City and County of San FranciscoSan Francisco Arts Commission

February 1, 2010

Full Commission - February 1, 2010

MEETING OF THE FULL ARTS COMMISSION 
Monday, February 1, 2010
3:00 p.m.
City Hall Room 416


Minutes

President Johnston called the meeting to order at 3:07 p.m.

  1. Roll Call
    Commissioners Present
    P.J. Johnston, President
    Maya Draisin, Vice President
    JD Beltran
    John Calloway
    Gregory Chew
    Amy Chuang
    Topher Delaney
    Lorraine García-Nakata
    Sherene Melania
    Barbara Sklar
    Sherri Young
    Ron Miguel, ex officio

    Commissioners Absent
    Nínive Calegari
    Leo Chow
    Astrid Haryati
    Cass Calder Smith

  2. Approval of Minutes
    RESOLUTION NO. 0201-10-023:
    Motion to approve November 2, 2009 Minutes.
    RESOLUTION NO. 0201-10-024: Motion to approve December 7, 2009 Minutes.

    The remaining item was withdrawn.

  3. President’s Report
    President Johnston began by saying that his report would be brief to allow as much time as possible to discuss the strategic plan and the budget. He reported that the Mayor convened a meeting of commission presidents to discuss the budget situation; some fifty to sixty attended, including Commissioner Miguel. The Mayor briefed commission presidents on the hard choices ahead; the discussion was lively. President Johnston reported key points: the budget deficit is upwards of $450 million, entirely within the General Fund; about one-third of the total $1.2 billion in discretionary spending will be cut. He added that a lot will depend on the state budget. Since San Francisco is both a city and a county, it has the responsibilities of a county, including health and welfare, which are traditionally backfilled by state funds. The City’s deficit could be hundreds of millions of dollars once the state budget is finalized, which could take several months.

    President Johnston reported that the Mayor will be convening town hall meetings over the next several weeks. The Mayor has identified about $200 million in cuts achieved and requested, but an equal amount remains to be addressed. President Johnston expected that both the Arts Commission’s 20% cut in General Fund expenditures and the additional 10% contingency cut will be used.

    President Johnston explained that the vast majority of General Fund expenditures are for employee compensation and retirement. He said that traditionally each commission president and department head advocate to keep and protect their own share of resources, and he is strongly focused on the well-being of the Arts Commission. He has frequently made the argument that a small department like the Arts Commission is disproportionately affected by cuts. He was afraid that this year, everyone, large and small, will be forced to give up more. He said that staff and the Executive Committee have been searching for ways to increase revenue, and for spending cuts that will do the least harm. He said that this will affect how the agency moves forward with the strategic plan. He also warned that there will be a lot of unpleasant choices, and difficult interactions, including with constituents. He was hopeful that the Commission would remain committed and passionate, helping staff and constituents through a difficult time. He said that people will be hurt, and he feared that even more than the 30% cut would eventually be required.

    Finally, he advised that the Commission would be discussing and identifying cuts, and delivering its vision of the budget to the Mayor’s office, and that the Mayor will forward the total budget to the Board of Supervisors in June.

  4. Director’s Report
    Mr. Cancel began on a positive note, thanking Commissioners for their support and thanking staff for managing well during his absence; his trip to Rio for his daughter’s wedding was wonderful and invigorating.

    Mr. Cancel announced that the Arts Commission was participating in the Shanghai Sister City celebration. The Asian Art Museum has coordinated dozens of cultural institutions, with concerts, exhibitions and other activities. Crediting the persistence of Director of Programs Jill Manton, he announced that the Arts Commission will receive a major public artwork by Zhang Huan. The enormous copper sculpture, Three Heads Six Arms, will have its first public display at the Joseph L. Alioto Performing Arts Piazza opposite City Hall. The sculpture is a fifteen-ton Buddha, and Mr. Cancel thanked Commissioner Chew for finding an anonymous donor to pay for all the costs of shipping the work.

    Mr. Cancel turned to the more sobering question of the budget. He reiterated that the Mayor has requested cuts of 30% in General Fund support from all departments for FY2011; 20% is the initial reduction target, and an additional 10% contingency. Echoing President Johnston, Mr. Cancel was certain that the 10% would be taken. He explained that departments’ final budget proposals were due to the Mayor’s office on February 22, and he reviewed his proposed submission with the Commission. He discussed the various funding sources for the Arts Commission’s programs and pointed out that the cuts are being sought in General Fund expenditures, not in other funds. He said that his strategy included shifting key staff to other funding sources appropriate to pay for them. These include using Hotel Tax funds to support Community Arts and Education staff, and work-order funds (largely Public Art) to support the Director of Programs and Collections staff. The remaining reduction comes from equal cuts to the Cultural Centers and to Cultural Equity Grants. He said that he had presented this proposal to the Cultural Centers, reminding them that in the current fiscal year, they had been spared, with the lion’s share of cuts coming from Arts Commission staff reductions and Cultural Equity Grants (“CEG”).

