Museums and Cultural Arts Commission Meeting

MINUTES COLTON HALL MUSEUM AND CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSION Monday, March 23, 2015 4:00 PM COUNCIL CHAMBER, FEW MEMORIAL HALL OF RECORDS MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA Commissioners Present: Dias, Evans, Greenwald, Marohn, Ruhnke, Sovereign, Wojtkowski Commissioners Absent: Ex-Officio and Staff Community Services Director Kim Bui-Burton, Museums, Members Present: Cultural Arts and Archives Manager Dennis Copeland, Recording Secretary Claire Rygg Ex-Officio Commissioners are non-voting members, appointed pursuant to MCC § 2-11. CALL TO ORDER: 4:01 PM CONSENT ITEMS 1. Monday, February 23, 2015 ACTION: Approved with corrections. Discussed and corrections noted. On a motion by Commissioner Wojtkowksi, seconded by Commissioner Marohn, and carried by the following vote, the Colton Hall Museum and Cultural Arts Commission approved the minutes: AYES: 7 COMMISSIONERS: Dias, Evans, Greenwald, Marohn, Ruhnke, Sovereign, Wojtkowski NOES: 0 COMMISSIONERS: NONE ABSENT: 0 COMMISSIONERS: NONE ABSTAIN: 0 COMMISSIONERS: NONE RECUSED: 0 COMMISSIONERS: NONE ***End of Consent Agenda*** PUBLIC COMMENTS None. INFORMATIONAL REPORTS & STAFF COMMENTS 2. Receive Museum and Cultural Arts Division Activity Report – February 2015 ACTION: Report received. Staff Presentation/Commissioner Questions: Museums, Cultural Arts and Archives Manager Copeland reported there were over 90 attendees at the “Sense of Place-Monterey Peninsula” and “Unity Through Diversity” exhibits at Alvarado Gallery on March 13. Three paintings were sold. The next art opening on April 17 is “30 Years-Monterey In Motion”, a photographic exhibit by the Big Sur International Marathon, and provides another volunteer opportunity for Commissioners to assist and meet the artists.  Colton Hall Museum and Cultural Arts Commission Minutes Monday, March 23, 2015 Community Services Director Bui-Burton reported that Historic Monterey’s will delay the next meeting until their website is up in April. Commissioner Dias asked the following questions: Will the Presidio of Monterey Museum (POMM) have updated exhibits and include Ft. Ord’s “Friends of the War Horse”? Could the update of exhibits be a capstone project for a California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB) student? Have the May music concerts been posted on the City’s website? Manager Copeland said there is a tentative plan to change the POMM in the future, and to utilize the historic photo collection within the plan. A program with the CSUMB students may be a possibility. There are plans and proposals to create a museum on the former Ft. Ord and to partner with CSUMB. A possibility is to have an historical exhibit at the Defense Language Institute (DLI) History office located at the former Chamberlin Library on the former Ft. Ord. The music concerts will be placed on the City’s website. PUBLIC APPEARANCE Old Business 3. Receive a Report on Proposed FY 2015-2016 Neighborhood Improvement Program (NIP) Projects and Prioritize Projects ACTION: Report received, with additional NIP proposal submitted by the Old Monterey Foundation (OMF). Public Comments: Frank Sollecito, President of the Old Monterey Foundation (OMF) said the Lower Presidio Historic Park (LPHP) is a historic piece of property, and said that the Monterey County Convention Visitors Bureau said “We need another destination”. The LPHP has the best view in town. Willard (Bill) McCrone, Secretary of the Old Monterey Foundation, listed the proposed implementation of the 2002 Lower Presidio Historic Park Master Plan with prioritized improvements to the LPHP: thinning of trees, removal of cyclone fence and replace with historically accurate wooden fence, creation of pathways around the Castillos and Sloat Monument, and installation of interpretive signs, and benches. Sherna Stewart presented her three proposed NIP conceptual projects: a larger baseball statue at the Jacks’ Park entrance at Adams and Bonifacio; outdoor public art that helps to identify Monterey’s historic and cultural assets and point-to-point wayfinding aids, and a project to expand the Path of History. Commissioner Dias suggested the Van Buren footbridge have signage as a continuation of the Path of History to the Lower Presidio Historic Park. Commissioner Sovereign expressed concern that the LPHP is not ready to receive visitors at some of its historic sites and that it should be more accessible than it is now. He mentioned the upcoming 200th anniversary of Hippolyte Bouchard’s landing in 1818, and the 250th anniversary of the Portola and Father Serra landing at Monterey. Colton Hall Museum Cultural Art Commission