Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-09-02 CAC MINUTES• I. CALL TO ORDER City of Englewood CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSION Minutes of September 2, 2009 The regular monthly meeting of the City of Englewood Cultural Arts Commission was called to order at 5:45pm by Chairperson Bertoluzzi at the Civic Center City Council Conference Room. Present: Absent: Also Present: Eric Bertoluzzi, Chairperson Janet Moore, Vice Chairperson Heather Bartunek, Commission Member Kate Dulaney, Englewood Schools Liaison (aITived at 5:49pm) Jennifer Enger, Commission Member (anived at 6 :0lpm) Karen Kenney, Commission Member (arrived at 5:52pm) Donna Schnitzer, Commission Member Maggie Stewa1t, Commission Member Jill Wilson, City Council Liaison Nathan BaITag an, Youth Commission Member (aITived at 6:04pm) Tamara Emmanuel , Alternate Member (left at 6 :32pm) Mary Lynn Baird, Englewood Schools Liaison Jerrell Black, ex officio Gary Hultberg, Recreation Manager Tim Vacca, Museum of Outdoor Representative • II. REVIE\V OF AGENDA • Bertoluzzi stated that he would like to add to the agenda discussion related to the 20 l 0 Budget. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Bertoluzzi asked if there were any changes or corrections to the minutes of August 5, 2009. There were none. The minutes were approved as presented. IV. INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS There were no guests present. V. NEW BUSINESS There was no new business. VI. OLD BUSINESS There was no new update on the Wal-Mart Att Wall. Discussion turned to an update on the Community Garden. Commission Member Stewait distributed fl yers on the September l 91h Garage Sale that will be held at the Englewood Depot property. Stewart also reported that there will be a plant swap on Saturday, October 3rd from 9-1 lam at her hou se . Commission members were told that the Steering Committee will be sta1ting to take partial applications for garden plots; noting that the complete application process will begin on January l st with the garden opening to gardeners on March l st. In regard to Artabout Englewood, MOA Representative Tim Vacca reported that they are looking for people to join the At1about Englewood Committee and if interested , contact Nancy Fenton with Community Development. Stewart stated that she is the main contact for the Cultural A11s Commission on the Artabout Englewood Committee, in addition to the Community Garden Steering Committee . Commission members were encouraged to join the committee if they have any ideas for the event. VII. COMMITTEE REPORTS Bertoluzzi announced that the 2009-20 l 0 Englewood A11s Concet1 Series will open on Sunday, September 271h with Ha ze l Miller in Hampden Hall at 2pm. Discussion followed in regard to the August 13th Parks and Recreation Commission meeting that discussion revolved around off-leash privileges at Englewood 's off-leash parks . Commission members were told that there were about twenty guests who spoke in favor and against the off-leash dogs and eventually the Commission came to a compromise for set times that dogs can be off-leash at the four off-leash parks in Englewood. VIII. UPCOMING EVENTS Vacca info1med the Commission of MOA' s new exhibit Cabinet of Curiosities that will run October 9th through March 51h with the opening reception on Saturday, October l 01h from 5-9pm. • Vice Chairperson Moore asked in regard to Cultural At·ts Commission's booth at Funfest. Schnitzer • reported that they had done a texture rubbing theme . Schnitzer also noted that they were able to publicize the Community Garden which helped to get people interested in the Garden . Schnitzer invited commission members to the Top 50 Selection for the 2010 Student At1 Calendar on Friday, October 2n d in the City Council Conference Room. Commission members were also reminded that the judging of the a11work will take place at the October Commission meeting. With the an-ival of the newly appointed Youth Commission Member, Nathan Barragan, Bertoluzzi welcomed Ban-agan to the Commission. Ban-agan thanked the Commission and told commission members about himself and his interest in the arts . Be11oluzzi turned discussion to the 2010 Budget. Bertoluzzi informed the Commission that City Council and City staff ha ve been focusing on the 20 l 0 budget which has been a difficult situation due to declining sales tax revenue . Be11oluzzi explained that the City Manager has proposed three levels (Priorities) of cuts for next year's budget and Priority # l includes the elimination of several parks and recreation programs . Bertoluzzi turned discussion over to Recreation Manager Hultberg for more detail as to the cuts . Hultberg reported that all of the City's depa11ments were asked to make cuts to their department 's budget. In regard to the three ptiorities, Hultberg stated that Priority# l has already been implemented due to a $700,000 budget shortfall for 2009's budget; noting that there is still a chance for Priority #2 or Priority #3 to be implemented. Hultberg explained that Parks and Recreation cuts • for Priority #1 includes two revenue enhancements: a fee