Over the last few weeks, not all the drama at the Capitol Theater has been up on the silver screen. Much of it took place behind the scenes, where relations between Olympia Film Society's board and staff have become increasingly contentious.

As with most arts organizations, the last few years took a serious bite out of Olympia Film Society's bank account. The 2010 annual report shows that after operating expenses climbed 17 percent, the OFS squeaked through that year with a net operating income of only $1,235.27 after expenses. Matters grew worse in 2011; the balance was down over $9,000 by July, with another $14,000 lost by November.

The OFS staff collective includes a theater manager, a cinema technician, two programmers, a bookkeeper and other volunteers. A rift between the OFS board and staff first became visible in minutes for the board meeting of Jan. 4, 2012. A month before, the board discussed the possibility of expanding the position of development director into the larger role of executive eirector. The staff was already performing many of the duties of a defunct office manager position, and would now be obliged to complete several tasks previously assigned to a board coordinator. Staff representative Helen Thornton (also OFS's film programming director) was in attendance at the December meeting, but was asked to leave while this redistribution of staff duties was discussed.

By the time of the January 2012 meeting, Thornton found and presented a job description that specified OFS's staff rep is entitled to attend executive board sessions. (This policy appears to be contradicted by conflict-of-interest bylaws in OFS's charter.) According to January 2012 minutes, the staff (this time in the person of substitute staff rep Linda Friedman) expressed concerns over Thornton's temporary expulsion, as well as budget issues related to a freeze on automatic pay increases.

In February, after months of consultation with legal counsel, the board approved its new staffing plan. "Obtaining compliance with state and federal (labor) laws is not optional," noted the executive summary. "Fundamental change is necessary, not only to address compliance, but also to address key issues that will allow our organization to mature. We are no longer a small, ad hoc collective of film enthusiasts. ... We can't afford to operate in a small, ad hoc fashion, the cost is too great and our financial position is simply too tenuous." Under the heading "Considerations and Goals," the summary notes, "Staff/Board Relations: Clear boundaries and roles will eliminate tension between Staff and Board."

Unfortunately, that was not the case. March 11, volunteer staff members Marcy LaViollette and Lisa Hurwitz circulated a petition throughout OFS's membership and volunteer base that read, in part, "In light of major organizational changes we the concerned members of the Olympia Film Society (OFS) petition the OFS Board of Directors to convene a special membership meeting to inform us and allow for our input." The petition requested a meeting agenda that included the following list:

Proposed changes to staffing ...

• Dismantling of staff collective model
• Significant changes in job duties
• Outsourcing of bookkeeping
• Elimination of personnel & film fest committee
• Shrinking of live events (concerts, burlesque, speakers)

Board transparency and process ...

• Lack of agenda posting & minutes posting as required by bylaws
• Exclusion of Staff Representative to the Board from board decisions

With regard to the "shrinking of live events," the new staffing plan declared, "In-House promotion and live events will be scaled back to permit operation by programming manager. ... OFS programmed events will be limited to the core set of events that provide a balance between income and service to the community. These will include Duck the Malls, the Environmental Film Festival, the Documentary Film Festival, the Olympia Film Festival and others as to be decided collaboratively by the PM and the [Executive Director]." Meanwhile, the Capitol Theater was named "Best Live Music Venue" in the Weekly Volcano's 2012 Best of Olympia issue, an honor evidently cited in complaints against the board's diminished events schedule.

Volunteers were recruited to stand outside the Capitol Theater and collect petition signatures. Staffers entreated musicians, concert promoters and other business owners and community leaders to oppose the board's plan. Theater Manager and Live Events Director Audrey Henley sent an email that read, "If you decide to sign this petition, you must be a Current OFS Member for your name to count towards the vote to call for this Special Meeting (10% membership is needed). ... Though the Staff Collective did not participate in drafting this petition, we share many of [its] concerns."

In her own email, Hurwitz wrote, "The approved drastic organizational restructure undermines OFS's unique staff collective model, was developed without any staff knowledge or participation, and was approved by the board before the staff even knew about it. Our staff is unanimously distressed by the current situation. ... (W)e are also concerned by the board's poor judgments in remedying OFS's finances. ... With a mere month and a half operating expenses left in the bank now is not the time to gamble by pushing the staff to the verge of walking." (The board believes creative bookkeeping could stretch that time to six months.)

Staffers quickly collected enough signatures to muster the special public meeting, which is scheduled for noon on April 14. "In the meantime," Henley says, "members of OFS, the staff collective and the board have met a couple of times over the last couple of weeks to develop a better alternative plan." Staffers remain concerned about dwindling finances, a $28,000 investment in what may have been a redundant property assessment, procedural inconsistencies and board retention; the president, vice-president and secretary all stepped down at the end of their terms April 4. It's an OFS election year, and both staffers and board members emphasize the need for qualified, dedicated candidates for these open positions. For now, live music is still a hot ticket at the Capitol Theater.

Hurwitz adds, "The board has assured us that there will be a press release and other more formal announcements to the membership shortly." The Volcano will continue to monitor this story for further developments.