Redding withholds identities of panel chosen to review Civic Auditorium proposals

During a Redding City Council meeting in late October, Community Services Director Travis Menne shared updates about the process of choosing a new manager of the Civic Auditorium. It was just a few weeks after the city released information on five entities that had applied to run the entertainment venue. 

Menne explained that the city had recruited a panel of six community members to review, rank and score the proposals and to interview the applicants. He didn’t say who was part of the panel or how the community members were chosen. 

In an email to a reporter after the meeting, Menne said the city isn’t releasing the names of those on the panel to maintain objectivity and credibility in the process, adding that they’re “local experts or participate in tourism, hospitality, finance, marketing and event planning.” 

“The participants both understand this world and recognize the importance of continued operations of the Civic Auditorium,” he wrote. 

The auditorium has been embroiled with challenges over the past few years, from financial shortfalls to a management transfer back to the city. The Civic is also built in a part of Redding known as the downtown riverfront, an area of land that’s received intense scrutiny from the public for several years as the city has considered ideas for future development. 

Despite these ongoing public worries, the city isn’t releasing the names of those playing a pivotal role in decision making for who will manage the Civic Auditorium next. Menne said that’s due to worries on how informed public input might impact the process.

“The disclosure of panelists could affect the overall decision-making in a way that discourages candid discussion or allow an opportunity for outside lobbying or external pressures,” Menne said. “We want the community to trust the process because it is an important decision for us all.”

Menne said the panel will provide recommendations to the council, which will ultimately decide who might operate the Civic Auditorium during a public meeting likely to be held next month.

Advance Redding operated the Civic for more than 14 years. In May, the nonprofit failed to retain crucial funding from the city to maintain operations, prompting it to return management to the city. 

The Redding City Council decided to issue a request for proposal, or RFP, this summer to allow entities interested in running the auditorium to apply, and five entities are in the running. Menne said in his emailed statement that during interviews, each proposer will be asked a set of the same questions, along with individualized questions intended to clarify parts of their application. 

The panel of community members will score each applicant, Menne said, and staff will use the rankings to inform their recommendation to the council. 

Mayor Mike Littau will be involved in the process as an observer, which was decided at October’s council meeting. His observations will be shared with the council when staff present their recommendation, Menne said. 

Littau told a reporter over text that he can’t share who was selected for the panel of community members, saying it’s not typical to share such information. He compared it to the process of hiring a city manager, where the city doesn’t discuss the hiring panel. 

He said he is impressed with the panel and thinks it’s composed of diverse community members that have expertise in marketing, economics and the riverfront. He added his belief that the group will approach the process with a skeptical eye to ensure a good fit is selected that “can actually deliver on a good job and stick it out for the long haul.” 

The council plans to bring back discussion about the Civic Auditorium by Dec. 15. 

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