    Mr. Cancel noted that there would be a fuller discussion of the strategic plan, but he first wanted to thank the Commissioners, all of the Arts Commission staff who have met repeatedly over ten months, stakeholder members of the cultural community, and facilitator Teri Jourgensen for their participation in the strategic planning process.

    Mr. Cancel also referred to a document on the accumulated deficit in the Street Artists Program budget, which he would discuss during the program committee’s report.

    Mr. Cancel reported that the Art in Storefronts projects were winding down, and staff has been discussing with the Mayor’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development how the program might continue, with a next round in Chinatown. He reported that the program continues to generate a lot of good press. He added that Where Art Lives is going well.

    Mr. Cancel reported that the Gallery will be celebrating its fortieth anniversary year, and he invited everyone to the first of a series of celebratory events: the opening of Chain Reaction 7 on February 12. He saluted Gallery Director Meg Shiffler and her staff, and the great work they have been doing.

  5. Consent Calendar
    President Johnston explained that items on the Consent Calendar had been approved in committee meetings rather than being discussed at length here in the full Commission meeting. He noted that the Executive Committee had discussed both the overall agency budget and the Street Artists Program budget, since the Street Artists Committee had been unable to agree on that budget.

    Item 4 was withdrawn from the agenda since the minutes had not been distributed. There was no call to sever any other items from the Consent Calendar.

    In response to President Johnston’s call for public comment, street artist Mike Addario said that he had an ongoing concern with funds for the Street Artists Program, and objected to the Street Artists Program line item in the budget reduction proposal. He requested that the program’s budget be severed from the Consent Calendar. No Commissioner called to sever this item.

    All of the remaining items were approved as follows.

    RESOLUTION NO. 0201-10-025:
    Approval: RESOLVED, that this Commission does hereby adopt the following items on the Consent Calendar and their related Resolutions:

    Approval of Committee Minutes

    1. RESOLUTION NO. 0201-10-026: Motion to approve the Community Arts, Education and Grants Committee Meeting Minutes of January 12, 2010.
    2. RESOLUTION NO. 0201-10-027: Motion to approve the Street Artists Committee Meeting Minutes of January 13, 2010.
    3. RESOLUTION NO. 0201-10-028: Motion to approve the Visual Arts Committee Meeting Minutes of January 20, 2010.

      Civic Design Review Committee Recommendations (January 11, 2010)

    4. RESOLUTION NO. 0201-10-029: Motion to approve Phase 1 of the Boedekker Park and Clubhouse.
    5. RESOLUTION NO. 0201-10-030: Motion to approve Phase 1 of the Bayview Opera House renovation with the condition that the design team minimize railings, replace green spaces with gathering spaces, and explore a design with a ramp without stairs.
    6. RESOLUTION NO. 0201-10-031: Motion to approve Phase 3 of the Chinese Recreation Center with the contingency that the project team present stucco finishes, select a smaller tile, and use one color for all metal elements.
    7. RESOLUTION NO. 0201-10-032: Motion to approve Phase 2 of the Mission Pool and Playground with the conditions that the site maximize rainwater capture, modify the palm and planter, and create a simplified yard presence on 19th Street including removing fences and reworking the paving design.
    8. RESOLUTION NO. 0201-10-033: Motion to approve Phases 1 and 2 of the Crystal Springs Control Building with the condition that the concrete walls be straight across the top but be different heights, the scupper be relocated, and the gravel bed be removed.

      Community Arts, Education and Grants Committee Recommendations (January 12, 2010)

    9. RESOLUTION NO. 0201-10-034: Motion to approve the following individuals as grants application review panelists for Cultural Equity Grants:
      Ron Rowell, Consultant
      Evelyn Orantes, Cultural Arts Developer, Oakland Museum of California
      Tia Oros Peters, Executive Director, Seventh Generation Fund

      Street Artists Committee Recommendations (January 13, 2010)

    10. RESOLUTION NO. 0201-10-035: Motion to approve amendment of November 4, 2009 Street Artists Committee minutes.

      Visual Arts Committee Recommendations (January 20, 2010)

