February 7, 2011 | San Francisco Arts Commission

Full Commission - February 7, 2011

MEETING OF THE FULL ARTS COMMISSION
Monday, February 7, 2011
3:00 p.m.
City Hall Room 416

Minutes

President Johnston called the meeting to order at 3:05 p.m.

Roll Call
Commissioners Present
P.J. Johnston, President
JD Beltran, Vice President
Mark Breitenberg
John Calloway
Gregory Chew
Amy Chuang
Lorraine García-Nakata
Dorka Keehn
Jessica Silverman
Barbara Sklar
Cass Calder Smith
Kimberlee Stryker
Sherri Young

Commissioners Absent
Leo Chow
Sherene Melania
Christina Olague, ex officio
Approval of Minutes
RESOLUTION NO. 0207-11-014: Motion to approve January 10, 2011 Minutes.
President’s Report
President Johnston began by noting that February is generally the key month for City departments to tackle their budgets. He reminded the Commission that the Mayor’s office had directed all departments to make specified cuts which were discussed at this Commission’s January meeting, and at the January meeting of the Executive Committee. He added that Commissioner Stryker and several members of the staff had attended the Executive Committee meeting. The Arts Commission’s proposal would minimize damage from the cuts by spreading the percentage between the Cultural Centers and Cultural Equity Grants, yielding a smaller amount of money for grantees and a somewhat smaller, but still significant, cut to the Cultural Centers. There is also a proposal to realize some salary savings for one position, not by eliminating the position, but by funding it from non-General Fund sources. President Johnston explained that the Mayor’s office staff will discuss the budget proposals with department heads before preparing their budget submission to the Board of Supervisors in June. The Board debates the budget and will approve it in July.

President Johnston noted that in previous years, Mayor Newsom had stepped in to reduce or eliminate cuts to the Arts Commission’s budget, but he didn’t know whether Mayor Lee would do the same. He reported that he has discussed the budget with Mayor Lee, and he understands the impact of the cuts. President Johnston’s impression is that the Mayor will make across-the-board cuts which will include the Arts Commission.

President Johnston said that he would welcome public comment and discussion by the Commission, although not much has changed since the last meeting. He said that some new sources of revenue were promising for the future, but would solve the problems in the near term. He reiterated that there were only a few areas of the agency’s budget that could be targeted for General Fund cuts: grants, Cultural Centers and a few staff positions. He thought the current proposal was the fairest and most appropriate approach, and did the least long-term damage.

Finally, he said that he was glad to see so many Commissioners in attendance, and looked forward to the celebration of former Commissioners immediately following this meeting, thanking those who have served the City and this agency in the past.
Director’s Report
Mr. Cancel distributed a few documents to explain the organization of the agency’s budget. First, he explained that the budget process is lengthy, with many opportunities for input from citizens, Commissioners and other interested parties. He explained that all departments are required to make their budget submissions to the Mayor’s budget office by February 21, and that any department that fails to do so loses its right to shape the budget decisions, which are then made unilaterally by the budget office. He emphasized that it is important for the department to participate in these conversations to help shape the decisions.

Mr. Cancel presented two charts, illustrating the agency’s funding sources and expenditures. Recalling that funds from other sources can’t be used to offset cuts in the General Fund, he discussed the various funding sources, including the General Fund, the Hotel Tax Fund, work orders, Street Artists and other fees, and grants and donations. He also explained that work orders are interdepartmental transfers of funds, for example when the Department of Children, Youth and Families supports WritersCorps, or the Department of Public Works funds StreetSmARTS. He explained that when people stay in San Francisco hotels, they pay a tax on their rooms; this year, that tax contributed $133 million to the City’s General Fund. Of the total Hotel Tax Fund revenue, specific percentages are distributed to Grants for the Arts, the San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau (“SFCVB”), Cultural Equity Grants and the Cultural Centers. The Mayor’s directive is to reduce expenditures from the General Fund and the Hotel Tax Fund. In response to a question, Mr. Cancel said that he had spoken earlier that day with SFCVB president Joe D'Alessandro, who reported the good news that hotel stays, and tourism, are trending upward this year.

Turning to the expenditures chart, he discussed the funds spent for each program, including Community Arts and Education, Cultural Equity Grants, and Public Art. He explained that the Symphony funding dates back to the founding of the Arts Commission. The funds come from a parcel tax set-aside designated for the support of the Symphony, and 40% of the funds return to the Arts Commission. He noted that agency administration accounts for about 13% of the budget, which he described as pretty lean. He explained that the Cultural Centers are in the Community Arts and Education budget.

