I do not expect that you will publish this E-mail. As such, it is really intended only for you. Is the prior board to be held accountable for a lack of oversight? Yes. Is the most recent board culpable in damaging Lancaster’s other cultural assets by falsely campaigning that the Academy could be saved with 10K here and 20K there? Absolutely.
The point remains that the faulty “business” plan was based on the acceptance of statements and promises by the founders that “if we build it, the money will come”, and from New York City and other non Lancaster sources. Preposterous? Darn toot’n. In fact, the suave (and totally ineffective) New York fundraiser at 10K per month was/is a friend of Michael and Fran (can you say conflict of interest?)..
Did Michael and Fran squander multiple chances to partner with entities such as the Metropolitan Opera? You bet. Just ask the persons that attended the dinner in NYC at which the connection was made. This is a significant incident, but if you dig you will find a mountain of them.
Recently, I was made aware that Fran Veri has been going around town saying that Paul Ware was responsible for the cost overruns and that she tried to reign him in. This is quite simply an out and out lie….
The Academy, as originally conceived, was a great idea. The faculty has always been brilliant and the mission sound until Mike and Fran thought that they could become Julliard….overnight. Shame on them and all who have perpetuated this fantasy. Past board members and yourself included.
In the end, we all loose and Lancaster remains…a third class city.
