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Minutes Arts & Cult Adv Com. 4 26 05 . , - ~ ,., . . MINUTES ARTS AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS ADVISORY COMMISSION REGULAR SESSION Tuesday, April 26, 2005, 4:00 p.m. Board Room, Carnegie Stout Public Library 360 W. 11th Street, Dubuque, Iowa CALL TO ORDER Meeting was called to order at 4:10p.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 Citizens Present: Rich Hall, Grand Opera House Guest Speaker: Kathy McMullen, Mediacom Staff Member O'Connor introduced Mediacom Area Manager Kathleen McMullen. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF APRIL 13, 2005 Motion to Approve by Amy Link, Second by William Intriligator, passed unanimously. NEW BUSINESS PROPOSED MEDIACOM CULTURAL AFFAIRS CHARITABLE FOUNDATION OF DUBUQUE: Mediacom Area Manager Kathleen McMullen described this new idea from Mediacom to establish this charitable foundation. She said that although Mediacom pays a five percent franchise fee to the City, most citizens are not aware of this and Mediacom wanted to contribute something to the community that is recognizable by citizens. The purpose of the Foundation is to enhance the lives of Dubuque residents by supporting the goals of the Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission. Although specific details have yet to be determined, the Mediacom Cultural Affairs Charitable Foundation of Dubuque will most likely consist of five members: three Mediacom members to include Area Manager McMullen, Local Public Access Manager Jim Barefoot and a governmental affairs person yet to be hired. Additionally, two citizens will be appointed by the City Council. The City Council may choose to appoint member(s) from the Arts and Cultural Affairs - .ollIlA ~ . . Commission. Members will be appointed to one-year terms to encourage rotation. Renewable terms will be considered once details are worked out. Funding will be based on an annual calendar year and designated for project funding, not operating expenses. Twenty-five percent of revenues from Mediacom's video service (estimated at $25,000 annually) will be put into the foundation. Mediacom will "quarter" up money (maximum of $6,000 per quarter) and "true up" the account each quarter to keep it current. Funds will be available 90 days after the franchise agreement is signed. The Commission could draw from the fund as soon as deposits are made and as projects arise following a recommendation from the Commission to the Foundation. Kathy stated that she expected that the Foundation would review funding recommendations from the ACAAC. She stated the Foundation would like to provide funding to projects that have high visibility and impact in the community. The ACAAC could make recommendations to Mediacom on whatever timeline basis the Commission would like to use, e.g. annually, quarterly, or in keeping with the Commission's own grant time line. The Foundation would prefer multiple recommendations and reserves the right of final approval. The ACAAC may want a representative to appear at Foundation meetings. Organizations receiving an award must give published credit to Mediacom. Mediacom also provides funds for other projects that organizations can apply for. Kathleen will contact the commission once members are appointed to the Foundation and the first meeting is held. She will then relay details. OLD BUSINESS FINALIZE FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ARTS AND CULTURAL GRANT PROGRAM FOR SPECIAL PROJECTS. The Commission reviewed and discussed applicant responses to Commission's questions and reviewed funding amounts based the ranking sheet created at the April 13, 2005 meeting. Suggestions about how the Commission should consider funding amounts were considered including funding for all projects by reducing request amounts, sliding percentage, or awarding on a case-by-case basis. Sue Riedel recommended that the 7 top ranked requests (one over half) be funded on an incremental basis with the minimum award being $2,500. It was agreed that an applicant's ability to secure other funding should not be a consideration in determining an award since it was not listed as a funding criteria. Staff member O'Connor suggested the Commission base funding decisions on criteria stated in the application but consider whether other criteria should be added in future grant competitions. For example, if the commission wants to provide funding to a large number of organizations, consider establishing a maximum grant amount. Consideration was given to recommending unfunded projects for future Mediacom funding. Staff member O'Connor stated that may create challenges for those applicants in terms of event planning since details of Mediacom's Foundation have not yet been finalized. She also stated that significantly reducing funding might result in changing the scope and impact of some projects from the original intent of the application. Kenworthy noted that the minimum . amount was stated in the application along with a statement