Public Art Committee

Anna Berke, Chair Sharon Dennehy, Vice-Chair Kat Zagaria Buckley Phoebe Cole Alison Gibbs Kelly Hrenko, City Manager appointee Justin Levesque Sarah Michniewicz, City Councilor Stephanie Motter John Whipple Ronnie Wilson, Creative Portland appointee Management & Administration Sean King, Urban Designer with Planning & Urban Development Department PORTLAND PUBLIC ART COMMITTEE Wednesday, October 15, 2025 4:00 PM City Hall, Room 209, 389 Congress Street, Portland ME 04101 1. Zoom Meeting Information Due to the existence of an emergency or urgent issue the Portland Public Art Committee will conduct this meeting by remote methods/technology at the Zoom link provided below, in accordance with the requirements of 1 M.R.S. section 403-B and the City Council's Remote Participation Policy. Allow your computer to install the free zoom app to get the best meeting experience. For more information on how to use Zoom, please go to: https://content.civicplus.com/api/assets/18148b5d-f26e-472f-8d2c-245db97e5c27?cache=1800 Public Public comment will be taken; written comments may be submitted to publicart@portlandmaine.gov Please click the link to join the webinar: https://portlandmaine-gov.zoom.us/j/81634418875 Or One tap mobile : US: +19292056099,,81634418875# or +13017158592,,81634418875# Or Telephone: Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: +1 929 205 6099 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 669 900 6833 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799 Webinar ID: 816 3441 8875 International numbers available: https://portlandmaine-gov.zoom.us/u/kcytm2arCM 2. Call to Order (Berke) Roll Call (King) September 17, 2025 meeting minutes 3. Staff Communications (King) A. Public art fund balance – Reduction of $3,560 for Rustle Dyptich II lighting installation. B. Encumbrances for new acquisitions of public art – No updates 4. New Business Page 1  Gorham’s corner roadway improvement project – Discuss the proposed relocation of the six granite posts around the John Ford sculpture within the public art collection. In addition, The City is hosting a public meeting to gather feedback and concerns from the public, scheduled for Thursday, October 23, 2025 at 5:00 PM in the Kippy Richardson Conference Room 24 on the basement level in City Hall. 5. New Business and Subcommittee Reports A. Governance/Board Development (Berke, Dennehy) 1. Annual plan report FY25 & Proposed Budget FY26 presented to City Council on October 6, 2025. City Council voted unanimously (7-0, Councilor Fournier and Sykes were absent) to approve the annual report and proposed budget. B. Acquisitions (Formerly “Gifts”) Subcommittee (Cole, Hrenko, Zagaria) 1. Subcommittee members to share updates. C. Communications Subcommittee (Motter, Berke, Gibbs) 1. Subcommittee members to share updates. D. Collection Management (Formerly “Site Selection”) Subcommittee (Dennehy, Gibbs, Berke, Zagaria) 1. Subcommittee members to share updates. 6. Project Reports A. Conservation Projects – No priority projects B. Maintenance Projects 1. Rustle Diptych II – Staff from Parks, Cemetery Division and Public Works Traffic Division assisted with the installation of new conduit and power to facilitate the new inground light fixtures by electrical contractor Casco Bay Electric on September 26th. C. Harbor Common new acquisition subcommittee – (Dennehy, Cole, Levesque & Zagaria) 1. Progress on Request for Proposal (RFP) with City Staff for a potential new acquisition located within the future park, known as “Portland Harbor Commons” on the Eastern Waterfront. More information on the Parks Department project here - https://portland.civilspace.io/en/projects/portland-harbor-common 7. Public Comment 8. Other Business 9. Meeting Adjourns Next Meeting - November 19, 2025 Page 2  Anna Berke, Chair Sharon Dennehy, Vice-Chair Kat Zagaria Buckley Phoebe Cole Alison Gibbs Kelly Hrenko, City Manager appointee Justin Levesque Sarah Michniewicz, City Councilor Stephanie Motter John Whipple Ronnie Wilson, Creative Portland appointee Management & Administration Sean King, Urban Designer with Planning & Urban Development Department PORTLAND PUBLIC ART COMMITTEE September 17, 2025 Meeting Notes 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. HYBRID (in person or online via Zoom link) City Hall – Room 209, 389 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101 Due to the existence of an emergency or urgent issue the Portland Public Art Committee will conduct this meeting by remote methods/technology at the Zoom link provided below, in accordance with the requirements of 1 M.R.S. section 403-B and the City Council's Remote Participation Policy. Allow your computer to install the free zoom app to get the best meeting experience. For more information on how to use Zoom, please go to: https://content.civicplus.com/api/assets/18148b5d-f26e-472f-8d2c-245db97e5c27?cache=1800 Public Public comment will be taken; written comments may be submitted to publicart@portlandmaine.gov Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://portlandmaine-gov.zoom.us/j/81634418875 Or One tap mobile : US: +19292056099,,81634418875# or +13017158592,,81634418875# Or Telephone: Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: +1 929 205 6099 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 669 900 6833 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799 Webinar ID: 816 3441 8875 International numbers available: https://portlandmaine-gov.zoom.us/u/kcytm2arCM ------------ 1. Call to Order (Berke) Meeting begins at 4:14 pm + Roll call (King) (Committee members absent – Hrenko) + August 20, 2025 meeting minutes Motion to pass (Wilson); Second (Whipple); Motion passes unanimously by show of hands 2. Staff Communications (King) A. Public art fund balance – No updates or invoices paid since last meeting on August 20, 2025 B. Encumbrances for new acquisitions of public art – No updates 3. Public comment No members of the public present to provide comment 4. Unfinished Business A. VOTING ITEM: Conservation assessment proposal for FY25. The