Museums and Cultural Arts Commission Meeting

MINUTES COLTON HALL MUSEUM AND CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSION Monday, August 25, 2014 4:00 PM COUNCIL CHAMBER, FEW MEMORIAL HALL OF RECORDS MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA Commissioners Present: Evans, Greenwald, Marohn, Ruhnke, Wojtkowski Commissioners Absent: Dias Ex-Officio and Staff Community Services Director Kim Bui-Burton, Museums, Members Present: Cultural Arts and Archives Manager Dennis Copeland, Principal Planner Kim Cole, 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, July 28, 2014 Action: Approved as submitted (5-0-1, Dias absent). ***End of Consent Agenda*** PUBLIC COMMENTS None. INFORMATIONAL REPORTS & STAFF COMMENTS 2. Receive Museum and Cultural Arts Division Activity Report - July 2014 Action: Report received. Museums, Cultural Arts and Archives Manager Copeland reported the original 1849 floors of Colton Hall will be cleaned and waxed on September 14; the Pacific Biological Laboratories Interpretive Plan stakeholder meeting is scheduled for September 30 and said Commissioners will receive an invitation to the meeting and a link to a Lab survey by email within a couple of weeks. He said there are two surveys, one by the consultants for developing the plan and the ongoing Museums survey of Lab visitors, which will provide visitor information. He reported the alternate site for the 1849 Constitution Reenactment will be the House of Four Winds. Commissioner Wojtkowski inquired if staff looked at other historical locations like Casa Serrano, and what day and time the reenactment will be held. Manager Copeland stated they did look at other locations; this location will be an experiment to see how it works out for future events. The reenactment will take place on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. during History Fest. Manager Copeland thanked the commissioners who attended the Susan Theodore opening at the Alvarado Gallery.  Colton Hall Museum and Cultural Arts Commission Minutes Monday, August 25, 2014 Commissioner Wojtkowski inquired exactly where the Viscaino Mural will be located on the Recreation Trail. Manager Copeland said it will be on a cement retaining wall just down from the Heritage Harbor complex and below Lighthouse Avenue curve. Commissioner Ruhnke asked how large the mural will be. Manager Copeland said it is 5’ high x 15’ wide. Commissioner Ruhnke inquired on the status of our grant application to the Community Foundation. Manager Copeland said we were notified that they received our application and all required information and documents have been submitted. PUBLIC APPEARANCE New Business 3. Receive Information on Environmental Determination (CEQA) Statements in Commission Agenda Reports Action: Report received. Museums, Cultural Arts and Archives Manager Copeland noted that the Commission at their May meeting had questions about the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Environmental Determination statements. He then introduced Principal Planner Kim Cole who explained the City’s CEQA requirements and the legal reasons for them. She noted the Commission’s responsibility to do due diligence review on every item that is reviewed by a public body, such as the Commission, to ensure that CEQA requirements are meant, and that the City Attorney’s office has determined that staff review of CEQA requirements and Commission review of the determination is required. Commissioner Wojtkowski said it makes sense if it’s an action item; sometimes the CEQA language is longer than the agenda report. He said that explains it for other departments like Planning, but when you receive a report when there is no action, we should not need the CEQA language as part of the report. Principal Planner Cole stated the City could be challenged on any project; we are ensuring for the public record that the Commission, staff and City have done due diligence. 