Minutes Arts Commission 5 20 08MINUTES
ARTS AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS ADVISORY COMMISSION
SPECIAL SESSION
Tuesday, May 20, 2008, 4:00 p.m.
Board Room, Carnegie Stout Public Library
360 W. 11t" Street, Dubuque, Iowa
Meeting was called to order at 4:05 p.m. following staff assurance of compliance
with the Iowa Open Meeting Law.
Commissioners present: Paul Kohl, Louise Kames, Sue Riedel, Paul Hemmer, Ellen
Henkels, and Amy Weber
Staff Present: Jerelyn O'Connor
Approval of Minutes of April 22, 2008.
Motion by Hemmer, second by Kames to approve minutes. Motion passed 6-0.
OLD BUSINESS:
FY2009 Operating Support Funding Requests, formulate recommendation to City
Council.
Commission reviewed the scores of the 12 applicant organizations and discussed
possible funding scenarios. At the maximum funding levels i.e. 6% of organization's
operating expenditures or $50,000, requests total $296,783. $200,000 is available for
distribution. Riedel stated that she would like to see each organization receive some
portion of the funding. Kohl suggested that the Commission use the scores to
determine funding. Since Shafer was unable to attend this meeting, O'Connor relayed
Shafer's suggestion that the commission establish a minimum threshold of rating points
for funding. For example, organizations scoring under 75 points are not eligible for
funding. Weber suggested establishing a maximum cap of $40,000 and funding
organizations at different percentages of operating support based on their rating.
Various funding scenarios were run. Consensus of the Commission was to establish a
cap of $40,000 due to the high demand for operating support funding.
Motion by Weber, second by Henkels to establish a $40,000 cap and allocate 4.5% of
operating expenditures to organizations scoring >85 point, 3% for organizations scoring
80-85 points, and 2% for organizations scoring less than 80 points and to distribute the
remaining dollars to the top six scoring organizations. All approved.
Dubuque Symphony Organization
Motion by Riedel second by Kohl to allocate 4.5% of operating expenditures. All
approved.
Dubuque Museum of Art
Motion by Henkels, second by Hemmer to allocate 4.5%. All approved.
Dubuque Arts Council
Motion by Riedel, second by Henkels to allocate 4.5%. Approved 5-0-1. Hemmer
abstained.
Grand Opera House
Motion by Hemmer, Second by Riedel to allocate 4.5%. All approved.
Belltower Theater Productions
Motion by Hemmer and second by Kohl to allocate 4.5%. Approved 5-0-1. Riedel
abstained.
Dubuque County Historical Society
Motion by Kohl second by Riedel to allocate $40,000. Approved by Kohl, Riedel,
Kames, Weber and Henkels. Opposed by Hemmer. Motion passed 5-1.
Fly-By-Night Productions
Motion by Henkels second by Hemmer to allocate 4.5%. All approved.
Colts Drug and Bugle Corps
Motion by Kohl, second by Hemmer to allocate 3%. All approved.
Dubuque County Fine Arts Society
Motion by Riedel, second by Hemmer to allocate 3%. Approved 5-0-1. Kohl abstained.
Northeast Iowa School of Music
Motion by Kames, second by Henkels to allocate 2%. All approved
Dubuque Arboretum
Motion by Kohl, second by Riedel to allocate 2%. Approved by Kohl, Riedel, Hemmer,
and Weber. Opposed by Kames and Henkels. Motion passes 4-2.
Four Mounds Foundation
Motion by Kames, second by Kohl to allocate 2%. Approved 5-0-1. Weber abstained.
Commission again discussed need to prepare a case statement to use in requesting an
increase in the amount of operating support funding.
NEW BUSINESS:
Arts and Cultural Affairs Coordinator Position: O'Connor stated that she has met with
the Personnel Director and City Manager regarding the position and staff is working on
a request for proposals for a consultant to provide these services. O'Connor asked
commission for any input for services to be included in the RFP.
Develop Policy Recommendation for Accepting Art Donations: In an effort to improve
Art on the River, O'Connor discussed developing a policy for accepting art donations as
well as creating a fund for City purchase of works of sculpture. There is $13,000
available from savings from year 1 and 2 of Art on the River that could be utilized to
create a fund for sculpture purchase. There was favorable response from the
commission. Motion by Weber, second by Kohl to approve recommending that a fund
be created to purchase works of sculpture and to develop a policy for accepting art
donations. All approved. Louise Kames and Ellen Henkels volunteered to be on a
subcommittee to work on the policy. Henkels noted that the policy should include
procedures for moving works of art as well as the initial placement of art.
Information Sharing
Cultural Trust Workshop: O'Connor will provide commissioners copies of the handouts
from this workshop sponsored by the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs.
175th Anniversary Committee: Amy Weber ~rovided an update to the Commission on
the upcoming activities to celebrate the 175 h Anniversary. Kickoff is the weekend of
May 30-June 1.
Motion to adjourn by Hemmer, second by Kohl. All approved. Meeting adjourned 5:40
p.m.
Next Meeting: Tuesday, May 27, 3:30 p.m.
spectfully submitted,
Jerelyn O'Connor
These minutes passed and approved on May 27, 2008.
Paul Kohl, Secretary
City Clerk
City Council:
City Manager:
File: