Minutes Arts & Cult Adv Com. 4 26 05
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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
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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
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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.
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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.
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MOTION: By William Intriligator, Second by Mark Wahlert
The ACAAC recommends $200,000 for operating support for highly qualified arts
organizations.
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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
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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
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These minutes passed, approved and adopte
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