Memorandum 16-073 Creating a Parks, Art, Recreation and Culture Commission

Memorandum 16-073

TO:                       MAYOR WYTHE AND CITY COUNCIL

FROM:                 PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMISSION

THRU:                 RENEE KRAUSE, CMC, DEPUTY CITY CLERK

DATE:                  APRIL 26, 2016

SUBJECT:         RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL TO CREATE A NEW COMMISSION PARKS, ART, RECREATION AND CULTURE ADVISORY COMMISSION (PARCAC)

The Commission was presented the idea of merging the Public Arts Committee and the Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission at their regular meeting on October 15, 2015 and entertained discussion which resulted in posing more questions for staff and decided to postpone the item to the following year.

The item was on the March 17, 2016 regular meeting agenda; the Public Arts Committee members attended as visitors and presented the following in support of consolidating the two Advisory bodies:

Both can solicit donations and funds for their respective uses.
Both use the support of staff from the following Departments: City Clerk, Planning, Administration and Public Works.
Both submit recommendations on proposed artwork that is placed in parks.
Both have recreational aspects to them.
Art and Recreation have been combined successfully in many cities.
Both are valued components of a community and are compatible with each other.
The Committee has had a steady decline in interested public members to participate within the confines of the committee. There are many times they have been unable to obtain a quorum to conduct the business brought before them.
The Commission has enjoyed strong support through the various programs that have been established along with a funding mechanism that allow them to leverage volunteers and grant funding to complete many of their projects.
The financial uncertainty in the coming years adds further stress upon department staff to accomplish more with less.
The likelihood of less capital projects that would allow some funding for public art.
Support  to grow the City of Homer as an Art Destination as well as a Recreational Destination.

The Commission reviewed and discussed the points made to consolidate the two advisory bodies into one nine member commission at the regular meeting on March 17, 2016.  Commissioner Roedl requested a review of the ordinance creating the new commission before submitting their final recommendation to Council for approval, stating that he wanted to know what he was recommending before it was a done deal. Additional commissioners agreed with Commissioner Roedl.

At the regular meeting on April 21, 2016 the Commission reviewed the Draft Ordinance and discussed the following points regarding the new proposed commission:

removing the word “Culture” from the new commission title;
defining what culture meant and how it was to be enacted by the commission;
designating two seats for arts and culture and how that may pose limitations for the commission;
reducing the commission to 7 and replace commissioners whose terms will be expiring with those of the Committee;
expressing concern on obtaining a quorum of five to hold a meeting; and
reviewing in one year how things are working and recommending amendments to change what is not working.

 Following is the excerpt from the minutes of the March 17, 2016 and April 21, 2016 meetings reflecting the motions and discussions of the Commission made at the two meetings

Excerpt from March 17, 2016 Regular Meeting:

PENDING BUSINESS

B. Combining the Public Arts Committee with the Parks and Recreation Commission

      Recommendation to Council

Chair Steffy read the title into the record.

ROEDL/BRANN – MOVED TO RECOMMEND CITY COUNCIL COMBINE THE PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMISSION AND THE PUBLIC ARTS COMMITTEE TO FORM A NEW COMMISSION ENTITLED HOMER PARKS, ART, RECREATION AND CULTURE ADVISORY COMMISSION (PARCAC)

The commission discussed the pros and cons to consolidating efforts with the Public Arts Committee. Commissioners discussed the following:

 -Lack of knowledge about the arts and vice a versa

- How consolidation would affect the meetings regarding agenda items and time management

               - including and incorporating art related topics as required into the agenda

- Adding additional seats to the commission and how that would detail out

               - Existing members stepping up to fulfill the new commission seats

                - Actual seating of additional members

- Continuing the momentum of the PARC steering committee and implementation of recommendations from the needs assessment

- Responsibilities of the Public Arts Committee

               - Overseeing the 1% for Art program related to capital projects

               - Placement of art on or in city owned facilities

               - Managing the Municipal Art Collection and donations of art to the city

- Funding of projects that would be available to the commission that has art and recreational components

- Public Art in Parks recommendations and donations

- Public Arts Committee has not been able to recruit new members believed in part because they do not have a fixed budget, are not part of a department per se and lack of members make it difficult to obtain a quorum

 Commissioner Roedl questioned the sense of urgency and requested reviewing the draft ordinance before signing off on it and Chair Steffy explained that there was no urgency but it was brought before the commission last year and the commission postponed discussion and decision. In all fairness to the Public Arts group the Commission should address their request. He further advocated that if there was no opposition to assimilating the committee into the commission he did not see why they could not accommodate the committee and address the issue sooner rather than later since the season is fast approaching and they will not be meeting for a lengthy period over the summer. Chair Steffy agreed it was reasonable to review the ordinance before submitting to council.

Staff explained that it will be a multi-step process since there will be changes needed to the bylaws to incorporate aspects of the Public Arts Committee and their administrative guidelines. Commissioner Ashmun expressed the desire to retain existing policies regarding the arts as part of the new commission. 

Chair Steffy called for the vote.

VOTE. YES. HART[1], STEFFY, BRANN, ROEDL, ASHMUN

Motion carried.

Excerpt from the April 21, 2016 regular meeting minutes:

PENDING BUSINESS

A. Combining the Public Arts Committee with the Parks and Recreation Commission

      Recommendation to Council – Draft Ordinance Review

Vice Chair Brann requested comments from the Commission.

Commissioner Ashmun referring to a comment submitted by Mr. Jack Wiles believed that the commission has done due diligence regarding the issue he brought up on Arts and Parks by the respective commissioners. She believed that the Commissioners should not consider Mr. Wiles comments.

