Museums and Cultural Arts Commission Meeting

Staff Presentation / Commissioner Questions: MINUTES COLTON HALL MUSEUM AND CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSION Monday, September 28, 2015 4:00 PM COUNCIL CHAMBER, FEW MEMORIAL HALL OF RECORDS MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA Commissioners Present: Evans, Dias, Greenwald, Ruhnke, Sovereign Commissioners Absent: Marohn, Wojtkowski 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: 4:00 PM CONSENT ITEMS 1. Monday, August 24, 2015 ACTION: Approved. On a motion by Commissioner Greenwald, seconded by Commissioner Ruhnke and carried by the following vote, the Colton Hall Museum and Cultural Arts Commission approved the minutes with one correction. AYES: 5 COMMISSIONERS: Evans, Dias, Greenwald, Ruhnke, Sovereign, Wojtkowski NOES: 0 COMMISSIONERS: NONE ABSENT: 2 COMMISSIONERS: Marohn, Wojtkowski ABSTAIN: 0 COMMISSIONERS: RECUSED: 0 COMMISSIONERS: NONE ***End of Consent Agenda*** PUBLIC COMMENTS None. INFORMATIONAL REPORTS & STAFF COMMENTS 2. Receive Museum and Cultural Arts Division Activity Report – August 2015 ACTION: Report received.  Colton Hall Museum and Cultural Arts Commission Minutes Monday, September 28, 2015 Museums, Cultural Arts and Archives Manager Copeland highlighted that August was very busy with projects which included preparations for moving the artwork from the Monterey Conference Center to a storage unit in Sand City, and he commended Cultural Arts Assistant Booker’s work on that project. Manager Copeland also met with Neighborhood Improvement Program (NIP) Principal Engineer/NIP Coordinator Jeff Krebs on the NIP projects: the Stables Conditions Assessment and the Lower Presidio Historic Park Improvement which Coordinator Krebs will present later during the Commission meeting. Community Services Director Bui-Burton said the Monterey Regional Collections Roundtable (MRCR), founded by Manager Copeland, was mentioned in Monterey County Weekly, and the MRCR takes on the stewardship of the county’s historic collections. Director Bui-Burton also mentioned Secretary of State Alex Padilla visited and toured Colton Hall with Manager Copeland and Museum Guide Lanzman on Thursday, September 24, and Commissioner Dias added that Secretary Padilla attended the Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce Leadership Luncheon at the Hyatt Hotel where he talked about California’s constitution, and he mentioned he was going to visit Colton Hall. Director Bui-Burton also reported that the City will provide grants for special events between December 1, 2015 and June 30, 2016. One Commissioner needs to participate as part of the review panel of the grant proposals on Friday, October 23, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm. The Chair may select a Commissioner during Commission Comments. OLD BUSINESS 3. Receive Update Report from Angels Auction Subcommittee on November 2015 Joint Angels Auction Fundraiser with Old Monterey Foundation ACTION: Report received. Commissioner Ruhnke reported that she, Commissioner Dias, and Manager Copeland met to discuss updates on the Angel Restoration Fundraising project. Vice Chair Marohn is working on a design for a rack card announcing the auction. The subcommittee wants Commission volunteers, together with Old Monterey Foundation (OMF) members, to staff a table at the Farmers’ Market to sell event tickets and new angel cards every Tuesday from 4-7 pm starting October 20 through the week of Thanksgiving. Commissioner Dias will write up an article for the City’s “City Focus” newsletter. Commissioner Ruhnke presented to the Commission the new angel cards which will be sold at the Farmers’ Market and profits will be used to restore the angels. 4. Receive an Update Report from Bouchard – Battle of Monterey Bicentennial Subcommittee ACTION: Report received. Commissioner Sovereign and Mr. Patrick O’Dowd of OMF have an idea of a possible event for November 2015 to raise the Argentine flag at the Bouchard memorial site. On Saturday, October 3, the Wharf is celebrating its 170th anniversary, and has listed as one of their activities a commemoration of Bouchard’s visit to Monterey. There is also an idea for a four-year series of flying four flags over Monterey: Spain, Argentina, Mexico, and the United States. Commissioner Sovereign also added that Manager Copeland has been working on a resolution for City Council approval. Director Bui-Burton suggested to the Commission that the subcommittee may want to work with staff on a brief agenda report, draft a resolution, then the Commission Chair would make a presentation to the Council. Colton Hall Museum Cultural Art Commission Meeting Minutes Monday, September 28, 2015 2  Colton Hall Museum and Cultural Arts Commission Minutes Monday, September 28, 2015 Public Comments: Mr. O’Dowd went to the California History Room, opened the file on Bouchard and found a letter [from the Argentineans] dated 1964 which described their unhappiness that Bouchard was considered a pirate. Other documents in the file noted that among the 1964 event attendees was the Argentinean ambassador. Mr. O’Dowd would like to work with the Commission and find a way to let the Argentineans know the City of Monterey would like to do something with them to celebrate the bicentennial. 