Mr. Cancel also reviewed the department’s organization chart, discussing funding sources for the various staff positions.

In response to a question about POP, the Symphony fund, President Johnston pointed out that for many years, the Arts Commission funded the San Francisco Symphony’s summer pops concert series. About a year and a half ago, he said, the Arts Commission negotiated a new arrangement, partnering on alternative and community concerts throughout the year, and continuing the Dolores Park summer concert. He added that both Arts Commission and Symphony staff agreed the year-round partnership would have more impact. In response, Mr. Cancel explained that the primary staff person responsible for working with the Symphony was Director of Programs Jill Manton. He explained that the annual contract covered a dozen concerts throughout the year, including the recent sold-out Chinese New Year concert. He explained that the Arts Commission is acknowledged as a sponsor on all publicity and program materials, and this gives the agency greater visibility.

Returning to the budget, Mr. Cancel explained that staff had drawn up four options to meet the 17% budget cut requested by the Mayor’s budget office. After detailed discussions, the Executive Committee selected option A+B in the draft document, which calls for 60% of the 7.5% cut to come from Cultural Equity Grants (“CEG”) and 40% from the Cultural Centers; and 35% of the additional 10% contingency cut to come from CEG, 23% from the Cultural Centers, and 42% from a personnel cut. He emphasized the distinction between the 7.5% cut and the additional 10% contingency cut; the contingency cut is for the worst-case scenario. If, as it is beginning to appear, the City’s revenues begin to improve, the contingency cut might be less than 10%, or might not even be needed. In the worst case, if the contingency cut is needed, the Arts Commission would make staff reductions to mitigate the impact on the cultural sector.

He pointed out that the Commission would hear public testimony, but he wanted first to discuss the impact of the cuts. The staff proposal for the CEG cut calls for identifying a distinct grant program and suspending it for one year, rather than reducing all of the grants by a smaller amount. He noted that this would use staff time more efficiently. While no firm decision has been made, the two grants programs being considered for the one-year suspension are Individual Artist Commissions and Creative Space grants. Either would yield about the right amount of funds, and either would be a painful loss. He reminded all Commissioners that this is one of the few government agencies still funding individual artists; many stopped doing so during the “culture wars” of the 1980s.

In response to a question, Mr. Cancel explained that each grants program demands a lot of staff time at each step, for applications, review panels, contracts, reports, etc. In terms of maximizing the use of staff time, it makes more sense to completely suspend a category and eliminate the time for those steps rather than to use all (or almost all) of the staff time and award fewer or smaller grants. In response to another question, Mr. Cancel explained that suspension would mean that there would be no grants offered in a particular category for one year.

President Johnston reported that CEG and Community Arts and Education staff had attended the Executive Committee meeting to discuss the impacts of the proposed cuts. Director of Grants San San Wong had prepared a statement of the impact of suspending the Individual Artist Commissions for the year. He added that a concern about suspension is that in a government agency, there may be pressure not to reinstate it the next year.

Mr. Cancel said that this was an ongoing process, and that this proposal identified target areas and general numbers in response to the Mayor’s budget office request, and the proposals are not yet detailed. As time goes on, he hoped to reverse the cuts, and hoped to be successful in convincing the policymakers that these cuts should not be implemented.

He reviewed some of the impacts for the Cultural Centers: they would have to hold fewer classes or programs, serve fewer students, raise fees for classes and rentals, reduce their summer youth programs, eliminate some staff positions, decrease donated space, and suspend new programs planned for the coming year, including programs designed to support the next generation of artists. Mr. Cancel reminded everyone that there will be opportunities for public comment. He said that the Arts Commission, like other departments, was mandated to participate in the budget process, and he sought a decision today from the Commission.

Commissioner García-Nakata thanked him for the charts and information, and asked what percentage of the staff the proposed cut represented. Mr. Cancel explained that there are 34 positions, and that the proposed cut is a small proportion of that total. He pointed out that the organization is very lean, and the loss of even one position is difficult.

