Museums and Cultural Arts Commission Meeting

MINUTES COLTON HALL MUSEUM AND CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSION Monday, May 18, 2015 4:00 PM COUNCIL CHAMBER, FEW MEMORIAL HALL OF RECORDS MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA Commissioners Present: Evans, Marohn, Dias, Greenwald, Sovereign, Wojtkowski Commissioners Absent: Ruhnke Ex-Officio and Staff Community Services Director Kim Bui-Burton , Museums & Members Present: Cultural Arts and Archives Manager Dennis Copeland, Recording Secretary Claire Rygg Staff Members Absent: Ex-Officio Commissioners are non-voting members, appointed pursuant to MCC § 2-11. CALL TO ORDER: 4:01 PM CONSENT ITEMS 1. Monday, April 27, 2015 ACTION: Approved with corrections. On a motion by Vice Chair Marohn, seconded by Commissioner Wojtkowksi, and carried by the following vote, the Colton Hall Museum and Cultural Arts Commission approved the minutes with corrections. AYES: 5 COMMISSIONERS: Evans, Marohn, Greenwald, Sovereign, Wojtkowski NOES: 0 COMMISSIONERS: NONE ABSENT: 1 COMMISSIONERS: Ruhnke ABSTAIN: 1 COMMISSIONERS: Dias RECUSED: 0 COMMISSIONERS: NONE ***End of Consent Agenda*** PUBLIC COMMENTS None. INFORMATIONAL REPORTS & STAFF COMMENTS 2. Receive Museum and Cultural Arts Division Activity Report – April 2015 ACTION: Report received. Staff Presentation/Commissioner Questions: Museums, Cultural Arts and Archives Manager Copeland added under the Pacific Biological Laboratories (PBL) that staff and docents gave two tours to 40 visitor center CEOs from across the United States for the Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau on April 26. He also highlighted the great work of the PBL docent tour guides who have consistently received high marks overall in our ongoing PBL tour surveys.  Colton Hall Museum and Cultural Arts Commission Minutes Monday, May 18, 2015 Chair Evans asked if the visitor surveys indicate keeping the PBL as it is now or have a more historic version. Manager Copeland said the surveys indicate that a portion of visitors prefer to keep the PBL as is, while the majority want some part of the Ricketts-era Lab, especially the basement- laboratory, to be restored. He also announced that the next volunteer opportunity for Commissioners will be the upcoming June 13th PBL tours. Under “Planning and Projects”, Commissioner Greenwald asked for the artist’s named to be corrected to Gene [Eugenia Francis] McComas. Community Services Director Bui-Burton provided information on the Museums and Cultural Arts Division’s supplemental budget requests for FY15-16 and FY16-17: 1. Restoration of the artifact specialist position ($24K), and upgrade PastPerfect software ($1K) 2. Cell phone tour licensing, and Explore Monterey and cell phone tour brochures (FY15- 16: $20K; FY16-17 $12K) 3. Storage facility for Monterey Conference Center (MCC) artwork ( $12K FY2015-16; $6K for FY2016-17) 4. Cleaning and waxing of Colton Hall Museum’s wood floors ($2,300 FY2015=16; $1K for FY2016-17) Chair Evans said there was a historic study (Colton Hall Museum Conditions Update and Preservation Maintenance Program) for Colton Hall, and he asked where the money is for all the things that need to be done. Director Bui-Burton explained that some of the projects are submitted to the Neighborhood Improvement Program (NIP) or Capital Improvements Projects (CIP), separate from the City’s general operating fund. Of the Museum’s NIP projects, only the Cannery Row Worker Shacks and a portion of the Lower Presidio Historic Park “A” were funded. Commissioner Wojtkowski inquired about the request for proposal for the Colton Hall Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Study with Recommendations, and Director Bui-Burton said the Museums & Cultural Arts Division is ready to select a firm to conduct the study. Director Bui-Burton added that the City Manager, together with department heads, developed the budget which will be forwarded to City Council for approval in June. City departments have submitted a total of $4M in supplemental budget requests. Commissioner Sovereign asked if there are opportunities for public comments at the City Council meetings, and Director Bui- Burton said on June 2 and 16, and City Council will vote on the budget on June 16. The May 27th City Council Study Session includes public comments. Commissioners Sovereign and Wojtkowski commented that the maintenance of the Colton Hall Museum floors should be included in the operating budget as a normal maintenance item. Director Bui-Burton said that the Division has made that case in the past, and that the