Museums and Cultural Arts Commission Meeting

MINUTES COLTON HALL MUSEUM AND CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSION Monday, April 24, 2017 4:00 PM CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, FEW MEMORIAL HALL OF RECORDS MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA Commissioners Present: Castagna, Wall, Evans, Peake, Ruhnke, Sovereign, Wojtkowski Commissioners Absent: Ex-Officio and Staff Community Services Director Kim Bui-Burton, Museums, Members Present: Cultural Arts Manager Dennis Copeland, Recording Secretary Claire Rygg Ex-Officio Commissioners are non voting members, appointed pursuant to MCC § 2-11. CALL TO ORDER 1. Introduction of New Commissioner Kimberley Peake (Not a project under CEQA, per Article 20, Section 15378 and under General Rule Article 5, Section 15061.) The Commission was delighted to welcome Kimberley Peake to the Commission. ROLL CALL CONSENT ITEMS Approval of Minutes 2. Monday, March 27, 2017 ACTION: Approved. On a motion by Commissioner Sovereign, seconded by Commissioner Evans and carried by the following vote, the Colton Hall Museum and Cultural Arts Commission approved the minutes for March 27, 2017. AYES: 6 COMMISSIONERS: Castagna, Wall, Evans, Peake, Ruhnke, Sovereign NOES: 0 COMMISSIONERS: NONE ABSENT: 0 COMMISSIONERS: NONE ABSTAIN: 1 COMMISSIONERS: Wojtkowski RECUSED: 0 COMMISSIONERS: NONE ***End of Consent Agenda*** PUBLIC COMMENTS INFORMATIONAL REPORTS & STAFF COMMENTS 3. Receive Museum and Cultural Arts Division Activity Report – March 2017 (Not a project under CEQA, per Article 20, Section 15378 and under General Rule Article 5, Section 15061.)  Colton Hall Museum and Cultural Arts Commission Minutes Monday, April 24, 2017 ACTION: Report received. Manager Copeland reviewed the staff report with the Commission and made a correction to the 2016 Pacific Biological Laboratories (PBL) visit count from 258 to 109. The museums’ attendance continues to do well with sizeable increases, especially for Colton Hall due to increased visitors. The PBL program has increased its group visitors, and the Commission asked if staff has thought of increasing the number of tours and having social events. Manager Copeland said there is a great team of PBL docents who are well-attuned to the second Saturday in the month and, perhaps, after reviewing the trend of the tours we could provide special tours emphasizing specific aspects of the Lab and its history. Social events at the Lab take place regularly. Next month the National Steinbeck Center (NSC) will offer tours and host a small reception during their Steinbeck Festival. Director Bui-Burton said one of the challenges of the PBL is the lack of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) access, and docents and staff provide equivalent tours through photographs and virtual tours. One of the items staff will look at in the fall is a grant from the Community Foundation for Monterey County (CFMC) for an ADA accessibility study for the PBL. The Commission asked who funds the Sustainable Art in History program, and Manager Copeland said the Monterey Museum of Art (MMA) applied for grants to work with a number of schools in Monterey County to expose students to art and history. The Commission commented that the Old Monterey Foundation (OMF) is creating a ceremony to recognize the Native Sons of the Golden West (NSGW) for their contribution for the restoration of the Father Serra monument. The Commission asked if a cell phone tour to promote the “Path of History” has been considered and could the tours be included in the Path of History and Public Art study. Manager Copeland said a recommendation to include the cell phone tours could be included in the study. The Commission also asked if the public will be able to view the City’s art collection online, and Manager Copeland said that staff is looking at the possibilities of a web gallery, using a module in collection management software. PUBLIC APPEARANCE 4. Receive a Report on Council Referral - Public Art Mural and Utility Box Art Program (Not a project under CEQA, per Article 20, Section 15378 and under General Rule Article 5, Section 15061.) ACTION: Report received. Director Bui-Burton reviewed the report with the Commission, and noted a Commission subcommittee could work with staff for ideas on how the program will be resourced and how the art would be maintained. Staff would like to bring the agenda item to the Commission before the Commission discusses the strategic plan. The Commission asked if the public art mural and utility box art program should be within the responsibilities of the Path of History/Public Art Plans Subcommittee. The Chair and Commission supported inclusion of the utility box art and public art mural program within the tasks of the subcommittee. Public Comments: Andrew Cardinelli of Monterey said that there are dozens of metal utility boxes throughout the City in business and residential areas, and he wants to initiate a sponsorship program to permit Colton Hall Museum Cultural Art 2 Commission Meeting Minutes Monday, April 24, 2017 2  Colton Hall Museum and Cultural Arts Commission Minutes Monday, April 24, 2017 City-approved groups to choose approved boxes to be painted, have the City initiate the [Public Art Mural and Utility Box Art] program, and make