I.          CALL TO ORDER:
Chair Andy Stallman called the meeting to order at 8:31 a.m. via Zoom.
 

Commissioners Present:		Staff Present:
Andy Stallman Laura Bloom Sandra Friend Jennifer Longshore Stanley Smith Destiny Young   Absent Members:		Aaron Anderson, Associate Planner Michael Black, Director of Parks and Recreation Sean Sullivan, Executive Assistant, Parks and Recreation   APRC Liaison: Jim Lewis   Council Liaison: Stephen Jensen
		Members of the Public: Tim Bewley Jennifer Corio Gina DuQuenne Precious Edmonds Kendal Engelund	Tia Laida Fé Carol Fellows Jessica Freedman Cassie Preskenis John Richards

II.        ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA – None
 
III.       APPROVAL OF MINUTES  
Chair Stallman noted four corrections to the minutes.
 
Commissioner Friend/Smith m/s to approve the minutes as corrected.  Vote: ALL AYES.  Motion passed.
 
IV.       PUBLIC FORUM - None
 
V.        OTHER BUSINESS Jessica Freedman, Precious Edmonds, Tia Laida Fé and Cassie Preskenis from the “Say Their Names” Coalition provided a presentation requesting support for a permanent memorial celebrating black lives:  
Ms. Freedman explained the artist selection process. Mr. Anderson shared the City’s artist selection process.  Parks and Recreation Director Michael Black explained the fence and path was on Ashland Parks and Recreation property, but the Railroad company might have ownership rights to half the fence.  Ms. Preskenis addressed whether the installation could remain on the fence.  The art had been installed without permission and there was a discussion with City staff on creating a permanent piece.  In January, they were told by the City that the installation needed to be taken down.  The long-term maintenance of the installation on the fence was problematic and due to potential vandalism, weather, and community inattention, not viable.
 
Mr. Black explained the installation would go through the Parks and Recreation Commission’s Signs, Plaques & Memorials Subcommittee.  Chair Stallman thought the process might be similar to the process used for the Japanese lantern memorial in Lithia Park.  Mr. Anderson added it would go under the donations section in the code.  Chair Stallman thought the Coalition should determine which proposal they wanted and get information about the artist, their references, public art experience, etc.  The PAC could assist in that process and provide submission examples. 
 
Ms. Freedman addressed artist selection.  The Coalition wanted the public to select the art piece by voting.  Chair Longshore thought the Coalition could meet informally with commission members to discuss and review the code, AMC 2.29.130 Guidelines for recommendation by the Commission and 2.29.140 Standards for the Ashland Public Art Collection to ensure the artwork was viable.  Commissioner Longshore stressed the importance of due diligence on all aspects of the art piece and only putting forth a project they knew would be successful.  Mr. Black agreed and added location, size, massing, electricity, pedestrian, and traffic all needed to be considered.  He invited the Coalition to attend the Parks and Recreation Commission meeting and give the presentation they provided at this meeting at their meeting on May 5, 2021.
 
Commissioner Friend asked if they had considered other locations other than Railroad Park.  Ms. Freedman explained that Railroad Park was where the installation was born and had accumulated so much meaning for the community that it was their first choice.  They were open to having it in another location if it had a comparable amount of traffic and visibility.
 
VI.       PAC WORKPLAN Jennifer Corio and David Frei  provided a presentation on “Golden Connections”.  They described the design and materials.  It celebrated the transformation the railroad brought to Ashland and honored the Chinese men who built it.  The sculpture connected the past with the present.  The proposal also included stones around the sculpture engraved with Chinese sayings.  They would sit off to the side of the sculpture.  However, due to the budget, they may not be included.
 
Commissioner Friend commented on the lettering on the spike and suggested doing Ashland in caps and slightly larger than Portland and San Francisco.  The Parks and Recreation Commission discussed planting four-foot high shrubbery at the site.  Commissioner Lewis asked the proposal to request that the landscaping not interfere with the sculpture.
 
Commissioner Jensen would pull the item from the consent agenda so Ms. Corio and Chair Stallman could speak to the sculpture.
 
This was Commissioner Friend and Chair Stallman’s last meeting on the Commission.  They were thanked for their service and their efforts were recognized.
 
VII.     PROJECT UPDATES
Masterworks Plaques
 
VIII.    LIAISON REPORTS
Council Liaison – Councilor Jensen
Community Development Liaison – Aaron Anderson
APRC Liaison – Jim Lewis
 
IX.       ADJOURNMENT 
Meeting adjourned 10:30 a.m.
 
Next Meeting:  May 21, 2021