Meeting Minutes Monday, March 23, 2015 2  Colton Hall Museum and Cultural Arts Commission Minutes Monday, March 23, 2015 Commissioner Wojtkowski asked if there was a brochure on public art. Manager Copeland said there is a draft list of art for a brochure. Commissioner Ruhnke asked about the NIP funds allotment, and Director Bui-Burton said it was between $3M and $3.6M. Commissioner Wojtkowski said the baseball statue could go before Parks and Recreation Commission, and he wants to expand the Path of History, but wants to have the Old Monterey Jail and Cannery Row Worker Shacks maintained and included with the LPHP on the Commission’s priority list. On a motion by Commissioner Greenwald, seconded by Commissioner Wojtkowski , for the Commission to prioritize the following NIP projects: 1) Old Monterey Jail Wall Plaster Repair/Restoration, 2) Cannery Row Worker Shacks Repair/Restoration, 3) Initial improvements to Lower Presidio Historic Park to allow public use Discussion: Commissioners Dias said the Path of History is public art and that she wants to see the LPHP built out, and expressed concern that there is very little information about what things are available for visitors coming to Monterey. Suggested Stewart’s projects become part of a master plan for public art and concurs with the priority of NIP projects. Commissioner Sovereign said if Commission doesn’t move on the LPHP Master Plan, 2020 will come soon. On a motion by Commissioner Marohn, seconded by Commissioner Wojtkowski , and carried by the following vote, the Colton Hall Museum prioritized the following NIP projects: 1) ) Initial improvements to Lower Presidio Historic Park to allow public use, 2) Old Monterey Jail Wall Plaster Repair/Restoration, 3) Cannery Row Worker Shacks Repair/Restoration. Commissioner Marohn called for the vote: AYES: 7 COMMISSIONERS: Dias, Evans, Greenwald, Marohn, Ruhnke, Sovereign, Wojtkowski NOES: 0 COMMISSIONERS: NONE ABSENT: 0 COMMISSIONERS: NONE ABSTAIN: 0 COMMISSIONERS: NONE RECUSED: 0 COMMISSIONERS: NONE 4. Receive Update Report from Angels Auction Subcommittee on November 2015 Joint Angels Auction Fundraiser with Old Monterey Foundation Action: Report received. Commissioner Ruhnke reported the Angel Auction reception will be on Saturday, December 5, 2015 at the atrium and gallery area of the Museum of Monterey. There is free entry to the event, and guests will pay for drinks. OMF is conducting search for auctioneers. Videos of artists working on the angels, artist biographies and angel sponsorship are being considered. Commissioner Marohn has tentative MOU to bring to the Commission. The Subcommittee’s next meeting is March 31. 5. Receive Update Report from Cell Phone Tours Signage Subcommittee Action: Report received. Colton Hall Museum Cultural Art Commission Meeting Minutes Monday, March 23, 2015 3  Colton Hall Museum and Cultural Arts Commission Minutes Monday, March 23, 2015 Commissioners Marohn, Sovereign and Wojtkowski said they are scouting locations and surveying sites for the cell phone tour signs. Commissioner Sovereign mentioned the Cannery Row poles and banners may be useful for several signs. The Commission suggested contacting Cannery Row Business Improvement District Executive Director Bonnie Adams about the signage. Commissioner Wojtkowski said make signs least obtrusive in the downtown area, Colton Hall, the Old Monterey Jail, Vasquez House and the LPHP. Manager Copeland said the perhaps the City property sites of Colton Hall, Monterey Jail, Casa Vasquez, Cannery Row Worker Shacks and Ricketts Lab should be first priority, then the subcommittee and staff could focus next on sign locations on private property. The subcommittee will place digital photos of possible signage locations in Dropbox for staff and subcommittee to review. New Business 6. Approve Gift of Barry Masteller Painting On a motion by Commissioner Greenwald, seconded by Commmissioner Marohn, and carried by the following vote, the Colton Hall Museum and Cultural Arts Commission approved the gift of the Barry Masteller painting “Natural Occurrences, No. 82” created in 1991: AYES: 7 COMMISSIONERS: Dias, Evans, Greenwald, Marohn, Ruhnke, Sovereign, Wojtkowski NOES: 0 COMMISSIONERS: NONE ABSENT: 0 COMMISSIONERS: NONE ABSTAIN: 0 COMMISSIONERS: NONE RECUSED: 0 COMMISSIONERS: NONE COMMISSIONER COMMENTS None. NEXT MEETING Monday, April 27, 2015 ADJOURNMENT Chair Evans adjourned the meeting at 5:45 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, Approved, Dennis Copeland, Manager Robert Evans, Chair Museums, Cultural Arts and Archives Colton Hall Museum & Cultural Arts Commission Colton Hall Museum Cultural Art Commission Meeting Minutes Monday, March 23, 2015 4