increase for Pirates Cove and a fee increase for the Bellev iew Farm and Train. Hultberg noted that there has already been one fee increase for Pirates Cove that was approved for 20 l 0 and this fee increase would be an additional • • • increase on top of the first increase. In regard to program cuts for Parks and Recreation, Hultberg explained that the majority of the Parks and Recreation programs either break even or bring in some revenue which adversely affects the arts because most art programs are either free or offered at a minimal fee . Hultberg went through the programs to be cut including : Englewood Arts Sponsorship Special Events (Funfest, Sounds of Summer and Kidstage) Summer Drama Senior Taxi Program Rec Zone Parks Operating Supplies $12,000 $12,500 $ 7,000 $ 3,500 $ 9,000 $27,000 Hultberg informed the Commission that City Council is also proposing transfen-ing the money in the Cultural Atts Land Bank to the General Fund. Hultberg explained that there is $197,500 in the Land Bank which has been set aside for the purchase of prope1ty for a Cultural Arts Center. Hultberg went on to explain that there has not been any contribution to the Land Bank lately . Bertoluzzi told the Commission that since the Cultural Atts Commission is an Advisory Board to City Council it is his suggestion that the Cultural Atts Commission write a letter to City Council to initiate discussion . Be1toluzzi stated that the letter needs to be signed by all of the Cultural Arts Commission members for their opinion to be heard. Bettoluzzi asked the Commission for their initial thoughts. Commission Member Kenney stated that there is a lot of effort that goes into these programs in getting them sta1ted and once they are gone, they will be hard to get going again. Kenney said that they need to look for other budget subsidies to keep the program intact. Kenney spoke in regard to the Rec Zone program and how it provides a good safe place and the money it will take to get the child out of trouble if the program is eliminated . Ban-agan repo1ted that he definitely does not want to see the drama program eliminated; noting that it would disappoint many kids. Stewart told the Commission that she taught summer drama many years ago and once a child starts in a community-minded program, they will stay with a community-minded program. Stewart spoke in regard to the drama program running for fo1ty years which is quite remarkable and how it would only take $7 ,000 to keep it going . Be1toluzzi stated that it is not just about the money but also the relationship between the City and School District and what would happen once that relationship is severed. Di scussion ensued. In regard to the Rec Zone program, Stewart asked how many youth are served in a year. Hultberg replied 4,500 which comes out to $2.00 per child. Discussion followed in regard to the info1mation that should be included on the letter to City Council. Stewart asked what art programs are left after the reductions. Hultberg replied that other than the arts and craft classes that are offered at break-even or better, there are none . In regard to the Land Bank, Schnitzer stated that it was her assumption that the money was donated. Be1toluzzi explained that Former Mayor Wolosyn was responsible for getting the Land Bank started. Bertoluzzi went on to explain that City Council gave $350,000 the first year with two more contributions to follow which never happened. Be1toluzzi told the Commission that the City bon-owed some of the $350,000 to finish Hampden Hall which was never paid back. Hultberg discussed items for Priority #2 and the Priority #3. Hultberg told the Commission that there are no reductions for Parks and Recreation under Priority #2 but that there are some City positions that would be lost. Hultberg went on to say that Priority #3 includes 9.5 positions for Parks • and Recreation in addition to facility hour closures. Hultberg added there are sixty positions in the City that would be cut in Priority #3. Hultberg reiterated that Prio1ity #I cuts are now in the proposed budget which also includes a wage freeze for all City employees for 2010. Bertoluzzi asked if other departments are cutting programs . Hultberg explained that each department is having to reduce their budget by the same percentage and that most depai1ments don't have revenue which Parks and Recreation is fo11unate to ha ve to work with . Discussion followed . Hultberg told the Commission that the Department is working on a bare bones budget and any other reductions will be to cut people and not services. Bertoluzz i asked Commission members if they agreed that a letter needs to be sent to City Council. Commission members concuITed with Bertoluzzi that the Commission needs to send a letter to City Council in support of not eliminating the arts/cultural programs in the proposed budget cuts for 20 l 0. Discussion ensued. IX. DIRECTOR'S CHOICE There were no items for Director 's Choice . X. COMMISSION MEMBERS CHOICE There were no items for Commission Member's Choice . XI. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 7:02pm . tfk~[L~ Deborah A. Se vera , Recording Secretary • •