The move means the city's Parks and Recreation will be given the duties of staffing phones at the theater and giving tours of the venue, however the department's director, John Simeon, said following the meeting staff will not be responsible for booking shows.

Wyatt told council the theater will be staffed from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. “The phones will be answered.”

Wyatt said Interim Police Chief Jeff Hinton will assist the parks department in the endeavor. “We have plenty of rules and rental policies for this theater.”

Addressing a proposal from the Halifax County Convention and Visitors Bureau to serve as an advisory panel to council on the theater, the interim city manager said there have been some changes from the original proposal.

The bureau now wants the city to come to its board with a list of what it would like for the visitors bureau to do to help in the matter.

Wyatt said the city wants to contact business leaders to serve as sponsors for shows. He said the city wants tourism to serve as a marketing and advertising agent for the venue. “We need viability, what tourism, the chamber and business leaders need to help us in that regard.”

Councilman Carl Ferebee said, “We keep picking up the pieces. We talked about needing an advisory group, I though tourism would be that group. I think we need an advisory group to help us.”

Councilman Greg Lawson said tourism simply wants a sense of direction from the city. “They're not saying they won't be an advisory group.”

Said Mayor Emery Doughtie, “This council has been wrestling with this for a year now. I don't think we've had any success.”

Ferebee said he believes time is important in this matter as the city has run out of theater reserve fund. “We need a concrete plan, like a business plan. We don't have any more time. After this year we're going to be in a heap of trouble. We are back where started, us being in that work.”

Wyatt said the first thing the city needs to do, since Branham decided to end her contract with the city, is protect its investment. He told Ferebee a business plan will be developed by September 1.

Lawson said while he appreciated parks and recreation stepping up, he added, “mostly what I want to see is a for sale sign on the durn place.”

Doughtie said following the meeting Branham chose to end her contract with the city to pursue other opportunities without giving much detail on the decision.

The mayor said he was not surprised by the decision. “Obviously, there wasn't a great deal of activity. We would have liked to have seen more activity.”

Ferebee said following the meeting he had mixed feelings over the discussion during the work session. “I'm happy that our group is taking it over and stepping up to the plate, “ but, he said, a concrete plan needs to be set.

Simeon said after the meeting the department's goal is to provide customer service at the venue as well as support. “We will give people the proper paperwork, similar to how we manage the Kirkwood Adams Community Center.”

Simeon stressed, however, “By no means are we going to book acts, shows or programs.”