    11. RESOLUTION NO. 0201-10-036: Motion to approve Janet Echelman’s design development which includes the sculpture shapes; the relationship of the sculptures to the architecture; the colored lighting concept; the terrazzo floor design, and fans to provide movement of the sculpture, if feasible.
    12. RESOLUTION NO. 0201-10-037: Motion to approve the final installed artwork, here and past here, 2009, a sculpture that hangs above the staircase at the Potrero Branch Library and includes four elements: a balsa wood circular stem, a basket-like woven pod with a rope extension, a metal woven partial pod casing, and a metal doughnut shape, by artist Gina Telcocci.
    13. RESOLUTION NO. 0201-10-038: Motion to accept into the Civic Art Collection the final installed artwork, here and past here, 2009, a sculpture which hangs above the staircase at the Potrero Branch Library and includes four elements: a balsa wood circular stem, a basket-like woven pod with a rope extension, a metal woven partial pod casing, and a metal doughnut shape, by artist Gina Telcocci at the Potrero Branch Library.
    14. RESOLUTION NO. 0201-10-039: Motion to approve the artist Bryan Tedrick and his proposal with modifications as recommended by the Sunset Playground Artist Selection Panel for Sunset Playground.
    15. RESOLUTION NO. 0201-10-040: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into a contract with artist Bryan Tedrick, selected by the Sunset Playground Artist Selection Panel for design, fabrication, transportation and installation/consultation during installation for an artwork for Sunset Playground in an amount not to exceed $70,000.
    16. RESOLUTION NO. 0201-10-041: Motion to approve the artists Nancy Blum, Arthur Stern and Alan Masaoka and their proposals as recommended by the General Hospital Artist Selection Panel for Art Glass for the General Hospital Acute Care Unit: Floors 3–7.
    17. RESOLUTION NO. 0201-10-042: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into contract with the following artists in the following amounts for design for art glass artwork for General Hospital Acute Care Unit: Floors 3–7: Alan Masaoka in an amount not to exceed $15,000; Julio Morales in an amount not to exceed $15,000; Arthur Stern in an amount not to exceed $13,500; Nancy Blum in an amount not to exceed $20,500; Stephen Galloway in an amount not to exceed $15,000; Mildred Howard in an amount not to exceed $15,000.
    18. RESOLUTION NO. 0201-10-043: Motion not to approve the artist Li Qing Liang as recommended by the artist selection panel for the façade of the Chinese Recreation Center and not to accept the façade as the selected site.
    19. RESOLUTION NO. 0201-10-044: Motion to ask the three finalists for the exterior of the Chinese Recreation Center—Colette Crutcher, artist team Margarita Soyfertis and Vadim Gortsky, and Li Qing Liang—to create proposals for the exterior site in the playground.
    20. RESOLUTION NO. 0201-10-045: Motion to approve Michael Arcega’s design development for four unique sculptural capitals and clamshell bases installed on four wooden poles along Valencia Street.
    21. RESOLUTION NO. 0201-10-046: Motion to approve the exhibition of the sculpture Three Heads Six Arms by Zhang Huan on Civic Center Plaza for the Shanghai Sister Cities celebration for the duration of one year, starting in the spring or summer of 2010, pending permit from the Recreation and Park Department.

      Executive Committee Recommendations (January 25, 2010)

    22. RESOLUTION NO. 0201-10-047: Motion to refer the draft strategic plan to the full Commission for discussion and possible adoption.
    23. RESOLUTION NO. 0201-10-048: Motion to:
      (a) approve Street Artists Program budget for fiscal year 2010-2011 and corresponding proposed Street Artist certificate fee increase for fiscal year 2010-2011. As required by Proposition K of November 8, 1983 election, any certificate fee increases would be limited to those necessary in order to finance the costs of the Arts Commission in administering and enforcing the provisions of the Street Artists Ordinance; and
      (b) authorize the Street Artists Program Director to ask the City Attorney’s Office to draft a corresponding fee ordinance for submission to the Board of Supervisors for approval.
  6. Committee Reports and Committee Matters
    1. Executive Committee—P.J. Johnston, Chair
      1. President Johnston reported that the Committee had spent a good deal of time at its last meeting discussing the Strategic Plan, noting that the plan before the Commission had been revised many times. He wished to introduce the discussion by making clear that the plan does not address every single question, but is a blueprint. He said that it is crucial to constantly refer to the mission, responsibilities and goals of the agency. He reported that the Committee discussed at length that every item in the plan is subject to review and revision in the future, and emphasized that any item or expenditure will come before this Commission to be voted upon. He said that what Mr. Cancel and the staff have achieved is a plan that the Commission can feel good about, but that there will not be unanimity on every single item. He added that the weight of the budget informs everything. Nonetheless, he said, the agency continues to operate, and an important reason for the strategic plan is to guide how limited resources are used.

