Keep League City Beautiful Citizen Committee

Keep League City Beautiful Citizen Committee Meeting Minutes for April 6, 2021 At 6:06 p.m. League City Communications Director Sarah Greer Osborne officially called the meeting to order. All committee members were present in person except for Beth Sears, who attended the meeting virtually, and Jenny Carlile who was absent. Members of the committee were officially sworn in and took the oath of office delivered by City Secretary Diana Stapp. Members present and sworn in at the meeting include: • Nina Makepeace • Jason Makepeace • Jill Reason • Shara Appanaitis • Dave Bowman • Patricia Donham Osborne stated that Beth Sears was sworn in by the City secretary at a previous date. Osborne also mentioned that she had made an error at the last Council Meeting and inadvertently left off one of the names to be included as an official member of the committee—Jackie Liddell. Osborne stated that Jackie will be considered an ex-officio member and part of the committee (although without voting privileges) until a resolution can be considered by Council at an upcoming meeting to add her name to the list of official members. Sarah Greer Osborne asked any if any citizens were present to address the board. No one was present. Members of the committee were asked by Osborne to introduce themselves and say what they hoped the new Keep League City Beautiful Committee would achieve and work on over the next year or so. Members then introduced themselves and mentioned various goals from cleanup and anti-litter campaigns to involving and showcasing local artists as well as up and coming student artists from Clear Creek ISD. Various League City staff members, who serve on a complimentary Keep League City Beautiful Employee Committee, were present at the meeting and were asked by Osborne to introduce themselves and state what they were looking forward to working on. Staff members in attendance include • David Tickell • David Hoover • Devin DePascal • Miranda Guillory • Chien Wei • Stephanie Polk • Bob Duke Also, in attendance was Councilman Larry Millican who shared his vision for the committee and public art in League City. Osborne issued apologies on behalf of Bo Bass, Assistant City Manager, who had a prior commitment but wanted to attend the meeting and meet the committee members in person. Osborne reviewed the committee’s purpose and bylaws and the need to elect a chair and co-chair for the committee at the next meeting as well as develop a mission statement for the committee’s work. Osborne stated that the committee’s advisory work will include ensuring the City maintains various certifications and recognitions passed over from the Clean and Green committee, which was sunset by Council in March 2021. The certifications include the City’s designation as a Tree City, Bird City, Bee City, Scenic City, and participation in the Mayors Monarch Butterfly Pledge. David Hoover spoke to the committee to let them know that he and his staff will be working with Osborne and her staff, as well as the Keep League City Beautiful committee, to ensure the City maintains the recognitions. David also updated the group briefly on TxDOT initiatives and funds that will help beautify the city with median landscaping as well as entryway signs. Hoover also talked briefly about the new Riverbend Development and how art will be included in the mix-used development which will include a restaurant, hotel, marina, amphitheater, and apartments. Osborne reviewed the $20,000 budget for the Clean and Green Committee, which will be transferred over to support the work of the Keep League City Beautiful Committee. Osborne explained that the majority of the FY 2021 budget, which ends September 30, will go to pay for a Civic Art Feasibility Study and to host Ecofest at Hometown Heroes in September. Osborne let the committee know about a plan to consolidate two part-time FTE positions at the library, which are currently unfilled, and create a full-time position under the Communications Department. The new position will be dedicated to initiatives and events under the City’s new Public Art Initiative including the mini-mural program on traffic boxes, EcoFest and other projects the committee develops in the coming years. Osborne updated the group on the status of the Art Feasibility Study being conducted by Up Art Studio out of Houston, as well as a current survey being conducted to solicit feedback from residents and businesses regarding public art. Members of the committee were asked to take the survey, and share the link with friends, family, and co-workers. Committee Member Jason Makepeace asked to get the survey link and information about the upcoming Council workshop regarding the Art Study so he could share via email to his colleagues at UH Clear Lake. A question was asked about the City’s logo and if that would be a part of the Civic Art study. Osborne and CVB Manager Stephanie Polk discussed the need for a City identity and branding campaign and how that goes beyond just creating a new City logo. Polk talked about several companies she has been interviewing for a branding and identity RFP for the Bay Area CVB, and how these companies could be good for League City as well, including one out of Corpus Christi that specializes in communities that reside on waterways. Committee member Jason Makepeace mentioned a local design and graphic company in League City that could be worth working with and who takes interns from the University of Clear Lake. Osborne provided an update on the City’s mini-murals program to paint five traffic boxes with murals by the end of September of 2021 and to paint or wrap 20 additional boxes in early 2022. Osborne outlined the pros and cons of paint versus wraps as well as the City’s plan to include CCISD students in the project, with the help of three committee members who are current or former CCISD staff members. A question was asked if League City artists would be used to paint the first five boxes, and Osborne informed the group that UP Art Studio was assisting her with creating a database of League City residents, as well as though who live in the Bay Area, who are artists and interested in participating in the City’s new mini-mural program as well as the City’s Overall Art Initiative. Osborne updated the group on the City’s upcoming Sundays in the Park events and invited them all to come. As part of the events, which will be held every Sunday in May at League Park, an artist will be painting a mural from 12 to 4 p.m. on the large black box that houses the water fountain pump at the park. A question was asked if the artist would be from League City. Osborne stated because the artist will be there every Sunday for five weeks, that she decided to commission a member of UP Art Studio’s mural registry who agreed to a price and theme and did not have an aversion to painting outside in the heat of the afternoon for five Sundays in a row. Osborne thanked everyone for attending the meeting and the meeting was adjourned at 7:32 p.m.