a moderate contribution for supplies. He asked the Commission to task staff to come back with proposals now, and not wait until the 2017/2018 Strategic Plan. He hopes the project will be successful. The Commission suggested to Mr. Cardinelli that it might be good to give the Commission assurance that there are people who would do the project and bring their ideas to the next [May 22] Commission meeting. It also asked Mr. Cardinelli if the art pieces would each be unique or have a theme, e.g., the ocean, local history, etc. Mr. Cardinelli had discussed with artists and art teachers about specific areas and their history, e.g., Cannery Row, the Wharf, and local schools. The Commission asked how long have the painted utility boxes by the Monterey Public Library been there, and how often are they maintained? The boxes are less than two years old, and Director Bui-Burton said it was a community idea supported by the City Council as a pilot project with fundraising for the boxes. The City Attorney had asked Director Bui-Burton if the CHMCAC had reviewed any of the utility boxes, had staff conducted research into an artist’s intellectual property rights and any legal requirements that the artwork may never be removed. There had been no Commission review or staff research on the legalities or intellectual rights. A program like the utility boxes makes sense if there is sufficient interest. 5. Review Commission Strategic Plan 2014-2016 and Provide Guidance to Staff (Not a project under CEQA, per Article 20, Section 15378 and under General Rule Article 5, Section 15061.) ACTION: Report received. Director Bui-Burton presented to the Commission a brief history and background of the strategic plan which was developed during a facilitated retreat. She reviewed the three goals of the strategic plan: 1) Resource Development, 2) Programs and 3) Marketing/Public Relations, and the list of current members on the subcommittees. The Commission asked that staff return at the next [May 22] meeting with a proposal to have the whole Commission meet at a separate session to review the strategic plan to discuss and revise it. Receive a Report on the 2017 Colton Hall Evening Music Series Concerts (Not a project 6. under CEQA, per Article 20, Section 15378 and under General Rule Article 5, Section 15061.) ACTION: Report received. The Commission commented on the success of the concerts, and they look forward to when the concerts return to Colton Hall. Staff will review the response level of the last [December 2016] fundraising letter and the amount of money raised for the concerts to determine when would be the best time to send out the next fundraising letter. 7. Receive a Report from Bouchard–Battle of Monterey Bicentennial Subcommittee (Not a project under CEQA, per Article 20, Section 15378 and under General Rule Article 5, Section 15061.) Colton Hall Museum Cultural Art 3 Commission Meeting Minutes Monday, April 24, 2017 3  Colton Hall Museum and Cultural Arts Commission Minutes Monday, April 24, 2017 Commissioner Sovereign said a date for the 2017 event has not been determined, though there are many ideas including an October/November time period for a Bouchard tall ship landing event near the Custom House as a part of History Fest, or a reenactment in November. He and volunteer Mike Carbaugh will give a talk to the docents at San Carlos Heritage Center [Royal Presidio Chapel] at the end of April. The NROTC which participated in 2016 is enthusiastic to participate again as re-enactors for the 2017 event. Local history experts could present lectures as part of the event, and Manager Copeland has offered to present a talk on Bouchard at the Monterey Peninsula College’s Gentrain program in September 2017. Public Comments: Mr. Carbaugh said he received an email from Mr. John Middleton who spoke with the director of the “Lady Washington” and they will be more than pleased to come down for the November 2017 and 2018 events. We can also have a cannon show. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS Castagna: He went to the Neighborhood Improvement Program (NIP) meeting last week, and the two Museums and Cultural Arts projects, the Blue Heron at El Estero Park and the study for access to the Lower Presidio Historic Park from Old Town Monterey, were reviewed. Voting for the NIP projects will be on Thursday, April 27 at 7:00 pm. He asked that staff email the NIP schedule to Commissioners. Now that we have a full Commission compliment [for the Commission], we need to have an orientation session. Manager Copeland said staff will work on it. Sovereign: On the study for access to LPHP, sometimes it is useful to have the submitter reduce the amount of the budget request. Under pressure, we might want to have a strategy, a smaller study for half the cost. Manager Copeland said, in that event, the submitter will have to talk to NIP Coordinator/Principal Engineer Jeff Krebs to propose a different cost estimate. Peake: Thank you for welcoming me. You may call me Kimberley or Kimber. NEXT MEETING 8. Monday, May 22, 2017 ADJOURNMENT 5:06 pm Respectfully Submitted, Approved, Dennis Copeland John Castagna, Chair Museums, Cultural Arts & Archives Colton Hall Museum & Cultural Arts Commission Manager Colton Hall Museum Cultural Art 4 Commission Meeting Minutes Monday, April 24, 2017 4