        He requested that Mr. Cancel and Ms. Manton discuss the plan, after which he would call for public comment and for a vote by the Commission. He hoped that the Commission could approve the plan and move forward, making it a working document. He explained that the Executive Committee intended to revisit the plan quarterly to see how the agency is doing. He expected to see the document revised if not yearly, at least once halfway through the three-year scope of the plan and again at the end of the three years. He affirmed that this document is not the end, but a beginning.

        President Johnston read out the five goals listed in the introduction to the plan (Draft Strategic Plan, pdf).

        Mr. Cancel reiterated that, at the highest level, the plan is a kind of road map for the Commission, for staff, for relationship to the cultural needs of the City. He said that the five goals establish the organization’s focus. In discussing and revising the draft plan, goals were broken down for specific programs, including strategies for achieving them. The document identifies some of the deliverables for each program for each fiscal year; it organizes their goals and strategies. He added that there has been a great deal of discussion internally on how to implement the plan. He said that the plan begins with the new fiscal year, 2010-2011, and by the beginning of July, he expects that the plan and goals will have been interpreted within each program, including target dates and who will be responsible for them.

        Mr. Cancel wished to highlight the fact that the City, indeed the entire economy, is faced with reduced revenues, and this encourages the agency to think about how to reach out to the private sector who cares about the arts, following the example of Friends of Recreation and Parks and Friends of the Library. Noting that the plan period encompasses the eightieth anniversary of the Arts Commission, he thought this was a perfect time to reach out to major art patrons in the city. He explained that the plan calls for the establishment of a friends of the arts organization, and emphasized that this will only succeed if Commissioners are active in helping to forge those friendships. He included former Commissioners as potential friends of the arts. In fact, though certainly Development staff will help with this initiative, Mr. Cancel thought it would fall more on Commissioners than on staff to implement. Commissioner García-Nakata asked whether the focus of the group would be fundraising; Mr. Cancel said yes, particularly with events like a gala.

        President Johnston noted that the Collections program needs funds, but that its needs don’t overlap with those of constituents like individual artists and arts organizations, so fundraising efforts in this area would not compete with them. He noted that Development Director Rachelle Axel is very sensitive to that issue, not wishing to “rob Peter to pay Paul.” He added that many of the “big-ticket” works in the Collection are located where large organization, by virtue of proximity, may wish to help with their conservation and maintenance. Commissioner Sklar endorsed the idea.

        In reference to fundraising for the Collection’s needs, Mr. Cancel reported that he and staff have been working with the San Francisco Art Dealers Association (“SFADA”) to cobble together some funds under the name “Art Cares.” Ruth Braunstein, director of Braunstein/Quay Gallery, took him to meet with a major patron and collector about this initiative. Mr. Cancel’s presentation discussed the top ten artworks in most desperate need of conservation and the estimate of the cost. Mr. Cancel reported that the collector was unaware that the Arts Commission had a collection, and was incredulous that the City budgeted only $15,000 to care for its multi-million-dollar collection. At the end of the meeting, he was very motivated to help. Mr. Cancel reported that there was a lot of work to be done to educate people about the collection and the Commission’s role in caring for it.

        President Johnston invited Community Arts and Education Program Associate Robynn Takayama to speak about the strategic plan.

        Ms. Takayama thanked him for the invitation. She explained that she was shop steward for the Service Employees International Union (“SEIU”), and that she also spoke as the overall staff representative in the planning process. She thanked Mr. Cancel for following the recommendation to develop the plan, which offers direction to staff and sparks ideas for ways to work more effectively across programs. She reminded the Commission that the recommendation for a strategic plan came out of the desire for guidance in addressing future budget cuts, and that this was a primary consideration for staff. She said that staff brainstormed many creative ideas, including wish lists to take advantage of any new revenue that might appear, but assumed that brainstorming would ultimately be harnessed to the real financial constraints.

        Citing the introduction to the plan, she pointed out that it does not contain all the work currently being done, but identifies new initiatives. She recalled that at the January meeting of the Commission, staff presented nearly an hour’s worth of highlights for the last year. This did not include the day-to-day activities, like managing over 70 current public art projects, handling ongoing graffiti abatement and offering technical assistance to hundreds of individual artists and arts organizations applying for grants. In short, she said, staff is already at capacity, and worried that the great ideas in the plan are overly ambitious given the resources available.