4. Receive Report on Museums and Cultural Arts Division Programs FY 2013-14 and Provide Direction to Staff Action: Report received. Museums, Cultural Arts and Archives Manager Copeland reviewed the programs for FY 2013- 2014 and said there are four main Museum facilities: the Alvarado Gallery, the Colton Hall Museum and Old Monterey Jail, the Pacific Biological Laboratories, and the Presidio Museum on Lower Presidio Historic Park. He said the City will initiate a project on conservation of the Sloat Monument and a condition analysis of Colton Hall mortar and stone. Commission Chair Ruhnke inquired if the House of Four Winds is large enough to hold the constitutional reenactment. Manager Copeland said the capacity is about 100, which is slightly above the capacity at Colton Hall. Community Services Director Bui-Burton stated events cannot be held in Colton Hall and that the Commission subcommittee will need to discuss this and come back with a specific recommendation on public events. She suggested suspending the regular music series until Colton Hall is accessible and possibly holding an outdoor concert with Colton Hall as the backdrop. Colton Hall Museum Cultural Art Commission Meeting Minutes Monday, August 25, 2014 2  Colton Hall Museum and Cultural Arts Commission Minutes Monday, August 25, 2014 Chair Ruhnke tasked the Music Subcommittee to review options for 2015 music program and recommend an alternative to the Commission. Commissioner Chair Ruhnke appointed Commissioner Marohn to the subcommittee along with current subcommittee members Commissioners Evans and Greenwald and asked them to schedule a subcommittee meeting to review ideas to present to the commission. Commissioner Wojtkowski said the increased use of Ed Ricketts Lab is great. He inquired if the Cannery Row Foundation is using the Lab as much. Manager Copeland said they used it for Steinbeck’s and Ricketts’ birthdays tours and the City is also conducting more public tours of the Lab. more there. Commissioner Evans inquired if staff knows when Colton Hall can be used for events again. Director Bui-Burton stated we have applied for a grant for a study in 2015, then we will target the amount to seek funding from NIP, local foundations, etc.; it will be several years out for the ADA improvements. Commissioner Evans said that is something we need to consider when planning any events. 5. Approve Acquisition of Former City Manager Fred Meurer’s Historical Prints Action: The Colton Hall Museum and Cultural Arts Commission approved the acquisition of former City Manager Fred Meurer’s Historical Jo Mora prints (5-0-1, Dias absent). Museums, Cultural Arts and Archives Manager Copeland stated that former City Manager Fred Meurer would like to donate his collection of Jo Mora drawings of Hopi Kachinas to the City. He noted these are reproductions and that the City already has the originals. He reported that Mr. Meurer also wishes to donate the 1948 publication of Wine, Women and Words signed by Eldon Dedini. Commissioner Wojtkowski said there has been talk about having a Jo Mora exhibit at the Monterey Museum of History and Art. Commissioner Ruhnke inquired where the prints will be displayed. Manager Copeland said they will be stored until an appropriate site is found. On a motion by Commissioner Wojtkowski, seconded by Commissioner Evans, and carried by the following vote, the Colton Hall Museum and Cultural Arts Commission approved the acquisition of former City Manager Fred Meurer’s Historical Prints: AYES: 5 COMMISSIONERS: Evans, Greenwald, Marohn, Ruhnke, Wojtkowski NOES: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None ABSENT: 1 COMMISSIONERS: Dias COMMISSIONER COMMENTS Commissioner Greenwald said that 50 years ago there was a benefit concert in Monterey with Joan Baez and Bob Dylan, and that during the same week Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and Miles Davis were all in town. Colton Hall Museum Cultural Art Commission Meeting Minutes Monday, August 25, 2014 3 Colton Hall Museum and Cultural Arts Commission Minutes Monday, August 25, 2014 Commissioner Evans said we need another museum building to hold all the donations and collections the City has. Manager Copeland said that staff constantly thinks about storage space and that another vault would be helpful. Commissioner Wojtkowski stated the proposed civic center building was supposed to have an area for art. He also said that when the City acquired the Gordon House and the Ketcham House, the plan was to make small museums in those buildings; they are now City offices. Commissioner Wojtkowski reported he met with Kip Hudson of the Old Monterey Foundation, and said they are doing many of the things we are doing and suggested putting on the next agenda so we can hear directly from Kip Hudson and Bill McCrone. They are considering doing the angel project with us. Commissioner Ruhnke adjourned the meeting in memory of long-time commissioner Elizabeth Schneider who recently passed away. NEXT MEETING Monday, September 22, 2014 ADJOURNMENT Chair Ruhnke adjourned the meeting at 4:58 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, August 25, 2014 4