Harlan Kirgan
Musician Joel Savoy is to present a proposal at Tuesday’s Board of Aldermen meeting for a non-profit to revive the Liberty Theater.
Savoy spoke at Thursday’s meeting where the mayor and Board set the agenda for the meeting scheduled at 6:30 p.m. in the Eunice Municipal Complex.
Hurricane Delta was forecast to make landfall Friday and Mayor Scott Fontenot referenced the upcoming Tuesday meeting as likely, but dependent upon the storm’s impact.
Savoy was representing The Association for the Liberty Theatre of Eunice.
The Liberty Center has been challenged in recent years by issues from low attendance at its live Saturday show and upkeep. A recent estimate is an air-conditioning fix may cost up to $350,000. After Fontenot took office, a mold problem had to be addressed.
Savoy said the association’s Board of Directors include himself, Celeste Gomez, Laura Pitre, Pat Dossman, Charles Seale and Paul Feavel.
“We want The Liberty to flourish and prosper, finding a renewed role as a center for culture, performance and community pride directed by leadership from a local not-for-profit ready to commit to long- and short-term goals that includes fiscal responsibility for needed renovations and for on-going programming,” a letter from Savoy to the mayor stated.
Fontenot applauded the group’s vision and noted the Liberty at one time was “a hopping place.”