In October 1987, Clark signed a one-year contract, giving him a substantial pay raise while also establishing an artistic review process the board would use to determine if the contract should be renewed. By February 1988, Spisto helped to engineer a vote by the orchestra's board on whether or not to renew Clark as Music Director through the end of his existing contract. In a vote of 12-11, the board voted against retaining Clark; three days later, Clark tendered his resignation, to take effect at the end of the 1988-89 season.