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CACMIN 05 12 2005 CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSION MINUTES May 12, 2005 I. CALL TO ORDER A regular meeting of the Cultural Arts Commission was called to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Study Session Room of the La Quinta Civic Center. Vice Chairperson Brodsky led the meeting. Commissioner Gassman led the Pledge of Allegiance. MEMBERS PRESENT: Commissioner Sheldon Brodsky Commissioner Andrea Gassman Commissioner Elaine Reynolds MEMBERS EXCUSED: Commissioner Else Loudon STAFF PRESENT: Dodie Horvitz, Community Services Director Christy Kerry, Community Services Secretary II. PUBLIC COMMENT- None III. CONFIRMATION OF AGENDA IV. CONSENT CALENDAR A. Approval of Minutes of April 14, 2005 B. Department Report for March 2005 C. Financial Report for April 2005 Commissioner Brodsky noted a minor grammatical error in the minutes. It was moved by Commissioners Reynolds/Gassman to approve the Consent Calendar. Unanimous. V. PUBLIC HEARING – None VI. BUSINESS ITEMS A. Concert Under the Stars – Commissioner Brodsky began by remarking that staff did a wonderful job of providing flyers to distribute for the first Concert Under the Stars event that was held on April 16, 2005. Due to this fact, Commissioner Brodsky asked staff why the Commission was not provided with flyers for the second Concert Under the Stars event taking place on May 14, 2005. Staff stated the flyers were recently received from the printer. Cultural Arts Commission Meeting Minutes Page 2. In relation to the concert, Commissioner Reynolds questioned the attendance numbers as listed on page eighteen of the Commission packet. She said the estimated attendance was three hundred and fifty people. Commissioner Gassman commented that while she was at the concert, she personally counted around five hundred people and they were still coming. Commissioner Gassman said her estimate for attendance at the event is around seven hundred people. Commissioner Brodsky asked staff what the cost was for the first Concert Under the Stars event. Staff replied that the total cost was approximately one thousand dollars. Commissioner Brodsky asked staff what the cost was for the upcoming Concert Under the Stars event. Staff replied the mariachi band, Fiesta Mexicana has requested one thousand five hundred dollars for payment. Additionally, staff stated there will be a five hundred dollar donation made to the Mariachi Foundation. After these funds are paid out, and after any applicable expenses are factored in, the cost for the event is estimated to be around two thousand, five-hundred dollars. Commissioner Brodsky stated he will arrive at the event at around five thirty. Commissioners Reynolds and Gassman said they will arrive as close to five thirty as possible. VI. CORRESPONDENCE AND WRITTEN MATERIALS A. Annual Work Plan – Commissioner Brodsky asked staff where the idea to combine the Cultural Arts Commission and the Community Services Commission came from. Director Horvitz stated that when the annual work plans were submitted to City Council and they had a chance to review them side-by-side, a general duplication of efforts was noticed. Commissioner Reynolds asked staff to point out what efforts are duplicated because she was not able to find any in the work plans. Director Horvitz said that cultural events fall under the Community Services umbrella. Both the concerts and the Artist Partnership fall under the Community Services umbrella as well. She stated she will finish her report tomorrow which will provide more detail. Commissioner Gassman stated the City of La Quinta has long touted itself to be an arts community. She said she is fearful that if there is not an established Commission titled “Cultural Arts”, residents will lose sight of this. Commissioner Reynolds asked staff about funding. Staff said that funding for art pieces and the art wall both come from Art in Public Places funds. Funding for all other events/items come out of the general fund. Regardless of whether the Commissions are combined, staff stated the Art in Public Places fund will continue. Staff referred to the suggestion listed on page twenty one in the Commission packet which offers that if the Commissions are combined, the Cultural Arts Commission may evolve into an Ad Hoc Art in Public Places Committee. Cultural Arts Commission Meeting Minutes Page 3. Commissioner Brodsky made note that the Cultural Arts Commission was involved with the Bill Ware art piece at the Embassy Suites. That makes four public art pieces the Commission was involved with opposed to three as listed on page twenty-one