Commissioner Breitenberg was concerned that suspending a program might lead to its permanent loss, as President Johnston had said. President Johnston said that the decision about the program suspension was not being made at this meeting, and that Ms. Wong and staff would evaluate the proposed suspension and bring it to the Committee before implementing it. In the past, he said, cuts have been taken across the board to all grants. If the decision is made instead to suspend a grants program, that discussion will be held in committee. He reminded Commissioners of the previous month’s discussion of the impact of cuts on Individual Artist Commissions versus grants to organizations that serve large numbers of people. He said this was the role of the Commission, to weigh in on these questions. He said that the goal was to do the least harm, and the Commission was not yet deciding on the elimination of specific programs.

Mr. Cancel turned to other matters in his report. In the Collections program, he discussed staff efforts to support the preservation of the City’s art collection. He reminded the Commission of the long-term need for appropriate space to house some of the artworks, and anticipated that the move to the War Memorial Veterans Building, planned for 2016 after its renovation, would address that need. He reported that ArtCare continues to draw funds, and recently received a $10,000 donation in honor of gallerist Ruth Braunstein. There is now enough money to begin conservation of the first artwork purchased by the Public Art Program, the untitled 1971 sculpture by Peter Voulkos at the Hall of Justice. He announced that an event would be held to mark the completion of the restoration, which was expected to take about five weeks. Vice President Beltran noted that this work was among Voulkos’s most renowned appearing in all the major art history books. Mr. Cancel noted that Voulkos was a San Francisco artist, and Commissioner Breitenberg added that he was a graduate of California College of the Arts, and that the school might want to participate in the event, too.

Mr. Cancel reported on the murals in Coit Tower, commissioned during the Great Depression. Collections staff is working on developing a new conservation and treatment assessment, with a cost estimate. Arts Commission staff is in discussions with Recreation and Parks Department staff about the stewardship of the murals, and how best to maintain them.

Mr. Cancel directed Commissioners’ attention to the flyer for the Gallery’s show, Afghanistan in Four Frames, opening in City Hall on Wednesday, March 9. He praised Gallery Director Meg Shiffler for an extraordinary job on this show, which features the work of four photojournalists, capturing in great depth the impact of war.

Ms. Manton reported that the Keith Haring Foundation has offered to pay for the restoration of the restoration of Haring’s Untitled (Three Dancing Figures) at Fourth and Howard Streets. She added that former Arts Commissioner Dede Wilsey has generously offered her home for a fundraising benefit, noting that Mrs. Wilsey has recently purchased a waterlily painting by Monet.

Mr. Cancel announced the tenth anniversary of Development Director Rachelle Axel with the Arts Commission, to general applause. He praised her wonderful work in development. Finally, he recalled the wonderful contributions of Geneviève Massé, and thanked her for everything she has done. He welcomed Brianna Smith, who will be picking up some of those tasks.

President Johnston thanked Mr. Cancel and called for public comment.

Barbara Ockel, Bayview Opera House director, said that the Opera House was the only cultural center in the Bayview, and that they provided arts education to neighborhood children; it was very limited in most of the schools. She said that they serve several hundred children in their summer and preschool programs, and that a 15% cut affects their programming in a big way, even though they try to find other sources of funding. She said that the Commission’s support is really appreciated.

Jennie Rodriguez, director of Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts, described the impact on the center if they face cuts. She described the center as a hub in the community’s arts networks, saying that groups come knocking at their door for resources, space and other support. She said that cuts would affect not only the center, but also the groups they support. She mentioned several increased costs, including property insurance, and the ongoing concerns about facility management. She said that we all have to sacrifice, and she hoped that cuts to the Centers’ budgets would not be necessary. She stressed the importance of not losing momentum, worrying that additional cuts would mean dismantling important programming. She thanked the Commission for its work.
Consent Calendar
RESOLUTION NO. 0207-11-015:
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. 0207-11-016: Motion to approve the Civic Design Review Committee Meeting Minutes of January 10, 2011.
2. RESOLUTION NO. 0207-11-017: Motion to approve the Community Arts, Education, and Grants Committee Meeting Minutes of January 11, 2011.
3. RESOLUTION NO. 0207-11-018: Motion to approve the Street Artists Committee Meeting Minutes of January 12, 2011.
4. RESOLUTION NO. 0207-11-019: Motion to approve the Visual Arts Committee Meeting Minutes of January 19, 2011.
5. RESOLUTION NO. 0207-11-020: Motion to approve the Executive Committee Meeting Minutes of January 24, 2011.
  
