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FAIRFIELD, IOWA -- The monthly meeting of the Fairfield Manufacturers Association took place on Tuesday afternoon.

The luncheon is a chance for local businesses and industry leaders to get together and discuss key topics or issues of concern. Among those issues: the Fairfield Arts and Convention Center.

Rustin Lippincott, the Executive Director of the Convention Center, spoke at the meeting regarding the fundraising and revenue for the building which has been struggling with finances.

Lippincott spoke with KTVO following the meeting regarding a special election to be held May 4th. In this election, voters will decide if they are in favor of a public-private partnership that the Convention Center Board of Directors proposed.

"To allocate a portion of the Community Betterment Fund, which is established through the local options sales tax, to join the private monies and purchase the convention center from the local bank," Lippincott said.

He discussed how much private sector money has been raised for this endeavor.

"Privately we raised $900,000 and that's $50,000 short of our goal of $950,000 just in the last three months. So we will go into this election, most likely, with having the private side covered," Lippincott said.

He added that management of the Fairfield Arts and Convention Center is working at anticipating where the expenses will be. And he said that revenues in 2009 were up over 400 percent compared to previous years.

"We're understanding our market of the conferences and conventions and meetings. And we have the commitment, the past commitment and the future support/commitment from our donors. And those three together, I truly believe, put us in the best position to succeed," Lippincott said.