Committee is requested to review two proposals for the conservation assessment of the City’s public art Collection. Staff has prepared some background material for the Committee’s consideration. Page 3  Chair Berke introduced this item and provided clarification for Committee feedback based on the two proposals received for a 5-year conservation assessment. The Committee deliberated with a discussion about their experience with both conservation companies and comparison of costs. Move to motion to accept Tuckerbrook Conservation proposal (Berke); Motion (Dennehy); Seconds (Whipple_. Motion passes by roll call vote (9-0, Hrenko, Levesque absent) i. Tuckerbrook Conservation o Ron Harvey of Tuckerbrook Conservation LLC offers conservation consulting, treatment, teaching, management and assessment of collection care. Consulting and treatment of archaeological, ethnographic, fine art objects, outdoor sculpture, zinc sculpture, storage, long-term preservation, collection handling, lecturing, preservation workshops, conservation assessments and teaching. With forty-eight years of experience. o Ron Harvey has performed restoration on the City’s Collection by artist Bernard Langlais in 2024 and has provided guidance for future maintenance for consideration by the Committee. o Current proposal outlines 9-10 days to complete at $1,200/day for an estimate of $10,800 but not exceed $12,000. ii. Taggart Objects Conservation o Jonathan Taggart of Taggart Objects Conservation, located in New Georgetown, Maine, has provided conservation assessment, restoration and maintenance for the Portland public art committee since 2001. Previous conservation assessments have outlined priorities for public artwork conservation to preserve the longevity of the City’s Collection. o Previous conservation assessment was completed in July 29, 2021 with an associated cost of $8,630. o Current proposal outlines 8 days, based on $150 per hour for an estimated cost of $11,576. 5. New Business & Subcommittee Reports A. Governance/Board Development (Berke, Dennehy) 1. VOTING ITEM: Annual plan report FY25 & Proposed budget FY26 Final draft. The Committee is requested to review and vote with a recommendation ahead of the City Council agenda request. Chair Berke introduced this item to the Committee to provide feedback with the goal to make a recommendation ahead of a City Council meeting. Chair invites Staff to provide a summary of the report and proposed budget. Staff shared that the proposed budget was coordinated with the Finance Director to confirm remaining funds available for new acquisitions. Committee members had concerns about the arrangement of priorities for new acquisitions into the proposed budget and recommended that each of the priorities (North Deering, Riverton Trolley Park & Portland Harbor Commons) held equal status within the report. Motion to accept the FY25 annual plan and FY26 proposed budget as drafted (Gibbs); Seconds (Zagaria). Motion passes by roll call vote (9-0, Hrenko, Levesque absent). B. Acquisitions (Formerly “Gifts”) Subcommittee (Cole, Zagaria, Hrenko) 1. Subcommittee members to share updates. Committee member shared updates from the Italian Heritage Center’s work to create language for the plaque associated with the accepted gift of public art. C. Communications Subcommittee (Motter, Berke, Gibbs) 1. Subcommittee members to share updates. Committee member shared upcoming social media posts to engage the public, suggest tagging publicart on other City department posts (Planning, Creative Portland for instance). Page 4  D. Collection Management (Formerly “Site Selection”) Subcommittee (Dennehy, Gibbs, Berke, Zagaria) 1. Subcommittee members to share updates. 6. Project Reports A. Conservation Projects – No priority projects B. Maintenance Projects 1. VOTING ITEM: Rustle Diptych II – Staff to provide updates to install conduit and inground light fixtures in September based on current quote by Casco Bay Electric and excavation work by City of Portland. The Committee is requested to review the updated proposal and vote with a recommendation. Staff introduced the revised proposal to reduce the costs to replace the lights associated with the public artwork. Motion to approve the revised quote (Gibbs); Seconds (Whipple). Motion passes by roll call vote (9-0, Hrenko, Levesque absent). 2. Portland Bricks (Dennehy, Gibbs) – Staff or Committee members to share any updates from artist Ayumi Horie. C. Harbor Common – Committee members Berke, Cole, Dennehy, Levesque & Zagaria make up a subcommittee to develop a Request for Proposal (RFP) with City Staff for a potential new acquisition located within the future park on the Eastern Waterfront. Committee members discussed the progress on creating an artist RFP for a new acquisition envisioned at the new waterfront park. 7. Other Business 8. Meeting adjourns at 5:45pm Page 5 FY26 - Public Art Fund (July 2025-June 2026) TOTAL PPAC Balance A Total Balance (includes FY26) $ 408,661.05 B Total Encumberances $ 202,172.00 C Remaining Balance $ 206,489.05 Remaining Encumbrances from approved budget plans Activity Description Budget A Congress Square Public Art New Commission - Sarah Sze artist $ 176,000.00 B Bramhall Square Artwork New Commission - Chris Miller artist $ 26,172.00 Total Encumbered $ 202,172.00 F26 - Proposed Budget Breakdown Activity Description Proposed FY26 Budget Current Budget Balance To cover the five-year Collection conservation assessment, lighting assessment and complete A Conservation and Maintenance conservation projects identified as highest priority $ 10,000 $ 10,000.00 To cover repairs, theft, relocation, Community Art B Contingency Fund grant, plaque purchase, etc. $ 5,000 $ 1,440.00 C Community Artwork grants To contribute to a community artwork project(s) $ 5,000 $ 5,000.00 C New Artwork New public artwork acqusitions $ 30,000 $ 30,000.00 Total FY26 Budget $ 50,000 $ 46,440.00 FY26 Expenses Funding Source Total (PAID) Project Notes CBE Contigency $ 3,560.00 Lights and conduit installation at Rustle Dyptich Subtotal Expenses $ 3,560.00 Page 6