  Civic Design Review Committee Recommendations (January 10, 2011)
6. RESOLUTION NO. 0207-11-021: Motion to approve Phase 3 of the Calaveras Dam Water Outlet structure and electrical building.
7. RESOLUTION NO. 0207-11-022: Motion to approve Phases 2 and 3 of the San Joaquin Pipeline Eastern segment Oakdale Portal Valve House on the condition that the score lines be revised and two oak trees be added to the landscape plan.
8. RESOLUTION NO. 0207-11-023: Motion to approve Phase 3 of the Central Subway Fourth Street Portal design.
  
  Community Arts, Education and Grants Committee Recommendations (January 11, 2011)
9. RESOLUTION NO. 0207-11-024: Motion to increase the Community Initiatives, Inc. grant agreement by $10,000 to support a community arts and education program intern.
  
  Street Artists Committee Recommendations (January 12, 2011)
10. RESOLUTION NO. 0207-11-025: Motion to approve amendments (Millard proposal) of lottery space-assignment procedures for Downtown and Fisherman’s Wharf areas.
11. RESOLUTION NO. 0207-11-026: Motion to approve Street Artists Program budget and corresponding Street Artist certificate fee for Fiscal Year 2011-12 (same fee as for FY 2010-11).
12. RESOLUTION NO. 0207-11-027: Motion to rescind Resolution No. 0913-10-250, approved on September 13, 2010, screening criteria for “Slumped/Flattened Bottles and Labels,” and to approve the following criteria for “Slumped/Flattened or Re-Shaped Bottles”: “Street Artists wishing to sell slumped, flattened, or re-shaped commercially manufactured bottles must prepare, finish, and significantly alter the original form of the bottles.”
  
  Visual Arts Committee Recommendations (January 19, 2011)
13. RESOLUTION NO. 0207-11-028: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to modify the agreement with artist Alan Masaoka to increase the amount by $139,145 for a total amount not to exceed $154,145 for design, fabrication and transportation of artwork for General Hospital Acute Care Unit: Floor 7.
14. RESOLUTION NO. 0207-11-029: Motion to approve the following arts professionals as potential panelists for the Public Safety Building Selection Panel:
  Lucinda Barnes, Chief Curator, Berkeley Art Museum
  Kate Eilertsen, Executive Director, Sonoma Valley Museum of Art
  Jennifer Easton, Public Art Project Manager, San Jose Public Art Program
  Mark Pally, artist and independent curator
  Chris Johnson, Professor of Photography, California College of Arts
  Ned Kahn, artist
  Constance Lewallen, independent curator
  Walter Kitundu, artist
15. RESOLUTION NO. 0207-11-030: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into contract with Pam Garcia Consulting for an amount not to exceed $10,000 to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the Public Art Program Accounting system requirements, provide expertise in currently available project management and accounting software programs, and recommend, customize and perform an initial set-up of an appropriate new accounting software system.
16. RESOLUTION NO. 0207-11-031: Motion to approve Construction Documents Phase deliverables (final design of sculptural artwork elements, project budget, surface treatment samples, and structural engineering) by artist Bryan Tedrick for Sunset Playground.
17. RESOLUTION NO. 0207-11-032: Motion to approve the selected artist Kelly Ording and her proposal for an interior artwork for Palega Recreation Center with the suggestions that she brighten the color palette and adjust the scale as recommended by the Palega Recreation Center Artist Selection Panel.
18. RESOLUTION NO. 0207-11-033: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into a contract with artist Kelly Ording for design, fabrication, transportation and installation/consultation during installation of an interior artwork for Palega Recreation Center in an amount not to exceed $127,400.
19. RESOLUTION NO. 0207-11-034: Motion to approve the selected artist team Rebar Group and their proposal as recommended by the Palega Recreation Center Artist Selection Panel for an exterior artwork for Palega Recreation Center.
20. RESOLUTION NO. 0207-11-035: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into a contract with the artist team Rebar Group for design, fabrication, transportation and installation/consultation during installation for exterior artwork for Palega Recreation Center in an amount not to exceed $140,000.
21. RESOLUTION NO. 0207-11-036: Motion to authorize the move of artist Gerald Heffernon’s sculpture Rabbinoid on Cell Phone from its current location at Pine Lake Park to Laguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Center.
22. RESOLUTION NO. 0207-11-037: Motion to approve the value-engineered inner net design for artist Janet Echelman’s sculptures at San Francisco International Airport, Terminal Two (“SFOT2”).
23. RESOLUTION NO. 0207-11-038: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to modify Public’s contract to increase it from $215,738 to $235,738 for the increased cost of the net manufacturing for artist Janet Echelman’s sculptures for San Francisco International Airport, Terminal Two (“SFOT2”).
Committee Reports and Committee Matters
1. Executive Committee—P.J. Johnston, Chair
  1. President Johnston explained that approving the budget submission would identify the strategy for meeting the Mayor’s budget office cuts. He was hopeful first that if the Hotel Tax Fund revenues increase as they seem to be, the contingency cut will not go into effect. Beyond that, he said, he hoped that the Mayor and his staff could be influenced to spare or minimize cuts to the Arts Commission because of the small size of the agency and the relatively larger impact of cuts on this small agency.
    
