Minutes Arts & Cultural Affairs Adv C 3 22 05
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MINUTES
ARTS AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS ADVISORY
COMMISSION
REGULAR SESSION
Tuesday, March 22, 2005, 4:30 p.m.
Board Room, Carnegie-Stout Public Library
360 W. 11th Street, Dubuque, Iowa
Meeting was called to order at 4:35 p.m. following staff assurance of compliance
with the Iowa Open Meeting Law.
Commissioners Present: Rebecca Fabricius, William Intriligator, Jane
Kenworthy, Paul Kohl, Amy Link, Susan Riedel, Mark Wahlert.
Staff Present: Jerelyn O'Connor, Kevin Firnstahl
Approval of Minutes.
The minutes from February 22, 2005 were approved with the correction to the
spelling of Sue Riedel's name. Motion by Wahlert, Second by Intriligator, passed
unanimously.
Open Discussion
Chairperson Kenworthy thanked the Commissioners for their participation in the
budget public hearing regarding the Council's approval of the $200,000 in FY
2006 for the Arts and Cultural Affairs. Kenworthy asked that since these budget
amounts are a year-by-year figure, would it be appropriate to communicate with
the Council in support of current amounts or changes. Staff member O'Connor
noted that it is appropriate for the Commission to communicate with the Council
since the Commission serves an advisory role to the City Council. She
recommended that communication from the Commission be in written form so it
becomes part of the City Council agendas. The Commission agreed to send a
formal thank you to the Council as part of its recommendations for FY 05 grant
distribution.
New Business
Action to formulate recommendations to City Council on FY 2006 funding
for Arts and Cultural Activities.
Staff member O'Connor explained that the decision package for this budget item
specified the funding is for arts and cultural activities and the Commission is to
make a recommendation to the Council on how that money will be spent. The
Council did not act on the Arts Task Force recommendation that funding be
provided to arts organizations for operating support and instead that has been
referred to the Commission for a recommendation. O'Connor also noted that the
approved FY 06 budget includes $35,000 in funding for the special projects grant
program. This funding is part of the City Council's total arts budget of $247,000.
($35,000 for special projects; $200,000 for possible operating expenses; and
$17,000 for supplies, staff expense and training.)
Discussion
Commissioner Riedel expressed the need for local funding for operating support
similar to the State's program, whereby groups receive funding based on a
percentage of their operating costs with caps. This would also aid groups in
applying for State funding if they have a local funding match.
Commissioner Kenworthy described the work of the Arts Task Force and the
importance of providing operating support to existing arts organization in order to
sustain and strengthen those organizations.
There was extensive discussion on how to best provide funding in terms of
operating expenses for exiting organizations, individual artists, public art,
increasing access to the arts, and if the impact on a particular event,
organization, structure, and accountability can or should be documented. Also
discussed was the possibility of increasing the allocation for the special projects
grant program. Suggestions for funding criteria included requiring documentation
if establishing a new organization; providing audit statements and/or tax returns,
community policy decisions, adherence to the mission statement, and 501 (c)(3)
documentation.
Conclusion
The Commission generally agreed that the recommendation of the Arts Task
Force to provide funding for operating support should be seriously considered.
Minimally, a percentage of grant funding would be provided for operating costs
through a proposal and review process. The Commission will defer a decision
until a later meeting and use information gleaned from the special projects grant
applications to help in determining a recommendation. Questions and a sample
funding proposal request could then be discussed in more detail as well as the
timeline for City Council approval.
Old Business
Update on Arts and Culture Grant Program for Special Projects.
Completed grant applications for special projects will be distributed to the
Commission after April 1. Staff member O'Connor will include a rating sheet.
The Commission was in favor of multiple funding awards over fewer larger
awards.
Motion by Intriligator, Second my Riedel, passed unanimously.
A special meeting will be scheduled for 4 p.m. on April 13, 2005, in the Carnegie-
Stout Public Library Board Room to review and discuss the applications with a
decision being made at the regular meeting on April 26. The time for the April 26
regular meeting will also be adjusted to 4 p.m.
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Adjournment
Motion by Intriligator, Second my Kohl, passed unanimously.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:45 p.m.
Next Meeting: April 13, 2005 at 4 p.m. in the Carnegie-Stout Public Library
Board Room
Respectfully Submitted,
These minutes passed, approved and adoptjd on April 13, 2005.
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Mark Wahlert, Secre ary
City Council:
City Manager:
File:
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