The Madison Cultural Arts District board of directors will review the Overture Center's budget process after questions were raised about openness.

At a meeting Thursday, the board said it would cut 15 positions at the Overture Center — about 25 percent of its authorized work force — to balance the facility's budget next year. The board approved the cuts Thursday as part of a $5.62 million budget for the first six months of 2009.

At the close of the meeting, Ald. Mike Verveer, 4th District, praised staff and board colleagues for producing a responsible budget but noted the absence of the public or union representatives at the 8 a.m. meeting and raised concerns about the openness of the budget process.

The board, for example, met in a closed session earlier this week to discuss personnel and Overture staff and refused a State Journal request for public budget documents on Wednesday afternoon, citing a desire to inform employees about budget decisions first.

The mayor's office also declined to assist in getting the documents on Wednesday.

"Are we meeting the letter and spirit of the open meetings law?" Verveer asked.

The board agreed to review the budget process at a future meeting.

The job cuts, which would eliminate four vacant jobs and 10.8 occupied positions, would end the most city positions at one time in many years.

The cuts would save $467,400 in wages and benefits.

It's unclear, however, how many employees will actually be laid off because union workers can "bump" into available positions elsewhere in city government.

Overture Officials informed staff about specific cuts Thursday. The final work day would be Jan. 16.

In the spring, the arts district's board of directors hopes to change its budget calendar and offer a spending plan for July through June 2010.

"These are very difficult times," said board chairwoman Linda Baldwin, adding an expression of sympathy for any employes who lose jobs.

"We have a very difficult day ahead of us," Overture president Tom Carto said.

Overture is asking remaining employees to take on more duties and will rely on hourly workers and outsourcing to handle important tasks, Carto said in a memo to the board.