floor maintenance should be part of the regular operating budget. Manager Copeland stated that the care of the historic floors is required as part of the overall preservation of Colton Hall. OLD BUSINESS 3. Receive Update Report from Angels Auction Subcommittee on November 2015 Joint Angels Auction Fundraiser with Old Monterey Foundation ACTION: Report received. Colton Hall Museum Cultural Art Commission Meeting Minutes Monday, May 18, 2015 2  Colton Hall Museum and Cultural Arts Commission Minutes Monday, May 18, 2015 Vice-Chair Marohn reported the subcommittee is working on the last additions to the MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) with the Old Monterey Foundation before submitting to the City Attorney for review. The Old Monterey Foundation (OMF) will provide $3,500 to the Commission for marketing and publicity for the event. Seaside High School cut the Angels forms. Fifteen artists have received the cut-out angels which will be painted and returned to OMF by October 1. 4. Receive a Report on Proposed Bicentennial Celebration of the Battle of Monterey 2018 ACTION: Report received. The subcommittee met and discussed various ways to proceed, including contacting other heritage organizations for their interest and support. Commissioner Dias expressed excitement for the project and Commissioner Wojtkowski suggested that OMF may offer support and assistance for the project; he and Chair Evans see the event as a precursor to the 250th anniversary of the founding of Monterey in 1770. 5. Receive Report on Old Monterey Foundation’s Art in the Gardens Event ACTION: Report received. Upon a request from the Commission from the April 27 meeting, Manager Copeland provided information on OMF’s “Art in the Gardens” event September 12 and 13. The event will highlight historic gardens and plein air painting. Commissioner Dias clarified the term “picket fence” in the report as “The Picket Fence” store. More information may be obtained by visiting http://oldmontereyfoundation.org. 6. Approve Gift of Chris Winfield Painting On a motion by Commissioner Greenwald, seconded by Vice-Chair Marohn, and carried by the following vote, the Colton Hall Museum and Cultural Arts Commission approved the gift of the Chris Winfield painting, untitled, created in 2012: AYES: 6 COMMISSIONERS: Dias, Evans, Greenwald, Marohn, Sovereign, Wojtkowski NOES: 0 COMMISSIONERS: NONE ABSENT: 1 COMMISSIONERS: Ruhnke ABSTAIN: 0 COMMISSIONERS: NONE RECUSED: 0 COMMISSIONERS: NONE Public Comments: COMMISSIONER COMMENTS— Commissioner Wojtkowski asked about the attendance at the Voci A Capella concert on May 10. Manager Copeland said that 52 attended the Voci performance with 37 attendees at Change of Heart’s California folk music concert (May 2). Manager Copeland noted that more families attended the Voci performance. Commissioner Wojtkowski Colton Hall Museum Cultural Art Commission Meeting Minutes Monday, May 18, 2015 3 Colton Hall Museum and Cultural Arts Commission Minutes Monday, May 18, 2015 commented on an article by Monterey Herald’s Phil Bowhay, who highlighted the Monterey County Pops’ Memorial Day Concert, formerly held at the Naval Postgraduate School, and now held on the Colton Hall Lawn. Commissioner Greenwald said that Voci A Capella was a nice group, but a capella is not ideal for outdoors because of the competition with street noise. He added that the clientele may have reservations sitting on the grass and commented that if the Division could provide seating during the outdoor concerts, it may attract more people. Commissioner Greenwald noted that the lawn setting may not be attracting those who attended the Colton Hall evening music concerts. Manager Copeland stated that the chairs would be an additional expense and that the original program was planned as a lawn event. He also noted the Commission that the outdoor music concerts is a pilot program and that it usually takes a couple of years to develop an audience for new programs. Director Bui-Burton suggested that staff can agendize a report on the May concerts for the June Commission meeting. Chair Evans suggested publicity flyers for the May 30 concert on the Colton Hall lawn be distributed at the May 25 Memorial Day concert, and Vice-Chair Marohn volunteered to distribute flyers at the concert. Manager Copeland stated that staff would prepare flyers or announcement cards for distribution by Commissioners attending the Memorial Day event. NEXT MEETING Monday, June 22, 2015 ADJOURNMENT Chair Evans adjourned the meeting at 4:49 pm. 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, May 18, 2015 4