HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010-09-01 Commission on Cultural Development Minutes
Commission on Cultural Development
Sept. 1, 2010, 7:30 am
City Council Chambers
Minutes
Commissioners in Attendance: Chair Steve Ribble, John Rohman, Susan Carlisle, Susan Jonason,
Timothy Lo
Others in Attendance: Geoff Gratwick and Shirar Patterson
Commissioners Absent: Robert Zavaleta, Sandra-Blake Leonard
Others: Eugene Dawes
Next Meeting Date:
1. Welcome & Introductions
Chair Ribble called the meeting to order at 7:30 am.
2. Approval of Minutes from August 3, 2010
The Minutes of August 3, 2010 were approved as presented. So voted.
3. Review Commission Financials
Commission’s allocations totaled $57,950 at the beginning of the new fiscal year for July 1,
2011.
Maine Discovery Museum requested $20,000 in a grant for their Capital Campaign/Museum
Exhibit. The Commission recommended funding of $8,000 to the City Council, which has
been approved, bringing the Commission’s balance down to $49,950.
Chair Ribble stated that the agenda would be revised and Trevor Sprague Memorial Discussion would
be taken out of order
4. Trevor Sprague Memorial Discussion
Steve Ribble reviewed this item stating that it had been briefly discussed at the August
meeting. He noted it is a request by a community member, Eugene Dawes, for a memorial
for Trevor Sprague.
Mr. Dawes was invited to speak and he explained the purpose for this particular request.
Mr. Dawes expressed a strong desire to see a memorial put in place and reviewed the
materials he submitted for the Commission’s review. Additionally he expressed concern that
the case remains unsolved and felt a memorial may bring attention to the case and help solve
it.
Steve stated that the Commission’s Public Art and Monument guidelines states that the
person to whom a memorial is dedicated to shall have been deceased for 20 years. Mr.
Dawes request does not fall into this criteria.
Geoff Gratwick stated even though this does not fall under the current timeframe guidelines
he feels that it will be an ongoing process and would be happy to work with Mr. Dawes on
this in the future.
Steve added that he greatly respects Mr. Dawes bringing this issue before the Commission
and hopes the decision by the Commission is not discouraging to him. It is not the right time
for a memorial but there are other avenues that Mr. Dawes can take to get there.
Geoff Gratwick made a motion to officially at this time not move ahead with the Trevor
Sprague Memorial but that Commissioners continue to be available to Mr. Dawes for his
future endeavors. Seconded by John Rohman. So voted.
5. Monument/Public Art Draft Application Review & Discussion
Purpose of this item is to insure that public art and monuments placed on public property are of
high artistic merit, that the thematic material is appropriate for the City, and the monument
treats its subject matter with appropriate dignity.
Shirar stated: this application document is a clarification of the policy only. The goal is to
make it easier to understand for a community member and to provide the Commissioner’s all
of the information they need upfront. Items were taken directly from the Public Art and
Monument guidelines and put into an application format.
It was suggested to include a generic ‘sample’ of an approved application with the guidelines.
That could also be put on the Cultural Commission’s website.
Shirar will request from the City’s Planning Dept., 2 versions of site plans (a simple one and a
more grand one). These will be reviewed at the next Cultural Commission meeting.
Housekeeping changes need to be done on the guidelines where it talks about the
Committee instead of the Commission. These changes will need to be taken to the City
Council also.
Shirar noted that as the application is not a change to the existing guidelines it is not required
to be approved by the City Council. Steve noted that the Commission should take any
changes or information to the Council at one time.
6. Revised Grant Application Discussion
Shirar had previously been requested by the Commission to put together language in the
Grant Application to clarify their purpose and criteria in order to deal with the restricted
budget available for making grants.
Shirar reviewed the updated grant application which was drafted as a result of conversation
at the August meeting.
The changes simply clarify the application and do not change the grant guidelines as
approved by the City Council in 2005.
An additional match requirement - funds should be matched by a minimum of 50% through
other means of fundraising (grants, donations, in-kind) was highlighted in the grant
application. A match requirement has always been in the guidelines but not specified in the
application itself.
After discussing the above changes, the Commissioners have suggested the following:
o Clarify that large and small grants have separate submission dates, i.e. Jan. & July –
Large Grants; April & Oct. – Small Grants.
o Delete ‘Operating Support’ instructions in the application.
o Omit the requirement for ‘prior history’ information for board members.
o Reiterate to applicants that these funds are intended to be used within 12 months
and that they need to report to the Cultural Commission at the end of that 12
months or before on how those funds were used, the success, etc.
There was some discussion of changing the guidelines themselves in terms of the following
“eligible organizations may submit only one application per calendar year”. Commissioners
felt that a fiscal year made more sense than a calendar year and that the language should
read “be awarded only one grant per calendar year.” This item will be up for future
discussion and is not pertinent to the immediate grant application deadline.
Shirar noted that she will need to publish the updated grant application changes for the Oct.
1 deadline. Commissioners felt this was reasonable provided it does not include anything
that the City Council needs to approve.
7. Commission Membership Update
Shirar has spoken to Robert Zavaleta recently regarding his absence at meetings; she
anticipates the Commission will receive a letter from him in the near future officially resigning. At that
point, the Commission can then move forward in getting a regular Commissioner appointed by the City
Council.
8. Other Items
Bangor Arts will be hosting their ‘Familiarity Tour” on Thurs., Sept. 16, from 4-6 pm. Shirar
will be sending out email notices to this effect.
Art Walk is scheduled for Fri., Sept. 17.
Tim Lo stated he would like to draft up an idea for a Cultural Innovation Grant for the
Commission to review.
John Rohman stated that he will not be available for the next meeting due to a conflict.
Meeting adjourned.
Next Meeting: Oct. 27, 2010
Next grant deadline: Oct. 1, 2010