10/26/2017 Public Art and Design Board Meeting Minutes October 26, 2017
City of Clearwater
City Hall
112 S. Osceola Avenue
Clearwater, FL 33756
Meeting Minutes
Thursday, October 26, 2017
1 :00 PM
Special Meeting
Council Chambers
Public Art and Design Board
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City of Clearwater
Public Art and Design Board Meeting Minutes October 26, 2017
Roll Call
Present 6 - Vice Chair Neale A. Stralow, Board Member Karen Cunningham,
Board Member Eric Seiler, Board Member Judith B. Powers, Board
Member Jennifer Barbaro, and Board Member Jerri Menaul
Absent 1 - Chair Alex Plisko
Also Present- Kris Koch — Parks Planning & Project Manager, Madai Gutierrez —
Recreation Specialist, Nicole Sprague — ORLS Coordinator
1. Call To Order
The Vice Chair called the meeting to order at 1:05 p.m. at City Hall.
To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily
discussed in that order.
2. Approval of Minutes
2.1 Approve minutes from September 14, 2017 meeting
Member Powers moved to approve the minutes of the September
14, 2017 Public Art & Design Board meeting as submitted in
written summation. The motion was duly seconded and carried
unanimously.
3. Citizens to be Heard Regarding Items Not on the Agenda: None.
4. New Business Items
4.1 Approve a request to access the Public Art Fund in the amount of$115,000 to
supplement the Clearwater Public Library System East Branch Library public art project
with a new budget of$175,000.
Project: Stand Alone Sculpture at the Clearwater Public Library System East
Branch Library
Concept: Open to Artist
Materials: Open to Artist, no water or lighting elements
Call to Artist: There was a call made to artist with the original budget back in
March of this year.
The selection panel consisted of:
Neale S. - Architect
Chris H. -Public Art
Stan V. - Clearwater Campus Provost
Jennifer O. -Clearwater Library
Ed Tumber. - East Lib. Branch Manager
Charm Callohan - SPC Interior Designer
Josh Bornstein - Creative Contractors (Building construction firm)
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City of Clearwater
Public Art and Design Board Meeting Minutes October 26, 2017
Leo Arroyo - Architect
James - Construction Company
Paul Alford - SPC
Kim Walsh - SPC
Jerry Menaul
The Two finalists were:
Gus & Lina Ocamposilva <http://www.ocamposilva.com/>
Douglas Kornfeld <http://www.awaka-inc.com/>
We are seeking approval to access the PADB fund to increase the budget
for this project to increase presence and visibility of the artwork in a heavily
populated public area.
Below is a breakdown of the funds if the increased budget is approved:
$175,000 total
- $17,500 to maintenance off the top
$157,500 working budget
- $4,000 for finalist honoraria
- $1,000 for Call to Artist listing fees
$152,000 project budget
$22,800 (15% contingency fund)
$129,200 total project budget for artist fees, design, materials, fabrication,
installation, etc.
In response to questions, Recreation Specialist Madai Gutierrez said
former Cultural Affairs Specialist Christopher Hubbard told her Neale
Stralow was on the selection panel. Staff was requesting approval of a
budget increase for the East Branch Library art project since the artwork
would be highly visible.
Concern was expressed that this project's original budget was $60,000. It
was stated the process for the selected art piece was followed but it was
unclear why the board was asked to approve a new budget and new call to
artists in the next agenda item. It was indicated that the sculpture's base
and lighting were budgeted in the library facility's construction costs.
In response to questions, Ms. Gutierrez said St. Petersburg College
(SPC) Provost Stan Vittetoe told her the college was unable to make a
financial contribution to the art project. The previously chosen finalists
would automatically be in the final round if a new call to artists was
approved.
Parks Planning & Project Manager Kris Koch said this agenda item
requested the board to consider enhancing the project based on its
location. The Public Art Fund had sufficient funds to cover the increase
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Public Art and Design Board Meeting Minutes October 26, 2017
but he understood concerns about funding future projects.
The board directed staff to submit to the board the Public Art and Design
fund balance and information on the Board's previous approval of this
project. It was stated the board had requested fund balance information at
the September meeting.
Ms. Gutierrez said she would email the requested information to board
members. Mr. Koch estimated approval of this item would reduce the
fund balance to less than $30,000.
Discussion ensued with suggestions that the City seek sponsors and
approach businesses for financial contributions to supplement the Public
Art Fund based on this project's high traffic location, that the staff member
who proposed the budget increase address the Board and present
options for consideration to offset the increased budget, and a comment
that the request to increase the budget at this point was unrealistic.
Member Cunningham moved to deny the request to access the
Public Art Fund in the amount of $115,000 to supplement the
Clearwater Public Library System East Branch Library public art
project with a new budget of $175,000. The motion was duly
seconded and carried unanimously.
4.2 Review the status and timeline of artwork for the ongoing Clearwater Public Library
System East Branch Library.
