pipes and because art studio incubators function year round.

Ironically, as the economy has sunk, McEnhill has noticed a sharp increase in visitor traffic, “which shows that people don’t stop appreciating art or wanting to participate in activities,” he said, estimating that the center had approximately 15 to 20,000 visitors last year.  “There are times we are busting at the seams and other times are slow and steady,” McEnhill remarked.

The Jacksonville Center doesn’t have an endowment, but it does have a group of ardent supporters, internally referred to at the center as the “Savior Team.”  Savior Team activists make phone calls requesting contributions and have pledged to match an end of year appeal to raise $20,000.  As of late-December the center was only $7,000 away from their goal.  But pledges will be needed for the new year as well to ensure that programs can continue.

McEnhill believes there are signs that the economy is beginning to improve, saying, “We had the best overall Winterfest this year.”  He remains hopeful that by the spring trends will point to continued improvement.

“It’s not so much about surviving as it is about taking the challenges as they come and adapting to them so that something positive comes out of it,” McEnhill explained.  “We are a remarkably resilient group,” he added.     ~  Colleen Redman

Note: The Jacksonville Center Staff, standing from left to right are Moss Baldwin, office staff volunteer; Lee Chichester, Development Coordinator; Ann Shank, archivist; Marie Daniel, educational programming assistant; Charidy Anders,  housekeeping and hospitality; Carol Fiore, business manager; Chico Estrada, educational programming assistant; Don George, board member and Vice President of finance and development; Jackie Blount, office manager; Gloria Hilton,  hospitality coordinator; Linda Fallon, board member and Vice President of programming; Nikki Saunders, assistant office manager; John McEnhill, executive director. Kneeling in front are Jeri Dewey and Amy Avery-Grubel.  Not pictured: Charles Schultz, gallery coordinator, Eric Bolling maintenance coordinator; Marie Woolum, development assistant and front office staff, Venee’ Finley, front office staff, and Sarah Beth Jones, marketing coordinator.

Visit the Jacksonville Center website at jacksonvillecenter.org.  The center’s winter hours are Mondays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.