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Agendas and Minutes

Public Arts Advisory Committee (View All)

Public Arts Commission Regular Meeting

Agenda
Friday, July 20, 2018

ASHLAND PUBLIC ARTS COMMISSION
MINUTES
July 20, 2018

CALL TO ORDER:
Chair Sandra Friend called the meeting to order at 8:01 a.m. in the Siskiyou Room, 51 Winburn Way.

Commissioners Present:		Staff Present:
Dana Bussell Sandra Friend Thomas Fuhrmark Andy Stallman Stanley Smith		Fotini Kaufman, Assistant Planner

Absent Members:		Council Liaison:
Richard Newman		Stephen Jensen

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
On page 1 under B. Update on Watershed Piece, Chair Friend clarified the sentence, “Chair Friend explained specific grants funded the Watershed art pieces and did not use public arts funds.” She changed it to “Chair Friend explained that a combination of a grant and non-public funds were used to purchase “Elevation.” On page 2, Goal 3, she suggested deleting “The general perception of the Commission was that it was a valid organization that adhered to public process.”

Commissioners Renwick/Stallman m/s to approve the minutes from June 15, 2018, as amended. Voice Vote: all AYES. Motion passed.

INTRODUCTIONS

PUBLIC FORUM - None

COUNCIL LIAISON REPORT
City Councilor Stephen Jensen updated the Commission on the Council delaying approval of the Wildfire Ordinance amendments. Other topics before Council was the homeless shelter and the new City Administrator Kelly Madding starting July 30, 2018.

PROJECT UPDATES

Inclusion of “Elevation” into the public art collection

Commissioner Friend addressed the process for the City accepting public art pieces into the Public Art Collection. She read an email from the City Attorney Dave Lohman regarding the matter (see attached). Commissioner Bussell provided background on her concerns on not accepting each piece formally into the Public Art Collection.

Commissioner Bussell/Smith m/s to make a recommendation to Council that the piece “Elevation” be included in the City’s Public Art Collection. Voice Vote: All AYES. Motion passed.

PAC WORK PLAN

Identify sites for public art out of downtown
- Meeting with Historic Commission Chair

Commissioner Friend summarized her meeting with the Historic Commission Chair Dale Shostrum.

View PowerPoint

Commissioner Renwick showed the original presentation given to City Council five years before on the Historic Markers Project.

Discuss plan for Public Art in Railroad District

The Commission discussed doing the project piece by piece instead of all at once starting in the Railroad District. Commission comment stressed involving the Parks and Recreation Department early if Parks land would be used for an art piece. A suggestion was made not to use the Quick Response Cards (QR codes) for the historic markers. They discussed the funding process, funding options, and donations. The Commission also talked about the potential impact from the sign code on the Historical Marker Project. Staff Liaison Fotini Kaufman clarified the Sign Ordinance excluded public art.

Commissioners Smith, Renwick, and Stallman volunteered to participate in a sub-committee regarding the Historic Markers Project with three commissioners from the Historic Commission.

DISCUSSION ITEMS

Meeting Decorum and Guide for Public Officials

Ms. Kaufman distributed information on public meeting laws and elections. She also handed out the Ashland Municipal Code Section 2.10 Uniform Policies and Operating Procedures for Advisory Commissions and Board. She explained commission meetings were recorded and accessible to the public along with the minutes. She briefly spoke to quorums with the Commission.

Date for November update of Work Plan

Chair Friend would send out possible dates in November for the Commission to update their work plan.

Chair Friend spoke to the Theater Corridor art piece, “Velocity.” The new completion date was mid to late August. The artist recently was thinking of moving the ball in the piece out where the sidewalk and corridor connected. The Historic Commission had asked the ball be moved back so it would not interfere with the facade at Earthly Goods or the public right of way. The Public Arts Commission was not informed of the Historic Commission’s recommendation. Miss Kaufman was not the staff liaison to the Historic Commission at that time and could not speak to the issue. She did not think there was a setback requirement on the planning side but there might be something regarding building. It would be difficult to change the location at this time. The Commission discussed the process.

ANNOUNCEMENTS & INFORMATIONAL ITEMS:
Next meeting: August 17, 2018, at 8:00 a.m.

ADJOURNMENT
Meeting adjourned at 9:46 a.m.

Submitted by,
Fotini Kaufman
Assistant Planner

From: David Lohman
Sent: Thursday, July 19, 2018 4:33 PM
To: Sandy Friend
Cc: Fotini Kaufman; Kris Bechtold
Subject: RE: question for you

Sandy –

In follow-up to our conversation an hour or so ago, I want to be sure I have clearly answered the specific question you posed below, as well as the other questions that came up in our discussion.

Your understanding is correct: Once the PAC has made its selection recommendation to the City Council and City Council has approved the selection of an art piece, no further PAC approval is necessary under our ordinances. That is, the further step of accepting an art piece into the City's public collection requires only Council approval.

In the future, to avoid perfunctory actions, we should make sure the Council's initial motion to approve a selected design also includes formal acceptance of the piece into the City's collection, subject to the Commissions satisfaction that the final product is substantially consistent with the selected design.

That last element is not required by ordinance, but probably would be a useful assurance to provide to the Council. For the future, the Commission could make such "conformity assurance” one of its official guidelines concerning its operations pursuant to AMC 2.29.170: "The Commission shall have the ability to establish further guidelines concerning its operations…."

When the Council has not yet formally accepted a piece into the City's Public Art Collection (i.e., only approval of the selection has occurred – as in this case), the Council should undertake a subsequent action to accept the piece into the collection. In this case, a statement from the Commission that the final product substantially conforms to the selected design is not required by our ordinance; but as noted above, such "conformity assurance" probably would be helpful to the Council.

Another concluding step that needs to be taken is execution of a contract with the artist in compliance with AMC 2.29.140 and .150. Often, the contract between the artist and the City does not require Council approval because no or few dollars are involved. According to our ordinances, however, such a contract is necessary. Going forward, in the interests of clarity, the initial motion the Council approves should incorporate explicit authorization for the City Administrator to sign a subsequent contract that meets the requirements of AMC 2.29.140 and .150.

– Dave

From: Sandy Friend
Sent: Tuesday, July 17, 2018 11:41 PM
To: David Lohman <david.lohman@ashland.or.us>
Subject: question for you
HI Dave,
I would like to confirm my understanding that once the PAC votes to recommend to the CC that a project be approved for fabrication and installation, by virtue of that CC approval no further vote is required by the PAC after the installation of the piece for it to become part of the city’s public art collection.

Thanks
- Sandy