Council to vote on contract increase for Mesa Arts Center stagehands

By Connor Van Ligten
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The Mesa City Council is set to vote on a increase to a contract for temporary stagehand workers for the Arts and Culture Department during its upcoming meeting.

If approved, the increase would raise the contract amount with UTP Productions Inc. from $975,000 annually to $1.1 million annually. The meeting begins at 5:45 p.m. Oct. 6 at 20 E. Main St.

The contract provides stagehand and production technicians for events at the Mesa Arts Center and affiliated events throughout the city, according to the council report. The dollar increase is needed due to a rise in contractor rates as well as expected higher contract usage and volume.

“Specifically, the vendor provides temporary event labor for the following jobs depending on the event need: stewards, riggers, fly rail operators, stage electricians, stage carpenters, audio technicians, props, personnel, video technicians, follow-sport operators, forklift operators, truck loaders, wardrobe personnel, and hair and makeup artists,” council documents stated. “These roles support performers as needed.”

The contract is funded by the Arts and Culture General Fund operating budget.