Commissioner Archibald inquired about appointments to the Committee and the Clerk explained that it was reappointment of two members and it would represent better to Council the continued involvement, he further expressed feeling negatively on the idea and that they have a vibrant art community who should want to be involved in that committee.

Commissioner Lowney offered rebuttal on defining arts people within set guidelines and that there was a lot to be said to evolving the two into one. She further opined that the art is taking place in the parks and green spaces and that as a commission they should be taking part in those decisions.

Ms. Engebretsen proceeded to explain that the policies have been established and explain that committees are formed to address individual project needs and that it may require more refinement on managing their meeting times and content and she is not sure that there will be too many art related issues that will be required to be addressed in the near future and because of that there is not enough to generate interest in belonging to the committee by the community. Commissioner Ashmun added that this is also public art and proceeded to explain the nuances that would make the difference between someone who is an artist or involved in various aspects of art.

Further discussion followed hearing comment and opinion from each member of the commission on the aspects of the new commission and how it applies to this commission. Further explanation in that the focus will not be solely on parks and recreation but will have aspects of art and culture which is very much a part of a community.

The Commission covered making changes to the Ordinance such as removing the word Culture if the Commissioners were not comfortable with that word. Staff recommended that they make a motion. No motion was made to remove the word culture from the title.

Commissioner Archibald requested enlightenment on culture in regards to the commission promoting culture. Commissioner Lowney did her best to explain culture as an evolving part of the commission and focus and as part of their community.

Commissioner Hart expressed concern on having two people on the commission that are not interested in parks and recreation initially and she further expressed concerns on the requirement of five as a quorum. She would like to see this issued tabled. Vice Chair Brann inquired if that was a motion. Commissioner Hart responded that it was.

HART/ - MOVED TO TABLE THE ISSUE UNTIL MAY.

Vice Chair Brann requested a second. Motion died for lack of a second to the motion.

Commissioner Lowney acknowledged the concerns expressed with adding two more seats at this table. Advocating embracing the enthusiasm and believes that they have added to their community, and the parks and recreation community. Artists tend to think out of the box and that is an added benefit. She added that she doesn’t believe that if they did not have an interest in parks and rec they would not have signed up for another term referring to the Committee members. She added her interest and participation as an artist and also parks and recreation on the commission.

Staff explained that if the circumstances come up in the future there are options available to make changes via ordinance. The worst case scenario is shown by what is happening to the committee.

Commissioner Roedl offered that they should change the membership to seven and if they (art folks) have comments on the work of the commission people can come in and offer comment. He knows that his commission expires in October and suggested that they fill vacating seats with art folks, there have been three people who left since he signed up almost two years ago. Commissioner Ashmun disagreed with that approach saying that her term expires in October too but she does not plan on leaving. There was a suggestion of having committees for art related items.

ROEDL/HART - MOVE TO AMEND THE COMMISSION TO SEVEN MEMBERS.

Discussion ensued that the seven members is for the new commission, having to choose from the two Public Arts Committee members who are interested, defining seats on the commission, current interests of existing commissioners may already fill that “art” role, having the same makeup in the commission that they have now, strong volunteerism, and support for a nine member commission for at least a year to see how it works.

VOTE. YES. ROEDL, HART.

VOTE. NO. LOWNEY, ASHMUN, ARCHIBALD, BRANN.

Motion failed.

LOWNEY/ROEDL - MOVE TO ADOPT THE NINE MEMBER COMMISSION BY INCORPORATING THE CURRENT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARTS COMMITTEE AND THEN REVISIT THE MEMBERSHIP ISSUE IN ONE YEAR.

Concerns were expressed on being able to make changes if the nine member commission was having issues with obtaining quorums, vacancies or non-attendance, etc. There was an inquiring on keeping the quorum at four instead of five members but the Clerk stated it was not permissible in accordance with Robert’s Rules, that they needed a majority of the membership for a quorum.

ARCHIBALD/LOWNEY – MOVED TO AMEND THE MOTION TO DEFINE TWO SEATS FOR ARTS AND CULTURE.

This requirement to define the seats would be included in both the City Code and Bylaws. Further clarification on defining the seats would require only persons who fill those seats to be appointed and that could leave a vacant seat for a longer period of time. Further comments against defining the seats limits the diversity of the commission but on the other side is that they may not have any one from the arts and culture represented. There is no guarantee but they can self-check and future commissioners will self-check. Call for the vote was issued by Commissioner Hart.

VOTE. (AMENDMENT) NO. ASHMUN, ROEDL, BRANN, ARCHIBALD, HART, LOWNEY.

Motion failed.

VOTE. (MAIN) YES. LOWNEY, HART, ARCHIBALD, BRANN, ROEDL, ASHMUN.

Motion carried.

LOWNEY/HART - MOVED TO RECOMMEND CITY COUNCIL CREATE THE NEW HOMER PARKS, ART, RECREATION AND CULTURE ADVISORY COMMISSION AND TO FURTHER RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ESTABLISH THE NEW COMMISSION AS OUTLINED BY ORDINANCE 16-XX.

There was a brief discussion on including the one year review in the recommendation and staff noted that this can be included in the bylaws to review after one year since this Ordinance creating the new commission is to be written in code and permanent in nature; that type of task could be reflected in the commission Bylaws to outline requirements of the commission.

VOTE. YES. LOWNEY, HART, ARCHIBALD, BRANN, ASHMUN, ROEDL

Motion carried.

[1]Commissioner Hart did not voice a vote. Chair Steffy noted that she was not in favor. Commissioner Hart rebutted she was not opposed to the motion but was abstaining. After checking with the City Clerk and Robert’s Rules regarding this abstention it is found that abstaining is not permitted on this class of motion. Since Commissioner Hart stated on the record that she was not opposed her vote was included in favor of the motion.