5. Receive Report on FY2015-2016 Museums and Cultural Arts Neighborhood Improvement Program (NIP) Projects Principal Engineer/NIP Coordinator Krebs provided an update on the Commission the five current NIP projects:  Master Plans for Public Art and Expanded Path of History 1. Survey 60 strategic locations for outdoor public art and wayfinding 2. Connect a path from LPHP to Royal Presidio Chapel on Church Street 3. Identify Monterey’s historic and cultural assets 4. Art may be a combination of murals, signs, plantings, or sculptures 5. Expand Path of History linking adobes, Victorian houses, parks and museums of Monterey 6. Project schedule: September 2015 – May 2016  Lower Presidio Historic Park (LPHP) Improvements to allow public use 1. Partial implementation of 2002 Master Plan 2. Install way-finding and entrance signage 3. Construct walking path and benches to Serra Monument 4. Accessible parking space and curb ramp as required for ADA compliance  Cannery Row Worker Shacks Repair/Restoration 1. Repair damaged floors, walls and ceilings 2. Replace non-compliant handrails and add metal stair nosing at wood steps 3. Construction preliminary scheduled for April/May 2016  Presidio Historic Park Stables 1. Building Plans and Elevations 2. Condition Assessment 3. Recommendations for Repurposing Options 4. Scheduled August – December 2015  Sloat Monument Repair/Restoration 1. Construction of localized surface and concrete footing repair, repointing and overall cleaning 2. Construction preliminary scheduled spring 2016 Staff/Commissioner Comments/Questions: Director Bui-Burton reminded the Commission that with any master plan, different advisories bodies will be involved, such as the Architectural and Review Committee, the Planning Department, before the master plan is finalized. Commissioner Dias asked about access to the pedestrian bridge at the end of Van Buren Street to the LPHP. Engineer Krebs said currently he is not funded to work on the bridge, but there will be improvements to the walkway to the Presidio of Monterey Museum and street crossings from the Boy Scout Lodge. Colton Hall Museum Cultural Art Commission Meeting Minutes Monday, September 28, 2015 3  Colton Hall Museum and Cultural Arts Commission Minutes Monday, September 28, 2015 Commissioner Sovereign said the Bouchard Monument is not far from the bend in the walkway. Engineer Krebs looked at the grades and it was not in the budget to get the required grades to come down and back up from the area of the monument; the emphasis is to get the pathway to and around the Serra Monument. Engineer Krebs stated he can look at the Bouchard Monument grades again. Mr. O’Dowd said the OMF met with Sandy Freeman, a consultant and Chair of the Architectural Review Committee, who has worked on signage for the pathway, and comments were made about what kind of history will the visitor receive on the pathway. Mr. O’Dowd wants to meet with Manager Copeland about interpretive signage. Manager Copeland said he would like to see a pattern of consistent wayfinding signage that matches with other City interpretive signs. Commission Dias said there is a group from Leadership Monterey Peninsula who want to volunteer to assist in the development of the Van Buren / 76th Artillery Streets pedestrian bridge so it can be a link to the Path of History. Engineer Krebs said he could work the project into the Master Plan of Public Art. 6. Review Draft Colton Hall Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Study and Provide Comments to Staff Manager Copeland said the study identifies three main priorities and options: second floor access to the Museum; first floor access to the Museum and Planning offices either through both front and rear doors; an accessible public restroom, and also recommendations for handrails and extensions, and other improvements. Staff will bring the final study to the Commission for possible adoption by the CHMCAC and the Historic Preservation Commission and any other Commissions that have jurisdiction. Staff Presentation / Commissioner Questions: Chair Evans said the one thing that wasn’t covered is how access would be controlled using the elevator, citing as an example the elevator at a Pacific Grove restaurant which requires a person to be at one end of the elevator to operate it for the individual who needs to ride it, and he suggested a means of communication by pushing a button or ringing a bell when using it. Director Bui-Burton said the limited use limited access (LULA) elevator is open for access. Chair Evans said the ADA Study mentioned the need for endings to handrails on the front of Colton Hall, and handrails from south