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Arts and Culture Commission - December 18, 2019 Minutes

The Regular Meeting of the Arts and Culture Commission of the City of Fargo, North Dakota, was held in the Commission Chambers at City Hall at 5:00 p.m., Wednesday, December 18, 2019.

The Arts and Culture Commissioners present or absent were as follows:

Present: Arlette Preston, Deb Williams, Jon Offutt, Denise Kolpack, Mark Johnson, Denese Odegaard, Joe Williams

Absent: Tracy Jordre, Tracy Walvatne

Also Present: City Commissioner John Strand

Chair D. Williams called the meeting to order and welcomed Members to the meeting.

Item 1: Order of Agenda
Member Kolpack moved to approve the Order of Agenda. Second by Member Odegaard. All Members present voted aye and the motion was declared carried.

Item 2: Minutes: Regular Meeting of October 16, 2019
Member Johnson moved the Minutes of the October 16, 2019 Arts and Culture Commission meeting be approved. Second by Member Offutt. All Members present voted aye and the motion was declared carried.

Item 3: Performance by Fargo Moorhead Community Theater
Members of the cast of A Charlie Brown Christmas sang carols from their upcoming show. The Fargo Moorhead Community Theater will be performing A Charlie Brown Christmas from December 19th to December 22nd at Frances Frazier Comstock Theater, on the Concordia College Campus, in Moorhead.

Item 4: Review of Call for Artists: Public Art Projects Applications
Chair D. Williams provided the Commission with an overview of the Fall Call for Artists Process. Ten applications were submitted and reviewed by a subcommittee. Two of the ten applications were recommended for full funding to the Arts and Culture Commission. The first proposal recommended for funding was the Broadway Skywalk project submitted by Emily Williams-Wheeler. The second proposal recommended for funding was the Neighborhood Market Project submitted by Fargo Cass Public Health.

Member Kolpack moved to fund the Broadway Skywalk proposal for $11,342 and the Neighborhood Market Project for $10,815. Second by Member Williams. Members Preston and Johnson commented that it would be helpful to see an overview of the Arts and Culture Commission budget when reviewing requests for funding. All Members present voted aye and the motion was declared carried.

Item 5: Review of Draft Capital Project RFQ
Chair D. Williams opened the floor to questions and comments on the draft Capital Project Request for Qualifications (RFQ) document. Member Johnson asked if the comments submitted by the Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB), would be added to the RFQ. Planning Coordinator Maegin Elshaug explained that the CVB’s comments on potential sites for the public art piece would be incorporated into the RFQ.

Chair D. Williams shared that Member Walvatne is reviewing an application for additional funding for the Capital Project from Excel Energy. Member Johnson commented that the stipend for travel may need to be raised. Commissioners discussed the stipend amount. Member J. Williams moved to approve the RFQ with comments and forward the document to the City Commission for review. Second by Member Offutt. All Members present voted aye and the motion was declared carried.

Item 6: 2020 Meeting Schedule
The Arts and Culture Commission will continue to meet on the third Wednesday of the month at 5:00 p.m. in the Commission Chambers at Fargo City Hall, 225 4th Street North.

Item 7: Workplan
Ms. Elshaug gave an update on Planning Staff’s work to place the Kigel sculpture at City Hall and the restored Hayes painting. She also noted that the 64th Avenue project was delayed.

Chair D. Williams thanked ACC Members for attending the 2020 Workplan session earlier in December, and asked that everyone plan to meet for an extra hour after the January 15th meeting.

Item 8: Other business or Public Comments
Member Johnson thanked the Fall Call for Artists: Public Art Project Subcommittee for their hard work.

Chair D. Williams presented a request from Colleen Sheehy, recipient of the Bush Grant, who asked the Arts and Culture Commission to co-host an event at the Plains Art Museum.

City Commissioner Strand shared his support and appreciation for the placement of Sod Buster.

Member J. Williams invited the community to Laura Youngbird’s retirement reception on January 2nd at 6:00 p.m., at the Plains Art Museum.

Item 8a: Next Meeting—January 15, 2020
The time at adjournment was 5:49 p.m.