Museums and Cultural Arts Commission Meeting

MINUTES COLTON HALL MUSEUM AND CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSION Monday, March 24, 2014 4:00 PM COUNCIL CHAMBER, FEW MEMORIAL HALL OF RECORDS MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA Commissioners Present: Evans, Greenwald, Ruhnke, Wojtkowski Commissioners Absent: Dias, Marohn, Schneider Ex-Officio and Staff Community Services and Library Director Kim Bui-Burton, Members Present: Museums, Cultural Arts and Archives Manager Dennis Copeland, Recording Secretary Teresa Nash Ex-Officio Commissioners are non-voting members, appointed pursuant to MCC § 2-11. CALL TO ORDER CONSENT ITEMS Approval of Minutes 1. Monday, January 27, 2014 Action: Approved with corrections by Commissioners Greenwald and Ruhnke (4-0-3, Dias, Marohn, Schneider absent). 2. Monday, February 24, 2014 Action: Approved as submitted (4-0-3, Dias, Marohn, Schneider absent). ***End of Consent Agenda*** PUBLIC COMMENTS None. INFORMATIONAL REPORTS & STAFF COMMENTS 3. Receive Museum and Cultural Arts Division Activity Reports - January and February 2014 Action: Report received. Museums, Cultural Arts and Archives Manager Copeland reported on the last two performances in Colton Hall. The Wild Coast Brass concert held a wonderful concert with 96 people in attendance and the Kim Angelis concert had a very lively audience of 107 attendees. He noted that the Mike Beck concert had 85-90 people in attendance and that this concert was relocated to the Stanton Forum at the Museum of Monterey. Manager Copeland also reported on the National Conference for Public History held in Monterey last week and noted it had the largest attendance since 1978 with 610 registrants. He said he was involved with giving tours of the Pacific Biological Laboratories, the Colton Hall Museum, Old Town tour, and Monterey’s historic cemeteries. He was also on a session panel to discuss preserving military history and gave a presentation on the “Monterey Model” for preserving and sharing the history of the Presidio and the Monterey community.  Colton Hall Museum and Cultural Arts Commission Minutes Monday, March 24, 2014 Community Services and Library Director Bui-Burton noted that Manager Copeland also wrote the Monterey history for the conference program. Community Services and Library Director Bui-Burton reported that staff is working on the budget and that the City is facing over a $1M shortfall this year; utility costs and employee costs are up. She said we are encouraged to look for any cuts we can. She said the Museums and Cultural Arts budget is very small; we are asking for supplemental requests for the continuation of the cell phone tours brochure, signage for the tours, a revision of the Explore Monterey brochure, and cleaning and waxing of Colton Hall floors based on the historic structure report. Commissioner Wojtkowski said the cell phone tours are available at the Workers Shacks on Cannery Row but there is no signage to let people know and suggested putting brochures there. Director Bui-Burton stated that signage is probably less expensive than brochure racks and brochures and easier to maintain. Manager Copeland stated staff is looking at signage and plan to work in concert with State Parks so the signs are a consistent format. Director Bui-Burton stated that the NIP has its largest funding this next fiscal year with over $2.5M. Projects have been submitted for the Presidio Stables, the Cannery Row Workers Shacks, and some work on Colton Hall recommended in the historic structural report. Commissioner Ruhnke inquired which repairs will the NIP fund this year. Manager Copeland stated we applied for NIP funding in 2013-14 to repair the windows and south side siding of Colton Hall, wall stone and mortar assessment, and other preservation work. We have applied to NIP to continue the historic structure report recommendations for next fiscal year, including , mats for the steps, update on the 1992 seismic retrofitting update, historic paint analysis, drain inspection and mortar re-pointing. Director Bui-Burton noted that the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) fund is for major capital improvements and we are asking for an ADA study for Colton Hall Museum. She said as an example, last year the Library needed a new roof and it cost $250,000; the most CIP could fund is $125,000. PUBLIC APPEARANCE New Business 4. Receive Report on the Use of Open Flame Candles in Colton Hall Museum Action: Report received. Museums, Cultural Arts and Archives Manager Copeland noted the Colton Hall Museum Interpretive Plan recommends replacing the open flame chandelier candles with bulbs. Although it is a requirement in the California Fire Code, we apply for a special permit from the Fire Department for every public event. The permit requires a staff Fire Watch staff member. He met with Deputy Fire Marshal David Reade who presented some alarming statistics on fire caused by open flame candles. Deputy Fire Marshal Reade noted that, while the Fire Watch may reduce response time, it does not reduce the potential fire danger. Even though it’s a stone building, there is wood, paper and people in the building. Manager Copeland noted that the live candles have been a traditional part of our evening concerts and other public events, however we must weigh this against the danger of fire; his research of other history and art museums revealed that the majority of museums previously using open candles do not do so now. Colton Hall Museum Cultural Art Commission Meeting Minutes Monday, March 24, 2014 2  Colton Hall Museum and Cultural Arts Commission Minutes Monday, March 24, 2014 Commissioner Wojtkowski said we should maintain stringent permit requirements which reduces the risk of fire. He said it’s a moot point right now until