Arts Board Meeting

CITY OF MADISON HEIGHTS CITY HALL - LINDELL ROSS EXECUTIVE CONFERENCE ROOM, 300 W. 13 MILE RD. ARTS BOARD MEETING AGENDA JUNE 11, 2025 AT 6:00 PM CALL TO ORDER AT 6:11 PM ROLL CALL Toya Aaron, Vice Chair Mark Bliss, Council Representative Michael Covert, Chair Brian Davis, Member (absent) Ali Dorsey, Student Representative (ex-officio) (absent) Laurie Geralds, Member Susie King, Member (absent) Bill Mier, Council Alternate (absent) Harley Mordarski, Staff Liaison Jennifer Nagle, Social Media Vita Palazzolo, Member (absent) Keaton Soto-Olson, Member(absent) Thomas Wrona, Alternate (absent) Sandie Young, Alternate Motion by Bliss, Second by Geralds to excuse Davis, King, Mier, Palazzolo, Soto-Olsen, and Wrona. Yea: All Nay: None Motion Carries ADDITIONS/DELETIONS 1. Fundraiser Discussion added as item 13. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approval of Minutes Motion by Bliss, Second by Geralds to approve May 15th, 2025 meeting minutes as written. Yea: All Nay: None Motion Carries MEETING OPEN TO THE PUBLIC REPORTS 2. Treasurer Report (Mordarski) Mordarski gave the treasurer’s report. There were no questions. 3. Social Media Report (Nagle) Nagle reported that the Facebook page had reached 13,000 views, with the top-performing content being the DIA Insider | Out post. Geralds expressed concerns about the marketing of the Arts Gala, noting that the limited number of posts hindered outreach efforts. Nagle requested that other board members assist by designing and providing content for posting. When asked whether social media duties included both posting and content creation, Nagle clarified that both are expected, but she requires some assistance. There was some sticker shock regarding the cost associated with the Gala posts. Board members expressed frustration that the Arts and Pride event received more marketing attention than the Gala. In response, Young proposed developing clear guidelines for Jen at each meeting, outlining what the posts should include and establishing a posting schedule. The board discussed the idea of members submitting mockups and using the Social Media agenda item to clarify social media expectations to ensure consistency and shared understanding moving forward. UNFINISHED BUSINESS 4. Arts Prom 2025 (Geralds, Bliss, Nagle, Covert, King) The Arts Prom cleared $260 total, and Geralds does not recommend hosting this event in the future. Bliss recommended identifying areas of improvement for the event in the future. There are disputes regarding the workload distribution and whether the event is worth having again. The Arts Prom will be removed from the agenda for the time being. 5. Skelebration Trail (Geralds, Dorsey, Young, Wrona) Geralds reported that the City is holding a harvest festival instead of a Truck or Treat, so the Arts Board will not be teaming up with them for Skelebration Trail. The themes were noted to be incohesive. Geralds will schedule a meeting to discuss. 6. Trail Tunes 2025 (Bliss, Palazzolo, Aaron, Mier, Davis) The Community Foundation approved the Trail Tunes request for grant funding, but clarified that no funds may be used for cash prizes. Bliss met separately with the Trail Tunes subcommittee members to discuss changes to the festival. The following updates were shared: Voting for the battle will now be digital, with QR codes placed at each band station. While the public will vote to determine the finalists, a separate judging committee will select the winner. The battle will consist of a 15-minute set and will take place earlier in the day. To make room in the schedule, other sets will be shortened accordingly As part of the City’s anniversary celebration, all bands participating in the battle will be required to perform one song from the 1950s. Since cash prizes are not permitted, the group is proposing a trophy for the winning band along with the opportunity to perform a future concert at the bandshell; these details are still being finalized. The Trail Tunes sign-up form will not reference a specific prize and will clarify that there are no cash awards. Band stipends will be increased to compensate, with a goal of securing 8 participating bands. Performance locations will be more condensed than in previous years, with four bands at pavilions, two at the bandshell, and two at the basketball court. The group needs to fundraise an additional $1,600, which Bliss feels confident can be done. They are also exploring the addition of music lessons in the park, comedians, and other entertainment to enhance the overall experience. This year will feature more event promotion than ever before. Motion by Bliss, Second by Geralds to authorize the subcommittee to post the submission form, select the 8 bands out of band applicants, and to authorize the subcommittee to spend within the budget of $5,000 from the Community Foundation, $2,400 in the Trail Tunes account, and anything else fundraised specifically for Trail Tunes from June 11th until September 6th. Yea: All Nay: None Motion Carries 7. Civic Center Hopscotch (Geralds) Geralds is waiting to hear back from Eve about the sidewalk mural. Additionally, Geralds asked who should be checking the murals for damage or touch-ups. Covert clarified that Jennifer Ramirez is actively reporting on the mural conditions. 8. DIA Inside|Out 2025 (Geralds, Nagle, King, Young) Mordarski reported that the DIA has not responded to volunteer or bus requests yet, except for the Arts and Pride Festival, where they were able to secure a couple of volunteers to table for about 3 hours during the event. 9. Summer Concert Series (Aaron, Bliss, Geralds, King, Soto-Olsen) The committee confirmed the following bands: July 9th – Circle of Sound July 23rd – Paul Parente Jazz August 13 – Weekend Comeback August 27 – Dr. Smith 10. Arts Board Merch (King, Covert, Aaron, Wrona) The City is exploring the creation of a Bonfire account linked to a local location where residents can purchase t-shirts. Proceeds from all merchandise sales would go directly to the Arts Board. The  Board discussed potential logo designs and agreed that the current concepts need to be refined, including adjustments to photos, overlays, and overall design elements. In addition to t-shirts, the group is considering offering other merchandise such as totes, keychains, and water bottles. No budget is required for this effort, as consumers will cover the cost of the items directly through the platform. Board members will create mockups to help visualize and finalize the merchandise options. 11. Bandshell Utilization Subcommittee (Geralds, Covert, King, Mier, Palazzolo) Not discussed. 12. Arts and Pride (Nagle, Dorsey, King, Wrona) Not discussed. 13. Fundraiser Discussion The Board discussed a recent instance where a subcommittee initiated a fundraiser without the Board’s knowledge. Currently, the Board is required to vote on spending money but not on fundraising efforts. Members expressed a desire for increased transparency around fundraising while maintaining flexibility for subcommittees to support events. NEW BUSINESS ADJOURNMENT AT 7:16 NOTICE: Persons with disabilities needing accommodations for effective participation through electronic means in this meeting should contact the City Clerk at (248) 583-0826 or by email: clerks@madison- heights.org at least two working days in advance of the meeting. An attempt will be made to make reasonable accommodations.