City Council renewed a six-figure contract with the Union County Performing Arts Center (UCPAC) for technical and programming assistance on city events.

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The governing body unanimously approved the resolution (AR-121-23) at its May 8 regular meeting. There were no questions or comments from the public or council members.

UCPAC would provide “technical and programming assistance from both its Hamilton Stage and Main Stage facilities for certain arts-based programs the city may offer from time to time,” according to the resolution. For example, the mayor’s summer concert series runs from May to October and includes weekly performances and other special events, such as MusicFest for Downtown Restaurants last weekend (May 21).

UPDATED: Here’s a copy of the eight-page contract, obtained through an Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request, along with exhibits, including the list of 43 events with which UCPAC will assist. It’s unclear how the $235,000 was determined or if there’s an estimated cost per event, only that the UCPAC “shall be compensated for the timely and complete performance of its obligations under this contract, which shall be itemized and invoiced monthly to the city.”

UPDATED, 8/1/23: After a July 10 OPRA request for all UCPAC invoices to the city through June 2023 (or to date), I received this May 12 invoice on July 31 for $85,635. which breaks down as follows:

– Mayor’s Concert Series 2023

• Production: 50% of total production costs – $29,100
• Talent: 50% of total talent fees – $42,850

-2023 City of Rahway Music Events

• 50% of total cost of 4 music events – $13,685

The $235,000 contract is almost 7 percent more than the $220,000 contract awarded to the UCPAC last year. That contract included a $56,000 contribution from the Special Improvement District (SID), which was about 25% toward the total of one of the summer concerts. The increased budget reflects additional events the city has added this year, according to William George, the city’s public relations coordinator.

Previously, City Council has awarded contracts for technical and programming assistance to the Irving Street facility in the amount of $80,000, in 2017, March 2016, and April 2015.

The $235,000 contract would represent about a third of the facility’s revenue based on recent Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax forms. Revenue dipped after the UCPAC closed in response to the pandemic being declared in 2020. Revenue was reported at about $600,000 for the fiscal year that ran from July 2020 to June 2021, compared with $1.425 million for the previous year (July 2019 to June 2020).

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