10/26/2017: Request Public Art & Design Board approval to access
discretionary fund to increase project budget;
10/30/2017: Open new Call to Artists process with increased budget;
12/1/2017: Close Call to Artists;
Week of 12/4/2017: Assemble Selection Panel to review artist submittals
and choose finalists; Inform finalists, plus Gus & Lina Ocamposilva and
Douglas Kornfeld (previous budget finalists) and request site-specific
proposals;
1/5/2018: Assemble Selection Panel to review finalist proposals and select
project artist;
1/8/2018: Assemble Public Art & Design Board to review project artist
recommendation;
1/15/2018. Present project artist recommendation at City Council
Work session and meeting;
1/22/2018: Begin contract with project artist.
It was commented that the East Library project would progress as
originally planned and the finalists'renderings would be presented to the
board with staffs recommendation.
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Public Art and Design Board Meeting Minutes October 26, 2017
4.3 Review the Second Century Studios gallery space.
The Grand Opening was on the 29th of September in conjunction with Super
boats weekend. They have been very active in participating and being open
for the community to enjoy during evening events in Downtown. On Friday
they installed their second Art gallery called "All about Jazz" to go along with
the Jazz Festival that was going on over the weekend.
Upcoming galleries and events:
Every Thursday from 11:30am till 3pm they have a "Lunch time Creations
activity"
11/2/2017: 11:30-3pm Paint a Pumpkin Class
11/17/2017: New Gallery Exhibit
Ms. Gutierrez said the grand opening was a huge success. Gallery art work
was always changing and evolving and art pieces were for sale. In response
to questions, she said the City leased the studio space. Bazaar Art owner
Jennie Pearl coordinated artists who used the space. It was commented
that the space was open and manned daily with hours extended during
downtown events and Capitol Theatre shows.
5. Old Business Item
5.1 Review the status and timeline of artwork for the Garden Avenue Garage Mural.
10/30 Begin Contract
11/6 Reserve Prep Equipment
11/18 Prep Site
11/19 Pressure Wash Site
11/25 Seal Site
12/2 Application
12/7-12/11 Mural Application
12/16 Place Images
1/6/2018 Touch Ups
1/13 Quality Check
1/20 Complete
Ms. Gutierrez said staff was writing the contract for the Garden Avenue
Garage mural with Bazaar Art owner Jennie Pearl. She was unsure if the
committee had met to select the artwork, but Mr. Hubbard had said the
process for selecting the artist was followed. After only 2 artists responded
to a call to artists earlier this year, a 2nd call to artists was made and the
same 2 artists responded. The responding artists agreed to collaborate
on the mural.
It was commented that the board member on the selection committee
had not been contacted and the required process had not been followed.
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Public Art and Design Board Meeting Minutes October 26, 2017
It was stated at the last meeting the board had requested staff to clarify
the process, however that did not happen. Board members said they were
troubled that a contract was being negotiated. At the September meeting,
the board directed staff to research if a selection committee convened, if
the board was involved in the selection process, and if not, a contract
should not be negotiated. Discussion ensued regarding the board's
authority to stop the contract from moving forward. Mr. Koch said staff
thought the process was followed and the board did not have authority to
stop the contract from moving forward.
Concerns were expressed regarding the type of paint to be used, if the
paint was sustainable, and that Clearwater Arts Alliance was a resource
for artists that was not being utilized by City staff.
It was stated the board relied heavily on the former Cultural Affairs
Specialist for project status and budget updates at each meeting and
directed staff to provide the same going forward for all projects.
In response to questions, Ms. Gutierrez said the project budget was
$20,000. She had been in contact with a local vendor who the City had a
Purchase Order with that was familiar with types of paints that could be
used in different environments. She had spoken to Community
Redevelopment Agency staff regarding other murals that needed touch
UPS.
Member Menual moved to halt the Garden Avenue garage mural
project, regroup for research on steps that were taken, steps that were
needed, and the project's status and if research indicates that a call to
artists happened and a selection committee had met, to move forward
with the project. The motion was duly seconded and carried
unanimously. .
6. Director's Report: None.
7. Board Members to be Heard
Member Menual requested a status report at the January meeting on all
open projects, all projects completed during the last quarter, and any
projects upcoming in the next 3 months.
Member Cunningham suggested that a Public Art & Design board
member be involved with the Imagine Clearwater project as many
aesthetic decisions will be made in the redesign of the park and
significant planning and decisions had occurred already without board
input.
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City of Clearwater
Public Art and Design Board
8. Adjourn
Meeting Minutes
October 26, 2017
Vice Chair Stralow said his firm, selected as a consultant for Imagine
Clearwater, would lead the design team. He said the plan included several
vertical public art components.
Vice Chair Stralow said the board needed to present its annual update
to the City Council and requested a status report from staff on all items
the board had discussed and approved this year.
Board Member Powers suggested the board review the Public Art and
Design Ordinance and master plan.
The meeting adjourned at 2:10 p.m.
City of Clearwater
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Chair
Public Art & Design Advisory Board