        She said that Mr. Cancel has been tenacious in protecting the agency from General Fund cuts, and has stated his commitment to retain staff in the next round of budget cuts. But she argued that staff in other City departments, reeling from their own budget cuts, will be hampered in their ability to work effectively with the Arts Commission. Staff is concerned that it will be more difficult to hire contractors for work that the agency wants to outsource, and interns and other free labor often lack the skills the agency needs. She said that Mr. Cancel is great in acknowledging the talented and hardworking staff of the Arts Commission. Staff is concerned about the potential to be overworked and perhaps being asked to work out of classification in an attempt to maintain the level of excellence.

        Ms. Takayama recalled that at the Executive Committee’s December meeting, Ms. Jourgensen said that the next steps in the planning process would include a resource assessment to determine what is feasible, including evaluations of staff time, integration of new deliverables into the existing workload and priorities, and financial resources available. Ms. Takayama said that staff understood the process as having three steps: data collection, writing the plan and assessment of resources for implementation. She told the Commission that she thought they were being asked to implement the plan without the crucial third step. Staff was concerned that if the plan is approved without the resource assessment, this critical part of the process will be lost among the many responsibilities of the management team.

        Ms. Takayama respectfully requested that if the Commission moved to approve the plan, they include a contingency calling for resource assessment.

        She closed her remarks by citing a few examples of how the Arts Commission provides valuable City services: low-cost classes and venue rentals at the Cultural Centers, a fine art studio in the Tenderloin through a grant, enabling artists and craftspeople to make a living from their work through the Street Artists Program. Art is not a luxury, she said. Staff want the strategic plan to guide the agency and help to defend the budget, but want to be set up for success, not for failure.

        Commissioner García-Nakata thought it was important to be clear about the limits of staff resources and funds. She said that despite the imperative to do more with less, it was important to keep quality in mind, and to maintain staff energy. She said that the plan should also identify what the agency is not able to do, and she wanted to hear from others about the concern for staff resources.

        President Johnston said that he comes back again and again to the fact that the document is only a plan, part of a larger process. He said that the Commission has talked for many years about shared goals, and he believes that this document largely encompasses those goals. He thought it was important to finish this part of the job. He completely understood and agreed with the staff argument that resource identification needs to be part of the process, but he was not inclined to add a contingency to this effect, nor one on a stable budget, to the Commission’s approval. He cautioned against overselling the document, calling it a guide and a working document. He said that the next phase would include discussions with the management team on implementation. He affirmed that the Commission is not responsible for day-to-day management, but should ask how the resources will be managed. He said that a lot of what is in the plan is not new initiatives, and said it is important to see how the agency will continue to accomplish its existing work.

        Commissioner Miguel said that, although he had no vote, he did have some comments. He said that in his experience, a Friends organization was very effective, covering costs for training, staff education and equipment that the City couldn’t pay for, and served as a sounding board at times. Second, he said, a plan is a guide, not the same as a director’s day-to-day work plan. Third, he pointed to page 5, strategy C, “Cultivate partnerships between SFAC programs, other city agencies, nonprofits and other arts organizations.” He said that right now, there are many large projects to which the Planning Commission has given entitlements, meaning they have three years to put a spade in the ground. Some are unable to get funding, and have been granted extensions. Some of these are holes in the ground, or parking lots, or even blights on their neighborhoods for now. He thought several of these projects could be perfect opportunities for temporary public artworks while the project funding is being sought. President Johnston likened this to Art in Storefronts.

        Commissioner Sklar agreed, saying that she had a lot of experience with planning, and had found that getting too specific created problems. She supported Ms. Takayama’s comments regarding staff, and noted that the plan contains a lot of hopes. She said that without a plan, things deteriorate, and that the Commission should move forward with the plan as-is. She added that the Commission has confidence in the Director.

        Vice President Draisin said that, going into the Executive Committee meeting, she had similar concerns. She agreed that much of what is in the plan is currently being done, and there is less in the way of new initiatives than one might think. Second, she said that initiatives like Art in Storefronts, or Commissioner Miguel’s idea, have brought such great exposure to the Arts Commission that they were well worth the effort. She thought the agency sometimes had to take these opportunities as they came. Finally, she agreed that the plan is a living document. If funds are needed, or resources, for new initiatives, the committees will be evaluating all along the way; there are checkpoints in place.

        President Johnston said it was important to see everything laid out, and recalled how last year the Commission heard from the Arts Providers Alliance and others why it was important to do this.

        Commissioner Beltran agreed that the document was a plan, subject to adjustment and review; she reiterated the commitment to reassess quarterly how the plan is being implemented.