    Commissioner Stryker was still concerned about the budget, arguing that the people most affected are lower-income, including children, who come to the Cultural Centers. She wondered about the idea of swapping options A and B, taking the staff cut as the first choice rather than the contingency. President Johnston pointed out the complexity of achieving General Fund savings through staff cuts, noting that many staff positions are funded by multiple sources, and only a few are funded solely by the General Fund. Only three areas, he reiterated, are funded by the General Fund.
    
    Commissioner Sklar agreed that she didn’t want to cut grants or the Cultural Centers. On the other hand, she said, cutting a position means losing the position, and that it would be gone for good.
    
    Noting the February 21 deadline for submitting the budget proposal the the Mayor’s office, Commissioner Calloway asked what would happen if the Commission voted down the proposal today. President Johnston said that had once been done, and the Commission had to report to the Mayor’s office its inability to make a decision. He said this means giving up to the Mayor’s office the authority to make the decision about how to cut the Arts Commission’s budget. Because the agency’s budget is relatively small, and the agency was able to get close to the numbers requested by the Mayor, in the end he rejected harsher cuts to the Arts Commission. President Johnston now fears that this time, the Arts Commission won’t be spared in the end. He noted that the Mayor’s budget office looks dispassionately at the numbers, and doesn’t have a public process and meetings where they hear from Cultural Center directors and other interested members of the community.
    
    Commissioner Calloway thought the discussion, and the vote, should have been held earlier; President Johnston reminded him that the budget was discussed bythe full Commission in January, and by the Executive Committee. He explained that the target came from the Mayor’s budget office in December, and pointed out that the budget proposal presented in January had more options than the one presented today; this is the nature of the process. He added that the final product is shaped not only by the Mayor, but ultimately by the Board of Supervisors.
    
    Commissioner Sklar asked whether there were options on the contingency cut; whether the Commission could revisit that plan and make a different decision. President Johnston said that if Hotel Tax revenues are up, the contingency cut would be smaller, and said yes, the Commission would discuss that plan again. He compared the budget process to an onion with many layers. Mr. Cancel agreed that the specific details of how the cut would be administered have yet to be determined. President Johnston added that while the budget office wants a cut, they are less concerned about exactly how it is administered.
    
    Commissioner Young asked about the merits of Commissioner Stryker’s suggestion, taking the staff cut before the contingency cut. President Johnston said that might be a legitimate strategy, to halve funding for the position in the first round of cuts. He noted that the budget office is especially restrictive in funding staff positions, and it is very hard to get them approved. Commissioner Breitenberg suggested distributing the cut over several positions. Mr. Cancel said that wasn’t really an option, and that losing a position meant losing it for a decade. He reminded the Commission that it took eight years to get the Collections Registrar position filled once it was lost.
    
    Commissioner García-Nakata said that although some organizations are doing well, many small and medium-sized organizations are really struggling. She recounted the difficulty her own organization has gone through with staff cuts. She thought it was important for the Arts Commission to take a hard look at cutting staff, although it was hard for her to say in front of the wonderful staff in attendance. She thought that no one had the luxury to be protected from cuts. She added that perhaps the nonprofits will have to raise more money.
    
    President Johnston said that point was exactly what the Commission needed to consider; the agency can much more easily raise money to fund deserving arts organizations than to fund the daily operations of a government agency. He reiterated that the Arts Commission is a government agency, with legislative and charter responsibilities. How, he asked, can the Commission fund other organizations when it can’t fulfill its mandated responsibilities? He recalled that the report last year on development was dismal, and this year is much better. He said that those funds can go to programs inside or outside the agency, but not to fund an accountant for the department, for example. Commissioner García-Nakata suggested thinking about fundraising rather than focusing only on cuts to the budget.
    
