Arts Commission

Middletown Commission on the Arts Minutes of Meeting – March 28, 2018 Middletown Senior/Community Center 61 Durant Terrace Present Also Present Absent Lee Godburn (chair) Stephan Allison, coordinator Susan Allison, poet laureate Cassandra Day (secretary) Joe McCarthy Barbara Arafeh Councilman Sebastian Giuliano Franca Biales Councilman Bob Santangelo Crystal Laffan Board Fellow Carina Rosenbach Charlotte McCoid (7:09 p.m.) Joyce Kirkpatrick Marc Pettersen (vice chair) Julia Faraci Call to Order Godburn called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. at the conference room at the senior/community center Public Session – No members of the public present Minutes Motion by Biales to approve minutes as written, seconded by McCoid, carried unanimously - Kirkpatrick abstains. Approval of Agenda Motion by to approve agenda by Kirkpatrick, seconded by Day; carried unanimously. Remarks from the chair None Old Business a) Budget Report – Allison reported the budget he submitted has been approved by the Mayor for submission to the Common Council. By combining all Kids Arts programming under the Oddfellows Playhouse umbrella, $6,000 in savings was attained. This was put into the grants budget line along with the $10,000 removed by Common Council in the last budget, bringing the total Grants line to $69,000, up from $53,000 this year. b) Program Update i) Arts Stakeholders Group – no update. ii) Kids Arts update –Location is Macdonough this year. This is the 30th year of the Children’s Circus. Allison will be hiring eight new counselors in April with the balance returnees. iii) Fireworks Festival/Summer Sounds – no report iv) Poet Laureate – Susan Allison is editing her latest book of poetry. v) Municipal Building – no report vi) Facebook – Allison reported the MCA page got six new follows this month. The IT dept. is working on creating a new website for the city and has chosen a vendor. vii) Make Music Day – June 21. Allison said already 24 performers have signed up, 15 venues and 17 performances are set up for the citywide music day. He’s just begun to promote the event and it should be a success. c) Other – no report. Committee Reports a) Executive Committee – no report. b) Public Art Committee – McCoid is still trying to connect with Public Works Director William Russo to set up a meeting to look at the pedestals at Palmer Field for the O’Rourke and Pomfret sculptures. Allison reported the families are all involved in the project. New chair of the subcommittee is McCoid. c) Nominating Committee – McCoid agreed to be chairwoman and that the panel will meet ahead of the June meeting where the officers slate will be presented. Allison agreed to notify McCarthy that he has missed three meetings in a row, putting his good standing in jeopardy. Since being sworn in, he has attended fewer meetings than he has missed. McCoid asked commissioners to come up with suggestions for nominees for the post vacated by Hoggard (and McCarthy, should he step down). Day suggested the panel conduct exit interviews of commissioners who leave and make it clear to those who come aboard that the minimal commitment is that they attend the majority of MCA meetings. d) Planning and Projects Committee – Godburn said the Arts Advocacy Award reception was very well attended. That reaffirms his encouragement that the MCA nominate an individual and group - so each brings a good number of people to the event. Allison estimated over 50 attended. Day agreed to be chairwoman of the panel. e) Music Committee – Arafeh said there will be a meeting of the subcommittee April 10 at 645 p.m. in Room B19 of City Hall*. *the meeting will take place in the Conference Room of the Senior/Community Center f) Public Relations Committee – Faraci will chair the subcommittee and will call for a meeting for members to brainstorm ways to get more reach for the Facebook page. Allison suggested he could have a commissioner as a radio guest on River Valley Rhythms. g) Jewett City Board Residency Program - Rosenbach’s residency ends in a month and a half, Godburn said. Godburn said he is pleased Rosenbach is making her “dream” website for the MCA, since even if it doesn’t come to fruition, commissioners will be able to decide which components are important and should be incorporated into the MCA’s page on the new site. Allison said the mayor has to approve the money. Biales made a motion to set aside the minimum amount needed, not to exceed $350, to give Rosenbach the tools she needs to create an interactive website to promote the commission’s work. Arafeh seconded, motion carried unanimously. Biales asked if Rosenbach could consult with the vendor once she’s completed the site so the vendor could see what the MCA would like to see. h) Poet Laureate Committee – Coordinator Allison will do an electronic doodle so committee members can meet. i) Other - none New Business a) Category 2 grant decisions – Day made a motion to accept the recommendations made by Commissioners Arafeh, Faraci and Petterson as a block vote. Kirkpatrick seconded. Motion passes with Godburn abstaining. $9,700 will be allocated to Joe Fonda Kaleidoscope Arts ($2,000), Resonant Motion, Inc. ($2,200), Russell Library ($3,000), and Connecticut Ballet ($2,500). b) Other – none. Miscellaneous a) Announcements – Kirkpatrick said the Greater Middletown Chorale is having a concert April 29 at 4 p.m. at the Middletown High School Performing Arts Center, “Jephte.” MHS students will also be singing as part of the show. Laffan said Oddefellows is looking for residences for the teaching artists for the circus, which takes place Aug. 3 at Macdonough School. b) Other - none. Adjournment: Godburn declared the meeting adjourned at 8:27 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Cassandra Day, MCA secretary