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Agendas and Minutes

Public Arts Advisory Committee (View All)

Public Arts Advisory Committee Meeting

Agenda
Thursday, February 15, 2024

February 15, 2024
Regular Meeting
4:00pm–5:30pm, Siskiyou Conference Room
51 Winburn Way
Minutes

CALL TO ORDER:
1. Introductions – Liz Adkisson, SOU student and prospective student representative on the PAAC; Russel Copley, Director of the Oregon Fringe Festival (SOU) and prospective seat on the PAAC; Paige Gerhard, Administrator of the Ashland Gallery Association, and prospective seat on the PAAC. Peter Finkle, Walk Ashland.
2. Quorum count – quorum achieved.

Committee Members Present:	Liaisons & Staff Present:
Chair, Ken Engelund	Jennifer Chenoweth, Associate Planner
Beca Blake	Councilor Gina DuQuenne (via Zoom)
Laura Bloom
Tessa Elbettar	Liaisons & Staff Absent:
Cassie Preskenis	Stef Seffinger, Parks and Rec Commissioner
Stanley Smith
Heather Warden	Special Guests:
	Liz Adkisson
Committee Members Absent:	Russel Copley
	Peter Finkle
	Paige Gerhard

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

“We acknowledge and honor the aboriginal people on whose ancestral homelands we work – the Ikirakutsum Band of the Shasta Nation, as well as the diverse and vibrant Native communities who make their home here today. We denounce the egregious acts of the colonizers and government and recognize the horrific impacts that still exist today. We honor the first stewards in the Rogue Valley and the lands we live and depend on: Tribes with ancestral lands in and surrounding the geography of the Ashland Watershed include the original past, present, and future indigenous inhabitants of the Shasta, Takelma, Athabaskan people. We also recognize and acknowledge the Shasta village of K’wakhakha - “Where the Crow Lights” - that is now the Ashland City Plaza.”
Read by Chair, Ken Engelund

APPROVAL OF MINUTES
1. January 18, 2024 regular meeting
2. January 19, 20024 study session

Cassie Preskenis motioned to approve the draft January 18, 2024, regular meeting minutes with no corrections and the January 19, 2024, study session draft minutes with no corrections. Beca Blake seconded the motion; All voice vote approved to adopt the January 18 regular meeting minutes and January 19 study session minutes.

PUBLIC FORUM (for items not on the agenda; up to 3 minutes per speaker)
1. Liz Adkisson is a student in Sustainability studies with a minor in Native American Studies at SOU. Liz started a Sustainability Collective and Liz’s student project is developing a Cultural Creators Commons: a public food forest and ceremony, artist, gathering space in the Ecos Community garden - across from the music and theatre building. The land is owned by SOU.

LIAISON REPORTS

Liaisons:

City Council Liaison, Gina DuQuenne; Council DuQuenne notes that Brandon is the person to update the PAAC on budget questions. Gina found a potential location for an art mural on the south end of town. She will send Jenn the address to distribute to the PAAC members. The Council will not be holding a study session due to the upcoming holiday (President’s Day). Gina may be attending the AAUW presentation with Ken. No other art updates.
Ashland Parks and Recreation Commission Liaison, Stef Seffinger; no update, not in attendance.
Community Development Liaison, Jennifer Chenoweth provided a budget update (on behalf of Brandon) for PAAC. The financial department clarified that there is 78k total available in the PAAC account of which 25k has been appropriated for both Fiscal Year (FY)24 and FY25. Therefore, in a given fiscal year, 25k can be spent for projects as needed. The remainder of any appropriated funds from FY24 will be carried to FY25. For example, if no funds were spent in FY24 there would be a total of 50k available for projects in FY25. The remaining 28k is restricted or on hold until the next budget cycle. If a project was proposed that required the use of the additional 28k restricted funds, then a supplement budget would need to be requested by the Council.

DISCUSSION ITEMS
1. Tasks Group Proposals – Prioritize study session task groups proposals and acknowledge volunteers on each. Discuss what will be worked on over the next year/expected date of project completion.

Ashland as an Art Destination/Placemaking

Outreach for content (surveys)
ID locations for art installations
Events (temporary performances)
- Permits involved
- Lithia Artisan Market and Farmer Market
- Sidewalk sales potential street closure – Chamber of Commerce
- Look at Southern Oregon Pride for guidance on event
- Streamline permitting process for events
Funding (explore next year)
Fringe Festival expansion – working together and connect
Contact of who to reach out to
South end of town – what can we do and ID community to see if interest
YMCA has some interest in collaborating in public art at one of their sites

Action item: Task group to crystallize a proposal or project to present to the group next during the next meeting.