we resolve the public access issue. Commissioner Evans inquired how many times a year we use candles and do fire watch personnel have fire extinguishers available immediately. Manager Copeland stated we have three concerts and two nights for Christmas in the Adobes for a total of five occasions; a fire extinguisher is available to staff. Commissioner Evans stated it’s a small room and feels a fire could be contained quickly. Commissioner Greenwald said the reality of the risk is real, but does not see how some of these examples would apply to Colton Hall. He is a purist for Colton Hall and feels we should keep it as real as possible. He posed the question, how many candles have been lit since 1849 and how many fires have we had. Director Bui-Burton stated it’s different for the City to take on that risk and that liability. She said if a fire were to start when we are having an event with 90-100 people, we have the responsibility to mitigate the risk; we have to protect the people and the building. Manager Copeland said we understand the tradition but also have to look at the risk. He said, danger to people is foremost; we also have original historic materials in Colton Hall and if they were to disappear in a fire, it would be a tragic loss. Commissioner Greenwald said he would feel more comfortable discussing this issue with a full commission. 5. Receive List of Recommendations of the Colton Hall Museum Interpretive Plan Action: Report received. Museums, Cultural Arts and Archives Manager Copeland noted the Commission adopted the Colton Hall Museum Interpretive Plan in January and that staff met with the subcommittee who developed their top five priorities, which he reviewed. Commissioner Wojtkowski asked if we have some historical school materials now. Manager Copeland said we need to explore more on the first school; we have materials from the 1873-1890s school. He said we need to develop facsimiles of original documents, describe and date the collection materials, and develop space for future exhibits. Commissioner Wojtkowski said this is a good summary, and said he thought #3 was a higher priority and should be moved to priority #2. Community Services and Library Director Bui- Burton said there was a lot of subcommittee discussion to add school information. Commissioner Ruhnke stated those two priorities can be done simultaneously. Director Bui-Burton stated this may go to a City Council study session later this spring to give them more information about the plan. Commissioner Wojtkowski inquired if this would go to Council with a side-note that staff is still researching the candlelight issue. Commissioner Ruhnke said it will help to have the interpretive plan review on TV during a Council meeting so the general audience can see it. Director Bui-Burton stated the council does not take action in study sessions; it is strictly to gain more information. Colton Hall Museum Cultural Art Commission Meeting Minutes Monday, March 24, 2014 3  Colton Hall Museum and Cultural Arts Commission Minutes Monday, March 24, 2014 6. Receive Report on Colton Hall Museum Access Action: Report received. Community Services and Library Director Bui-Burton reported that all current and future events that were scheduled to be held in Colton Hall will be relocated at this time. She stated that accessibility is the highest priority to achieve and that we cannot look at just providing a vertical lift, we also need an ADA accessible parking space. This project is going to take time and a lot of money, and we have to make sure we have a process for public comments. Commissioner Wojtkowski asked if it would be helpful to have a State Historic Preservation member here; he thought we received something in writing years ago that said the upstairs can be used. He suggested having a consultant review the access; it’s more complicated than it looks. Commissioner Ruhnke inquired if there are some specific companies that take into account the ADA accessibility. Director Bui-Burton said ARG (Architectural Resources Group), the same consultant that completed the updated Colton Hall Historic Structure Report, does this type of work. Commissioner Wojtkowski also noted they worked on the Sunset Center in Carmel. Director Bui-Burton stated we need to complete a study on this because there’s nothing that looks at all of the pieces of the puzzle, especially the egress and access. Staff will put in a request for CIP funding for a study with recommendations. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS Commissioner Greenwald encouraged the Commission to attend an event on Friday, March 28 at 6:30 p.m. at the Monterey Museum of Art where there will be a special panel discussion about the lives and work of extraordinary photographers. He said the guest panelists include Bob Kolbrener, John Sexton, and Jerry Fielder, Curator and Director of the Estate of Yousuf Karsh. Commissioner Wojtkowski said he volunteered at the Ricketts Lab last Saturday. Many people visited and commended staff for the tours. He said there’s a demand to see it and suggested we try to open it more times during the year. He said it was great to hear the school kids talk about just reading “Cannery Row.” Commissioner Ruhnke asked staff to send out the volunteer sign-up sheet again. She noted we received a letter from Bruce and Joann Crist, who gave a donation to the Museum’s Trust Fund in honor of Commissioner Bob Evans 80th birthday. NEXT MEETING Monday, April 28, 2014 ADJOURNMENT Chair Ruhnke adjourned the meeting at 5:20 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, Approved, Dennis Copeland, Manager Jennifer Ruhnke, Chair Museums, Cultural Arts and Archives Colton Hall Museum & Cultural Arts Commission Colton Hall Museum Cultural Art Commission Meeting Minutes Monday, March 24, 2014 4