side of Colton Hall. Manager Copeland asked if Chair Evans would like to see more detailed descriptions of the handrails in the study. Director Bui-Burton said that the study is not a design project, and staff can ask for more input for the study. She also said that the study’s cost estimates are broad and anticipates the project’s costs to be more than what each of the components are. She said it is exciting to have a study that has realistic possibilities. Chair Evans also asked if there were any comments from the Planning Department, about taking out the offices or removing office walls? Manager Copeland said a ramp may be built to the rear patio to Planning rear entrance, and the access would require some compliant entryway adjustments to the internal offices and to counter heights adjusted for both offices. Director Bui-Burton said details have not yet been discussed with the Planning Department, and it would take a lot of work, time and design to remove the barriers and plan useable and workable office spaces. Manager Copeland said that one of the City planners is on the ADA study review committee. Colton Hall Museum Cultural Art Commission Meeting Minutes Monday, September 28, 2015 4  Colton Hall Museum and Cultural Arts Commission Minutes Monday, September 28, 2015 Commissioner Sovereign said that the interface with the elevator and back stairway to Colton Hall should be clean and attractive, and that the front of the building has signage explaining access for those with limited mobility. Chair Evans asked about a visitor [with limited mobility], parked on Pacific Street, wheels themselves up the walkway to the front entrance of Colton Hall and then find out there is an elevator at the rear of the building, would see some serious grade changes and the visitor would have to return to the car to drive to the rear of the building. Commissioner Greenwald said that visitors who have mobility issues would research the City’s website to obtain information on access to the building. Manager Copeland noted that one option is to re-landscape the brick stairs for access to the rear of Colton Hall as well as to install access signage. Mr. O’Dowd mentioned that while at Santa Barbara, an ADA citizen group was consulted about any ADA access solutions. Director Bui-Burton said the City has an ADA Coordinator and an ADA Access Committee of community volunteers for certain projects. Engineer Krebs said that the California Building Code requires that if $130K is spent on a particular site, then everything has to be ADA compliant. He noted the City’s ADA Transition Plan is reviewed every year. Chair Evans asked about the timeline of the study, and Manager Copeland said the study will be reviewed, then sent to the ARG consultant for revisions, then the final study will be presented to the CHMCAC in October, the Historic Preservation Commission in November, and then onto the City Council. 7. Receive Report on Updated 2015 Schedules of Commission Volunteer Opportunities and Events Manager Copeland reviewed the updated schedule of volunteer opportunities and meetings with the Commissioners, and staff will provide a new schedule for 2016. Director Bui-Burton said the December meeting is often cancelled due to the holidays. Chair Evans asked why the Christmas in the Adobes (CITA) event is held at Colton Hall even though the Hall is not ADA accessible. Director Bui-Burton said the CITA event is an ongoing interpretation of Colton Hall, and docents can go downstairs to the visitor and provide interpretation of the Hall and also bring down a cup of hot cider. Commissioner Sovereign asked how to mechanically access the volunteer opportunities? Director Bui-Burton said the Commissioners can tell or email staff their volunteer preferences, and staff will record them. Commissioner Ruhnke asked that the volunteer opportunities for Angel Auction at the Museum of Monterey December 5 from 6 – 9 pm be on the list. PUBLIC COMMENT None. Colton Hall Museum Cultural Art Commission Meeting Minutes Monday, September 28, 2015 5  Colton Hall Museum and Cultural Arts Commission Minutes Monday, September 28, 2015 COMMISSIONER COMMENTS Commissioner Greenwald said “We have been waiting a long time to access Colton Hall”, and he encouraged the Commissioners to move ahead, and not “get caught up in the weeds” of the project, and approve the ADA final plan, get the design approved, and move on. Chair Evans said he would be happy to attend the special grants project meeting on October 23, and Commissioner Sovereign will be a back-up. Evans also said that AMP had a open house for attendees to view an art gallery at Heritage Harbor. He also mentioned Cultural Arts Assistant Booker needs a “big pat on the back”, and Commissioner Ruhnke is still listed as the Chair on the Colton Hall website. NEXT MEETING Monday, October 26, 2015 ADJOURNMENT Chair Evans adjourned the meeting at 5:08 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, September 28, 2015 6