        Commissioner Calloway said that he was sensitive to the concern expressed by staff, and calling on his experience working with the School District, he asked whether there was a way to express the understanding that expectations may not be met, and that hard economic times force some limitations.

        Commissioner Young said that she had full confidence in the staff to execute the plan. She said that one reason the agency undertook the task of planning was that so many staff were taking on new responsibilities partly as a result of budget cuts. She was concerned that staff have to take shortcuts. She said it was important to recognize that it was unlikely an individual employee would simply refuse an assignment.

        Commissioner García-Nakata asked if the plan included took account of the 20% budget cut called for. Mr. Cancel assured her that it did.

        President Johnston said that it is a strategic plan, and that there was a strong effort not to tie the plan to a specific budget amount.

        Commissioner García-Nakata said that any plan is a guide or a road map. She said that her organization does a yearly plan, checking in monthly. She was glad to hear that this plan takes into account a budget cut of 20% to 30%, and she affirmed that it was the Director’s responsibility to manage the day-to-day allocation of resources.

        Commissioner Calloway thought it was important to reassure staff that their concerns are heard.

        Mr. Cancel said that the mission statement and the expression of core values were high-level responsibilities of the Commission. He said that detailing how those were executed and measured, and determining deliverables, were management responsibilities. He said that a strategic plan must be created jointly, and that this one has been. It also must take into account what the constituents think. He reiterated that the document is intended to provide a road map, and he believes it has strong consensus and support. He thought the Commission had to decide whether this was the direction in which they wish to move.

        Commissioner Melania thanked Mr. Cancel. She recalled that one of the main reasons for undertaking a strategic plan was the constrained budget. She thought it was important to maintain the Arts Commission’s vision. She thought this plan an excellent starting point to see the agency’s goals through.

        President Johnston said that the mission and goals were ambitious, and asked if the agency could handle them, if the Commission was asking staff to do too much. He noted that the planning process had begun some years ago, when there was some additional money. He recalled that what the agency was doing didn’t seem to be closely tied to the mission. He said that the plan would be a guide for three years, a short time in city government. Citing T. S. Eliot, he cautioned against allowing too much shadow between the idea and the reality. He noted that although there was not 100% unanimity on the plan, the Commission could look at the big picture, do its quarterly evaluations, and pay attention to resource allocation. Also, he said, the Commission must evaluate what the agency can do, and what it can’t, and what will have to be cut.

        Jessica Mele of the Arts Providers Alliance thanked the Commission for following through on its commitment. She was pleased to see the goals for the Arts Education program, and had questions about StreetSmARTS. She was concerned that the agency might compete with its constituents.

        Ms. Takayama was concerned about accountability, and thought a big responsibility will fall on the Arts Education Manager. She asked what had been learned in the planning process, and how the plan had contributed to the decisions on budget cuts. She urged the Commission to create a plan for revisiting and revising the strategic plan. She said that staff wanted to understand clearly how they would be held accountable.

        President Johnston asked if any Commissioners wished to modify the motion. Seeing none, he called for a vote. The motion was passed with nine ayes. Commissioners Calloway and Delaney abstained.

      2. RESOLUTION NO. 0201-10-049: Motion to adopt the draft strategic plan.

        Turning to the motion on the budget, President Johnston said that Mr. Cancel had laid out all the elements. He discussed the proposed transfer of full-time-equivalent staff (“FTE”) funding to different sources, and explained that increases or decreases in Public Art Program funding often lag behind the changes in the overall economy. Much of that funding is through bonds or capital funds established many years ago, so the Public Art Program seems flush at a time when other programs are hurting. President Johnston thought that Mr. Cancel was trying to avoid significant layoffs by moving as much as is legitimately possible into Public Art, while being very mindful of the legal restrictions on the uses of bond financing. President Johnston added that Mr. Cancel and Finance Director Kan Htun have been busy reevaluating the budget, and this proposal is a way to get through the year. President Johnston noted that this year, the Cultural Centers were particularly affected, and that last year it was Cultural Equity Grants. He added that it was a priority to keep staff in order to keep programs going, and that no one wanted to eliminate staff. He was sure the discussion would come up again, and he feared that the agency might not ultimately be able to avoid job cuts.