in the Commission packet during the fiscal year 2004-2005 (the Embassy Suites piece was reviewed in fiscal year 2003-2004). Commissioner Reynolds stated she felt that having a good, strong Commission is very beneficial to the City. Commissioner Brodsky said he feels it would be a loss to the City if the Cultural Arts Commission was absorbed. Commissioner Gassman suggested that it be taken into consideration that none of the Community Service Commissioners have applied for a seat on the Cultural Arts Commission. She stated that they cannot simply step into the shoes of a Cultural Arts Commissioner. Commissioner Gassman also questioned whether any of the Community Service Commissioners have an interest in art at all. A noted concern made by the Commissioners was that in the future, when vacant Commission seats are advertised, the title of “Community Service Commissioner” will not draw the type of applicants that a “Cultural Arts Commissioner” title might. Commissioner Reynolds mentioned that part of the reason the City decided to put the Commission together in the first place was to help the community. In response to Commissioner Reynolds comments, Director Horvitz stated that it is not unusual to combine commissions. The City Council has in fact done this several times in the past. Commissioner Gassman said she feels that by her attending functions put on by the Community Services Commission, she has been penalized because it gives the appearance of duplicated efforts. Commissioner Gassman asked if any of the Cultural Arts Commissioners have attended a Community Services Commission meeting. Each Commissioner present stated they had not. Commissioner Gassman suggested that it should be a prerequisite to attend a meeting for potential Commissioners. A comment was made by Commissioner Brodsky that he was all for the skate park, but that he did not consider that art. Commissioner Reynolds suggested that perhaps the Commissions are being combined so the City Council has more control over the selection of art pieces. Collectively, the Cultural Arts Commission stated they are not in favor of dissolving the Commission that is presently in existence and they feel that to do so would be a disservice to the community. B. Point Happy and Solitude Improvements– Commissioner Brodsky told the Commission that he was very pleased to see that someone has taken an interest Cultural Arts Commission Meeting Minutes Page 4. in completing these improvements. Commissioner Brodsky also stated he looks forward to viewing the concepts that will be provided by Mr. Ray Lopez. VII. COMMISSIONER ITEMS A. Commissioner Attendance at Community Functions – Commissioner Reynolds commented she was sad to hear Mr. Ed Hill passed away at the age of sixty-two. She said that he will be missed and is thankful for the many contributions he has made to our community. Commissioner Reynolds told the Commission she is hoping to see the production of “Art” that’s being held in Old Town La Quinta and stated she is planning on attending the Concert Under the Stars Event on May 14, 2005. She mentioned that the Historical Society is having a farewell party the same day and is hoping it will not impact the attendance to the City’s event. Commissioner Gassman said she attended the Concert Under the Stars event and was incredibly pleased and satisfied with both the event itself and the turnout for the event. She said she felt it was very successful. Commissioner Gassman mentioned she was able to see “Art” this past month and expressed her great appreciation for the production. She said it was fabulous. Commissioner Gassman said she attended the Community Picnic and Birthday Bash. She felt this was a great success and residents enjoyed themselves immensely. Commissioner Brodsky thanked staff for the creativeness showed during the Community Picnic and Birthday Bash. He felt the sea creatures provided in the Cultural Arts Commission booth for the children to personalize was a great idea. He said that while in attendance of the Community Picnic and Birthday Bash, he observed a general feeling of satisfaction. He asked staff what the attendance number was to which staff replied one thousand four-hundred people. Commissioner Brodsky said he will be able to attend the Concert Under the Stars event which will be held this Saturday, May 14, 2005. XI. ADJOURNMENT It was moved by Commissioners Brodsky/Reynolds to adjourn the Cultural Arts Commission meeting. Unanimous. Meeting adjourned at 7:23 PM Submitted by: ___________________________________________________ Christy Kerry, Community Services Secretary Cultural Arts Commission Meeting Minutes Page 5.