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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-02-23 Commission on Cultural Development Minutes Commission for Cultural Development Minutes of Regular Meeting February 23, 2007 7:30 a.m. Minutes of Regular Meeting February 23, 2007 7:30 a.m. Attendees: Members: Evelyn Silver, Steve Ribble, Susan Carlisle, Susan Jonason, Gerry Attendees: Members: Evelyn Silver, Steve Ribble, Susan Carlisle, Susan Jonason, Gerry Palmer, John Rohman, Sandra Leonard Palmer, John Rohman, Sandra Leonard Staff: Sally Bates Staff: Sally Bates The Commission approved the minutes of their November 3 and December 15, 2006 meetings. Evelyn Silver gave the February 14, 2007 Report of Program and Grants Subcommittee, and its recommendations. The Commission’s decisions are noted in CAPS: Grant request from American Folk Festival: $75,000 for partial funding for production of 2007 American Folk Festival. Subcommittee Comments: The American Folk Festival’s importance to Bangor and the region is well understood. Subcommittee Recommendation:  Subcommittee recommends fully funding the $75,000 request, with the proviso that the AFF organization fully document its funding outreach strategy and provide a summary thereof with its followup accounting report to the Commission.  Subcommittee recommends that representative(s) of the City Council and staff assist AFF in requesting financial participation from surrounding communities. **THE COMMISSION UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO APPROVE THIS RECOMMENDATION. Grant request from Bangor Symphony Orchestra: $7,500 for partial funding for a rd $50,000 educational outreach program “Know Your Orchestra!” targeting 3 grade school children. Project partners include Bangor Public Library and Bangor Schools.  Subcommittee Comments: The committee favorably noted the quality of the performers included in the project and the favorable aspect of engaging youth. From Bangor’s own survey: Most important influences on attendance at local arts, cultural and heritage events, in order of response: Childhood exposure to arts 58% Prior experience with specific art form 57% Prior experience with content of the event 55% Prior knowledge of specific performers 47% Subcommittee Recommendation: Subcommittee recommends fully funding the $7,500 request. **WITH COMMISSIONER JONASON ABSTAINING, THE COMMISSION UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO APPROVE THIS RECOMMENDATION. Proposal from John Bragg, Trudy Scee and Barbara McDade: Invitation to the City to partner in commissioning a comprehensive history of the City of Bangor by contributing $10,000 to the project. After initial costs of $45,000 are met through book sales, Bangor Museum and Center for History would realize profits from the sale of the book. Subcommittee Comments: The committee agreed that a comprehensive history of Bangor would be an asset to the community. However, the proposal before us is really a fund-raiser for the Bangor Museum and Center for History, which already has submitted a grant proposal to the City in this fiscal year. Subcommittee Conclusions: The City does not participate in fund-raising activities on behalf of other organizations. The committee recommends that the Bangor Museum and Center for History consider submitting a grant request in support of the project to the commission in the next fiscal year. The committee does not recommend participation in the project as presented to it today. **THE COMMISSION UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO APPROVE THIS RECOMMENDATION NOT TO FUND. The Commission revisited the request for funding, received in July, from the The Commission revisited the request for funding, received in July, from the Bangor Museum and Center for History. On June 29, 2006, the Bangor Museum Bangor Museum and Center for History. and Center for History submitted an application for funding of $500,000, to be distributed in $100,000 increments over 5 years in partial support of a $3,250,000 capital campaign. The Commission met twice with the Executive Director and members of the Board of Directors of BMCFH to discuss the request and develop an understanding of the project. The capital campaign will raise funds for rehabilitation of the BMCFH’s building on Broad Street, management of its collection, and development and presentation of museum exhibits. In its application, the BMCFH emphasized using City grant funds for exhibits. The Commission strongly supports creating an appropriate environment for the presentation of Bangor’s history and conservation of the museum’s collection. The Commission supports leveraging the private donations the BMCFH has already received and will receive, with public support from the City. The Commission noted that BMCFH’s capital campaign is proceeding well, and has recently received a $1,000,000 “matching” pledge from an anonymous donor, and that the campaign was kicked off by the gift of the building that will be rehabilitated for use as a museum. The success of the campaign to date suggests that the capital campaign goals are attainable with the City’s support. With an annual cultural appropriation for FY 6/30/07 of $125,000, the sheer size of BMCFH’s need and request exceeds the capacity of the budget the Commission has to consider. **The Commission unanimously voted to recommend an “immediate” grant of $10,000, which the current cultural appropriation has the capacity to support. **The Commission also voted to recommend that the Bangor City Council contribute an additional $300,000 to the BMCFH project, understanding that the Council will have to identify a source, or sources for that grant other than the current cultural appropriation. This recommendation will be conveyed at the next meeting of the Business and Economic Development Committee of the Council. In arriving at its recommendation for additional support, the Commission noted that $300,000 represents less than 10% of the total campaign funding goal, and happens also to be the estimated cost for the ADA portion of building renovation costs. The Commission next discussed the pros and cons of creating a class of associate The Commission next discussed the pros and cons of creating a class of associate commissioners. This change is contemplated by the Personnel Committee of the commissioners. This change is contemplated by the Personnel Committee of the Council. The general sense of the commissioners, after discussion, was that while they Council. The general sense of the commissioners, after discussion, was that while they are not opposed to such a change, as a new commission they’ve been building a are not opposed to such a change, as a new commission they’ve been building a foundational process. There have been no delays attributable to not having a quorum foundational process. There have been no delays attributable to not having a quorum of commissioners at meetings. The commission has also only just received the results of of commissioners at meetings. The commission has also only just received the results of community research that will allow them to establish projects to engage more citizens in community research that will allow them to establish projects to engage more citizens in the commission’s work. Within a few weeks the Commission will be presenting to the commission’s work. Within a few weeks the Commission will be presenting to Council a cultural plan with specific projects that will engage members of the Council a cultural plan with specific projects that will engage members of the community. Chairman Rohman will share the commission’s feedback with Mayor community. Chairman Rohman will share the commission’s feedback with Mayor Greene, who chairs the committee. Councilor Palmer also requested that future Greene, who chairs the committee. Councilor Palmer also requested that future commission meetings be taped for broadcast. commission meetings be taped for broadcast. Councilor Palmer had to leave the meeting at this point. Councilor Palmer had to leave the meeting at this point. Sally Bates presented new drafts of the summary of the cultural survey and assessment Sally Bates presented new drafts of the summary of the cultural survey and assessment process and a Cultural Plan Document. process and a Cultural Plan Document. The Commissioners present suggested adding an item relating to promoting public art to The Commissioners present suggested adding an item relating to promoting public art to the strategic objectives, and otherwise were satisfied with the drafts at this point. the strategic objectives, and otherwise were satisfied with the drafts at this point. The Commission will air the drafts in a set of public meetings in April before finalizing The Commission will air the drafts in a set of public meetings in April before finalizing the draft and presenting it to City Council. Sally Bates will contact the Commissioners the draft and presenting it to City Council. Sally Bates will contact the Commissioners with potential dates for the public meetings. with potential dates for the public meetings.