        Mr. Cancel explained that each fund has its own unique set of rules and limitations as to what can and cannot be allocated; he now has a good sense of them all. He explained that the General Fund is the least restricted, and in boom times staff and other expenses can come from this fund. He noted that it is easier to move positions into the General Fund than out of it, and that he and the management team have just about exhausted the fiscal options while still meeting the agency’s legal obligations. In the worst-case scenario, he said, such as reductions in public art or other funds, staff would be lost. As of now, cuts are being passed on to the Cultural Centers and, assuming the 10% contingency is also invoked, Cultual Equity Grants would sustain cuts. He assured the Commission that they would hear from the public how painful these cuts will be.

        Vice President Draisin said that she knew how painful they would be, as Chair of the Committee sustaining the bulk of the current cuts. She noted the irony at this moment of the Commission’s expression of access to the arts as a core value, and the importance of the Commission’s role as stewards of the Cultural Center facilities. For the record, she said these cuts are significant for the entire arts community, and just as the giving of this money affects the community, so does the taking away of it affect the community exponentially. She is very sorry to see the cuts.

        African American Arts and Culture Complex (“AAACC”) director London Breed asked for clarification in the budget. She said that the Cultural Centers did not have the resources to sustain cuts, and that these cuts would make a difference in their hours of operation. She said that AAACC was considering cutting some days of operation and reducing staff, the majority of whom live and work in San Francisco. She also mentioned that her understanding is that changes in the Hotel Tax Fund allocation to the Cultural Centers’ budget could not exceed ten percent, and that 10.66% was problematic, that cuts above ten percent could be problematic in light of what the legislation requires. She explained that money has been invested into the facility. She said that lack of space is a major complaint, and she was concerned about the equity of the cuts.

        Mr. Htun explained that the cut to the grant was $240,000, but that because some FTE expenses were moved from the General Fund to Hotel Tax Fund, the net cut to the Centers is $173,000.

        Mr. Cancel explained that there is some disagreement as to whether Hotel Tax Fund monies were properly included in the cuts, in addition to General Fund cuts. Mr. Cancel has a meeting with the Budget Director to clear up this point.

        Artist Laura Green spoke about AAACC. She called the center a home, a safe space for artists and families, and for the community as a whole. She said that cuts impede access and services. She mentioned a three-year plan.

        Tamika Chenier introduced herself as a local performing artist, a San Francisco native, and program manager at AAACC. She said she understood that there would be budget cuts. She asked the Commission to rethink and reevaluate how those cuts were made, particularly to AAACC. She said that culture is vital to the city and makes it the place to be. She said she understood there was no way around the necessity for cuts, but asked the Commission to reconsider how they were made.

        Melonie J. Green asked the Commission to reconsider the cuts to all Cultural Centers, especially to AAACC. She said that many of them were operating with very little money, and that cuts would have a major impact on youth and the community as a whole. She said that the Commission knew that it was important that artists be supported, and that cuts would be devastating. She said that youth programs were important, helping youth find a craft and hone their skills. She said that cuts would have an impact on the future, not just the present.

        SOMArts director Lex Leifheit said that other speakers had made good points. She said that when the Center directors heard the budget numbers the week before, they hadn’t realized the budget would come to the full Commission today. She explained that SOMArts has already had more than thirty organizations use the facility this year. She said that she had tried to communicate with them, but this is happening very quickly and she hadn’t heard back from them. She said that the impact of the cuts is greatest on small organizations. They might have a smaller grant from CEG, and then come to the Cultural Center and have to pay a little more in rent. She gave examples of what $100,000 meant in SOMArts’ budget: 80% of their exhbition budget, 66% of their production expenses, etc.

        Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts director Jennie Rodriguez echoed the othe Center directors and community members who testified. She referred to the strategic plan, and advocated for facility planning. She said that she hoped to see the Commission be proactive about providing for sorely needed repairs in this dire economic situation. She explained that the facility improvements were critical, and that there may be hazardous situations if they are not seriously addressed. She said that this also impacts the programs at the Centers.

        President Johnston said that capital expenses were specifically addressed in the strategic plan, and that the Commission has focused intensely on these needs in the last five years. He thought this could be addressed creatively, and praised Ms. Breed’s capital planning skills, Cultural Center Facilities Manager Tom Petersen’s great work, and Community Arts and Education Program Director Judy Nemzoff’s resourcefulness. He said that he hoped to continue capital funding, but noted how difficult it is that General Fund cuts go to the bone.

        Mr. Cancel said that the strategic plan called for one, two or more of the Cultural Centers to be able to secure a long-term lease within the next two years. He explained that this will make them eligible for federal funding, which is available today but requires that the occupant have a lease of 35 years or more. He hopes to see the Centers reach a greater level of financial stability, which will make other resources available.