ODOT Utility Boxes

Keep this as ongoing project

Action Item: During the next meeting the task group will advise the group when the next call for artist can occur.

Crosswalk Project

Ken and Beverly (HPAC Chair) presenting concept to Parks March 6
- Entrance to Lithia Park location – first proposal
Consider future crosswalk projects that could align with non-profits for funding
Case Coffee on Siskiyou crosswalk belongs to the City – not under ODOT jurisdiction
1. Placemaking Motion – Chair Engelund to bring forward a motion to recommend to City Administration to identify a department and defined role in the charter with position descriptions to focus the City of Ashland’s Placemaking – supporting the values adopted by the City Council and Administration to provide leadership and direction. After deliberation, it was determined that the group can’t pass this motion with the wording as presented. Next steps are to discuss further on how to present to council. Action item: Ken will send an email to Gina to review and help with wording.
2. Public Works Appointment Motion – Chair Engelund to bring forward a motion to recommend to the City Administration the appointment of a Public Works Ex Officio or Liaison to PAAC. Ken will be in touch with Scott Fleury regarding this prior to approving the motion.
3. Pulse Check – open discussion of ideas (5-10 minutes total). No items were discussed.

OTHER BUSINESS AND UPDATES
1. Student Representatives – Update on request to Ashland High School and Southern Oregon University Art Departments for nominating student representatives. Chair Engelund has reached out to Ashland High School and Southern Oregon University administration regarding recruitment of student representatives. Tessa has reached out to SOU students.
2. Marking Ashland Places (MAP) II – Update from the task group. No update.
3. ODOT Controller Boxes – Update from the selection committee meeting; artists selected announcement. Five members of the selection committee chose the three artists from the applications submitted: The artists selected are as follows: AHS box, Juniper Christopher; Church/Montessori box, Adele Hiles; and SOU box, Sidney Reha. The selection committee will have a discussion with the AHS artist regarding “Hello My Name Is” design to gather more information about what is proposed to be included in the blank areas.
4. Golden Connections – Update on celebration event this Spring for the completion of the 5 medallions spokes project; may include a walking tour; HPAC and PAAC to collaborate. There will be an award ceremony for the Historic Preservation Advisory Committee and ribbon cutting for Marking Ashland Places (MAP) at the Railroad Park on May 18 from 10:00 – 2:00. PAAC volunteers are Beca (maybe) and Heather.
5. Box Dive & Google Drive – Jenn and Tessa to provide an update on items in the shared drives. PAAC has two drives where we can store and share data (outside of the City of Ashland network). The Box Drive has the most current data. The Google Drive has not been used since 2018 and is mostly photos (Gateway, Power of Public Art, Theatre corridor (Velocity) concepts, etc.). Jenn will work to migrate these photos/concept plans over to the Box Drive so that all the information for PAAC is in one location.
6. Velocity (bouncing ball sculpture) repairs – Update. A welder has been found and Public Works is working on a contract for repairs. PAAC members asked 1). where the funding comes from to fix art such as Velocity, and 2). could funds be recouped through an insurance claim for faulty engineering? Jenn was unsure and will check with Brandon and report back during the next meeting.

Update: 1). Funding for art repairs are paid from an account in administration for public art. Funds do not come directly from the funds dedicated to new art, but are within the art fund account as “other” so that expenses can be tracked. PAAC should anticipate maintenance costs of the public art collection. 2). Depending on the cost of the repair and deductible there may not always be an option for a claim. In this case, the cost for the repair is less than $5,000 and the deductible is $10,000.

Crosswalk Project – Update. Ken will be attending an upcoming meeting on 3/6/2024 with APRC to present the concept of crosswalk location. Update: The APRC approved the concept of and location on Winburn Way at the entrance to Lithia Park. Approved motions to follow.
Micah Blacklight “Ancestors Future - Crystalizing Our Call” – Update. Cassie provided information about two upcoming public forums requested by Council: 1). The Ashland Sunrise Project, “Uncovering Oregon’s Black History,” on March 18 at Carpenter Hall and 2). Juneteenth presentation. Cassie also noted how the sculpture could be incorporated into the Sunrise Project and idea of Placemaking.
John Pugh Mural “Where the Crow Lights,” Elks Building – Update. Stanely recently met with John and a funding donor who agreed to take the lead for additional fundraising with a promotional video and event at the Ashland Springs Hotel this spring – with goal to raise $250k.