Cultural Arts Commission

City of Morgantown Cultural Arts Commission Meeting Minutes for December 7, 2021 Present: Mark McCoy - Chair Nikki Bowman Mills – Vice Chair Rick McEwuen – Secretary Treasurer Ron Dulaney Brian Butcher – City Councilor Ward 7 Absent: Debbie West Mark Downs Josh Williamson Public: Meeting called to order by at 5:32 P.M. The meeting took at the City Manager’s Conference Room, 430 Spruce Street. Minutes: The October 2021 minutes were reviewed. Motion to approve minutes – Commissioner Ron Dulaney 2nd – Commissioner Nikki Bowman Motion passed 5-0 Public Comment: None New Business: FY 2022 City Budget Process and Priorities Director Kitch shared the city’s budget process calendar and provided and overview of programs and priorities including capital projects for next year. The Department will be presenting a request for 2 new positions at this time, a Museum Manager, and a facilities Technician. The commission discussed budget priorities and how to support the department by communicating with City Council and the City Manager. Motion to authorize Chair Mark McCoy send a memo to City Council and the City Manager on behalf of the commission regarding budget priorities for the 2022 Arts & Cultural Development Department. Motion to approve Commissioner Nikki Bowman 2nd – Commissioner Rick McEwuen Motion passed 5-0 1 Ruby Amphitheater Rental Fees Director Kitch presented the current rental fee schedule that has been developed as a basis for renting the Ruby Amphitheater and related facilities. This fee structure was developed based on previous BOPARC rental fees as well as research on comparable amphitheater facilities throughout the state and region. The fees provided standardized fees for walks and runs, pricing for concerts and special events, and discounts for nonprofit organizations. The fee structure is a baseline and staff still have the ability to negotiate rates to create fees for individual events and activities. Motion to approve the updated Ruby Amphitheater Rental Fee Schedule. Motion to approve Commissioner Ron Dulaney 2nd – Commissioner Mark McCoy Motion passed 5-0 Director’s Report: Vincent E. Kitch Director Kitch provided an overview of events and activities of the Arts & Cultural Development Department. Morgantown History Museum – The museum continues to update exhibits and collections. The AmeriCorps staff member has caught up on a lot of backlog in accessioning and cleaning up our records and databases. Staff are working on an exhibit on printmaking in Morgantown that will be installed in Spring 2022. Staff are also tentatively planning on a larger grant collaboration with the Public History Program at WVU in the Spring to support expanding our information on African Americans in Morgantown. Metropolitan Theatre - The Met will be closing 12/20. The city received the bids and City Council will be approving them 12/7 for the carpeting and the digital displays replacement. The price on the displays was much less than originally thought and will be paid with existing capital monies from previous projects. City will also be replacing the seats and finishing the flooring as well as some HVAC boiler replacement. The Met will reopen Mid-February 2022. HRMP Ruby Amphitheater- The Park is effectively closed for the season in terms of events and programs. Staff have installed new signage for the police substation, and are working on additional park hours, restrooms, and special event signage for next year. Department has hired a local designer to build a dedicated website for the park and will launch that after the first of the year. Kitch is also currently working on booking artists for the summer concert series and hope to announce those events after the first of the year. The city has had a community arts and entertainment survey going for a few weeks and are receiving a lot of feedback. Here are the current results of that effort. Public art – Kitch is working with Rafael Blanco and the Public Art Advisory Committee on preliminary designs for the Westover Bridge Pier. Hopefully it will be scheduled for Arts Commission to review and approve at the Jan or Feb meetings. 2 Other – Kitch has been communicating with a new music organization in town for several months shared some information about them. Summit chamber music series is a newly formed group providing chamber music concerts. Future Business: Needs for additional lighting for HRMP and rail-trail to parking garage, golf cart, acoustical muffling, replacement of roofing for stage, signage for park, maintenance fund. Update from Commissioners: The next meeting will take place on January 12, 2022, location TBD Motion to adjourn Commissioner Ron Dulaney 2nd Commissioner Mark McCoy The meeting was adjourned at 6:50 pm. Submitted by Rick McEwuen – Secretary Treasurer 3