        President Johnston asked Grants Director San San Wong what cuts were made to CEG. She replied that in FY2009-2010, the program was slated for cuts of $ 237,806; although the amount was originally $500,000, some funds were restored by the Board of Supervisors. In 2008-2009, the cut was $ 422,493, and in 2007-2008, $335,000. Over three years, she said, the cuts amounted to $ 995,299.

        President Johnston said that the last several years have been brutal. The agency has lost a fourteen-year veteran, and faced drastic cuts, sometimes restored and sometimes not. He noted the possibility that the Mayor’s office or the Board of Supervisors could potentially reassess the cuts, but said that the Commission had to take action, and that the Director’s hands were pretty much tied. He added that he would like to see a clear discussion of the budget at the Community Arts, Education and Grants Committee.

        President Johnston called for a vote. The motion passed with nine ayes; Commissioners Draisin and Young abstained.

      3. RESOLUTION NO. 0201-10-050: Motion to approve Fiscal Year 2010-2011 budget reduction submission to the Mayor’s Budget Office.
    2. Civic Design Review Committee—Cass Calder Smith, Chair
      1. There was no report from the Committee.

        Bayview Opera House Board of Directors President Jerald Joseph reported that renovations were underway at the Opera House. He noted that the public was very concerned about the conditions there, and wanted to see renovations completed as soon as possible, because there are safety issues. He said that the Opera House was a gathering space for this neighborhood in transition, and that they were working with police to maintain safety at the Opera House.

        Mr. Joseph said that he was also president of his homeowners’ association, and has received really good feedback from some 300 people about what they want the Opera House to be. He said that a lot of them think that the changes are good, but they don’t necessarily come out to the Opera House. He is concerned that if the design is modified, the renovation process will be delayed. He said that the community wants to see work done inside the building, and the public wants to see the work completed.

    3. Community Arts, Education and Grants Committee—Maya Draisin, Chair
      1. Vice President Draisin reported that the Native American Arts and Cultural Traditions grant program was accepting applications. She encouraged everyone to spread the word. She said that the Committee was moving forward with a new review process for the Cultural Centers, with one Commissioner taking the lead for each Center, beginning immediately.

        Vice President Draisin reported that the Committee also had a fantastic report on the activities in Arts Education.

        She presented the following motion.

      2. RESOLUTION NO. 0201-10-051: Motion to increase the 2009-2010 grant agreement to Community Initiatives by $25,000 for a total grant not to exceed $50,000 to support the arts education program intern.
    4. Street Artists Committee—Sherene Melania, Chair
      1. Commissioner Melania reported that the Committee was unable to reach consensus on the program’s budget. They heard from the street artists and others on how to make the program more technologically advanced and more efficient. She explained that the fee increase was called for because of the inordinate document requests, requiring costs for staff time and City Attorney’s office time.

        She presented the following motion.

      2. RESOLUTION NO. 0201-10-052: Motion to approve requests by former certificate-holders for priority issuance of certificate with waiver of re-screening of wares: Daniel Hennessey.
    5. Visual Arts Committee—Lorraine García-Nakata, Chair
      1. Commissioner García-Nakata reported that the Committee reviewed several projects, most of which were progressing well. These included projects at San Francisco Airport, the Port, General Hospital Acute Care, and Valencia streetscape. She said that the project at the Chinese Recreation Center needed to be rethought because of changes in location of the artwork, and that at Ortega Branch Library, the Committee felt that the models presented did not sufficiently resemble the original proposal images. She said that the Committee received a report updating the Transbay Terminal conceptual proposals. Finally, she said that they were very pleased to see a major collaboration moving forward with the War Memorial on the Memorial Court, and commended Ms. Manton’s involvement. She added that she was amazed and impressed with what staff take on, and that despite limited staff resources, quality remains high.

        President Johnston added that a lot of exciting projects are coming to the Committee, and he thought it would be good to have a presentation to the full Commission within the next few meetings.

        Commissioner García-Nakata amended the first motion below to name Atthowe Fine Art Services for the contract, and she presented the following motions.

      2. RESOLUTION NO. 0201-10-053: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into contract with Atthowe Fine Art Services in an amount not to exceed $165,000 for the removal, transportation, storage, conservation and relocation of select artworks by Demetrio Braceros located at Cayuga Playground.
      3. RESOLUTION NO. 0201-10-054: Motion to approve the artwork design by Laurel True of a mosaic sculpture for Hayes Valley Playground.
  7. New Business
    There was no new business.
  8. Reports and Announcements
    There were no reports or announcements.
  9. Public Comment
    There was no further public comment.
  10. Adjournment
    There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 5:12 p.m.

4/30/10 spr