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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-01-27 Commission on Cultural Development Minutes Commission for Cultural Development Minutes of Regular Meeting January 27, 2006 7:30 a.m. Minutes of Regular Meeting January 27, 2006 7:30 a.m. Bangor City Hall Council Chambers Bangor City Hall Council Chambers Attendees: Members: John Rohman, Chair Attendees: Members: John Rohman, Chair Evelyn Silver, Steve Ribble, Jim Linehan, Susan Jonason, Sandra Leonard, Geoff Evelyn Silver, Steve Ribble, Jim Linehan, Susan Jonason, Sandra Leonard, Geoff Gratwick Gratwick Staff: Sally Bates Staff: Sally Bates As chair of the Program and Grants Subcommittee, Evelyn Silver presented the subcommittee’s recommendations as follows: River City Cinema Society requested funding of $5,000 to cover $2,000 in equipment maintenance, $1,000 for promotion, and $2,000 in operating expenses. RCCS is still tiny, organizationally, after several years of operation. This is a potential weakness, but it has shown the strength of tenacity by remaining in existence. RCCS is collaborating with Penobscot Theatre and other downtown organizations, and its presence helps cross-sell other venues. A weakness of the application is that it is not specific about how $2,000 worth of the request would be spent. For that reason the subcommittee recommends partial funding at a level of $3,000. American Folk Festival requested funding of $75,000. This represents about 10% of its cash budget, and is consistent with the amount that it received from the City last year. Director Heather McCarthy does not foresee AFF being in a position to ask for a decreasing amount in future years. The subcommittee notes no weakness in the application, and the benefits of the festival are recognized by the community. However, the subcommittee doesn't feel it can award 75% of the total $100k annual appropriation to one organization, and leave practically nothing for requests that may come forward in the last funding cycle. The recommendations of the Program and Grants Subcommittee were unanimously accepted by the full Commission. The Commissioners discussed the matter of applying to Maine Arts Commission for a $15,000 Discovery Research Grant. They voted unanimously to recommend to Council that the city apply for the grant. In a separate vote, they unanimously agreed to recommend that the City include a $5,000 cash match in its application for the Discovery Research Grant. 1. The Commissioners discussed the process for soliciting proposals for 1. coordination of the following project, to commence by May 1, 2006 coordination of the following project, to commence by May 1, 2006 and Work products will be delivered to The Commission for Cultural and Work products will be delivered to The Commission for Cultural Development by October 1, 2006: Development by October 1, 2006:  With guidance from the Steering Committee, prepare formats and  With guidance from the Steering Committee, prepare formats and conduct a “Cultural Survey”, using techniques that include public conduct a “Cultural Survey”, using techniques that include public meetings, interviews, and written survey instruments. meetings, interviews, and written survey instruments.  Deliver an up-to-date inventory of the community's cultural assets,  Deliver an up-to-date inventory of the community's cultural assets, as determined by the “Cultural Survey” in a file format to be as determined by the “Cultural Survey” in a file format to be prescribed by the Steering Committee. prescribed by the Steering Committee.  Deliver a document including a list of Bangor’s cultural needs, as  Deliver a document including a list of Bangor’s cultural needs, as determined by the Cultural Survey. determined by the Cultural Survey. The Commissioners unanimously agreed to recommend that the City issue an The Commissioners unanimously agreed to recommend that the City issue an RFP, and that the qualifications are: Must be an active and established cultural RFP, and that the qualifications are: organization whose legal place of business is in the City of Bangor, Maine; and Must have sufficient capacity to direct and oversee the activities of employee(s) Must have sufficient capacity to direct and oversee the activities of employee(s) or independent contractor(s) to conduct the project and produce the deliverables or independent contractor(s) to conduct the project and produce the deliverables by October 1, 2006. by October 1, 2006. The Commissioners had a preliminary discussion about developing a budget to The Commissioners had a preliminary discussion about developing a budget to recommend to Council for FY07, and reviewed their accomplishments to date: recommend to Council for FY07, and reviewed their accomplishments to date: Accomplishments of the Commission for Cultural Development to date (1/27/05) The Program and Grants Subcommittee developed a strategy for preserving a portion of the annual appropriation to meet small funding requests by limiting those over $1,000 to July and January. It has also developed a process of analyzing requests according to their strengths and weaknesses before proceeding to discussion of specific amounts to be recommended. Grant applications reviewed and recommendations for funding to Council (all passed): UMMA $1850 Maine Discovery Museum $950 Penobscot Theatre $12,500 Grant applications reviewed and recommendations for funding to Council (in process): River City Cinema Society American Folk Festival The Art in Public Places Subcommittee finalized “Guidelines and Procedures for Evaluating and Accepting Public Art and Monuments to be Located on City Property” which were presented to Council and approved. As real-life requests were presented, the subcommittee realized that a separate set of guidelines is appropriate for memorials and plaques, and will present those to the full Commission in February. Projects recommended to Council (all passed): Bench for Fairmount Park Monument in Old Cemetery Park Bench in Nourmbega Parkway As the very first Commission for Cultural Development in Bangor, it had to develop its own meeting protocols and strategies. Commissioners have been respectful of one another, and the group has taken its responsibilities seriously. The commission has worked as a committee of the whole with the Charles Howard Foundation as that group has presented their concepts for a memorial. Both the applicants and commissioners have noted that the expected outcome will be much better for the communication that has occurred. The process has been a genuine example of how a project can foster understanding and build positive relationships when all parties come to the table in the spirit of collaboration. The commission will meet with the applicants on the proposed site when their sculptor is ready.