for acceptance of partial funding and no cap amount was required. The Commission agreed to not fully fund its top choices in order to maximize funding and to avoid setting a precedent. The highest ranking projects would be given partial funding beginning from the top down with an amount that would allow projects to go forward while not seriously degrading the scope and intent of the project. MOTION: by Sue Riedel, Second by Paul Kohl The ACAAC will recommend to the City Council partial funding of the four top- ranked projects with the following amounts: Dubuque County Historical Society Fly-By-Night Productions Dubuque Symphony Orchestra Dubuque Museum of Art $12,000 $10,000 $5,000 $3.000. $30,000 DISCUSSION The Commission agreed that these amounts would allow these projects to go forward as described and that special project funding would again be available for FY 06 beginning July 1, 2005 for unfunded projects to re-apply. . VOTE Riedel Kohl Kenworthy Intriligator Link Wahlert Fabricius Aye Aye Aye Aye Aye Abstained Aye Motion passed: 6-0, 1 abstention. ACTION TO FORMULATE RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL ON FY 2006 FUNDING FOR ARTS AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES. The Commission began reviewing the Arts and Cultural Funding Program for Operating Support proposal and address decision points. Kenworthy asked whether there's consensus for the amount of total funding for operating support. . MOTION: By William Intriligator, Second by Mark Wahlert The ACAAC recommends $200,000 for operating support for highly qualified arts organizations. . Discussion: Link acknowledged the need for operating support funding but suggested that a portion of the funding should go towards projects with more visibility to the general public or that increase access to the arts since it is taxpayer money. Kenworthy noted that impact from operating funding can be shown in the organization's final report. Fabricius questioned the number of organizations that could apply for this type of funding. AMENDMENT: By William Intriligator, no Second Amend that the Commission set aside 10% of $200,000 for use of public art applied for by grant. If there are no applications or the full amount is not needed, it would be rolled back into operating support fund. $180,000 for operating, $20,000 for public art. VOTE on original motion of recommending $200,000 for operating support. Fabricius Nay Wahlert Aye Link Nay Intriligator Aye Kenworthy Aye Kohl Nay Riedel Nay . Motion Fails 4/3 Riedel suggested that $50,000 be set aside for special projects and $150,000 for operating support. Intriligator felt that the $200,000 should be divided among all applicants. MOTION: By Sue Riedel, no second The ACAAC recommends $180,000 for operational support is made available for arts organizations that meet criteria and that $20,000 be designated for public art/public access and festivals. If not applied, it can be added to the $35,000 designated for project grants. Discussion Staff member O'Connor stated that the $20,000 could be added to the $35,000 special project grant funding. Kenworthy reminded the Commission that the Council has been advised for some time of the arts organizations' need for general operating funds. Public access projects can be highlighted in future grant offerings. Wahlert concurred. Riedel questioned organizations applying for both types of funding, which might allow the four larger groups getting a high percentage of funding. Mark Wahlert considered disbursement to any group that applied. . No vote taken MOTION: By William Intriligator, Second by Mark Wahlert . . . .. The ACAAC will recommend to City Council that $200,000 in operating support be allotted for arts and cultural organizations with money being split among all applicants that meet the criteria and being dispersed based on a percentage of the organization's operating budget with a set cap. Discussion: Sue Riedel clarified that this would still leave only $35,000 for special projects and public access art. The Commission concurred. VOTE: Kenworthy Aye Kohl Aye Riedel Nay Fabricius Aye Wahlert Aye Link Aye Intriligator Aye Motion passes: 6/1 The Commission went on to discuss details for the process to request operating funds. Kenworthy noted that the application should be a simplified application and that it could be quickly done at the next meeting. Fabricius recommended that specific criteria be determined ahead of the application going out. The Commission considered formulas for cap amounts such as the state's major/minor ranking or using a percentage by bracketing budget amounts and agreed to look over the draft application for details and ideas in preparation for a special meeting. The Commission agreed to set a special session for Monday, May 2 at 4 p.m. MOTION TO ADJOURN: by Kenworthy, Second Sue Riedel. Adjournment: 6:40 p.m. NEXT MEETING: MONDAY MAY 2 AT 4 P.M. IN THE LIBRARY BOARD ROOM. City Council: .5/)(p &'I!. f City Manager: ~ File: ~ These minutes passed, approved and adopte /,.-