    Mr. Cancel explained that, unlike a private-sector business or nonprofit organization, the City’s rules governing relations with staff are exceedingly complex. He noted that the organization chart doesn’t reflect the various contracts and rules governing employment with the City. He explained that he couldn’t simply decide to cut a position to half-time. He pointed out that the cut called for was 17%, a big chunk of the budget. He asked what could be done to ameliorate that, and reiterated that the sacrifice of one position was extremely difficult, and that the agency would certainly not get the position back even if the economy turns around next year. Pointing to the option A cuts, he argued that the organizations will survive these cuts, which can be easily reinstated once the economy improves. He urged the Commission not to underestimate the impact of a personnel cut.
    
    President Johnston said the Commission could not lose the tether between the people on staff and the legal responsibilities of the Commission. He warned that the boundaries of appropriate workload and responsiblities of staff are already strained, with staff performing their assigned roles and more. He said the agency can’t continue to do the job it is mandated to do if it loses more funding.
    
    Commissioner García-Nakata said that the public needs to know that the Commission is concerned.
    
    President Johnston called on Community Arts and Education Program Manager Robynn Takayama. She thanked him and explained that she was shop steward for the Service Employees International Union (“SEIU”), the largest union in the department, and that she had not planned to address the Commission on labor issues at this meeting. She said that it was reassuring to know that the Commission was taking the budget question seriously, that Commissioners’ hearts were in the right place, that it was a priority to continue to serve youth and the communities. She acknowledged that under Mr. Cancel’s leadership, the agency was doing amazing work, and staff were working very hard. She reminded the Commission that labor organizations representing all of the City’s employees had agreed to pay cuts in the form of twelve furlough days, and that this reduction wasn’t apparent in the budget documents before the Commission. She reiterated Mr. Cancel’s and President Johnston’s comments about the impact of labor laws and contracts on Arts Commission staffing. She explained that although the Commission might make a cut to a Hotel Tax-funded or General-funded position, there could be unwanted trickle-down effects through “bumping,” where a more senior person whose job was eliminated can move into a position in a similar classification in another agency and displace that employee. She appreciated the Commission’s thoughtfulness in considering these complex questions.
    
    Commissioner Calloway noted that while staff and Cultural Centers were represented at this meeting, he felt that the community’s stories were not being heard. He appreciated Mr. Cancel’s description of some of the impacts. He understood that the agency needs to have staff, but he was concerned that the Commission was not feeling the impact of the cuts on the communities, in an emotional and personal way.
    
    President Johnston appreciated his comments, but disagreed. He explained that the Executive Committee had favored taking larger cuts from CEG and less from the Cultural Centers. He said that neither was an attractive option, and pointed out that all of the Executive Committee members have spent a lot of time in the Cultural Centers, and all of the Commissioners have spent some time with them. He noted that others associated with nonprofit arts organizations would rather see the Cultural Centers take the larger cut instead of CEG. He did not think the Commission was discounting the impact on the Cultural Centers, and felt that it was important to take account of the special relationship between the Commission, on behalf of the City, and the Centers.
    
    He reiterated that there would be cuts, and the Commission had to make them, one way or another. He reminded the Commission that a year and a haf ago, a fourteen-year veteran was laid off, and all the work she once did was still being done by the remaining staff. In fact, he said, under Mr. Cancel’s ambitious leadership, there was more work; staff was feeling the pressure.
    
    Commissioner Breitenberg said he understood that it was impossible to spread out the cuts broadly across the staff, and that if the City’s budget improved in the next few years, cuts to the Cultural Centers could be more easily restored than staff cuts at the Arts Commission. Commissioner Calloway argued that the same could be said for the Cultural Centers: positions lost don’t come back.
    
    Vice President Beltran pointed out that the Executive Committee heard reports from the Cultural Centers on the impact of cuts on the Centers. President Johnston said that the Committee had discussed other ways to help turn the curve, noting that the Commission, too, is frustrated with the lack of support for the facilities. He reported that they are trying to do things like implementing long-term leases to improve the Centers’ ability to apply for grants. He emphasized that all of the Commissioners understood that these cuts have real effects on real people.
    
    President Johnston called for a vote on the following motion to approve the fiscal year 2011-2012 budget submission. The motion was approved by roll call vote as follows:
    Aye: Johnston, Beltran, Breitenberg, Chew, Chuang, García-Nakata, Keehn, Silverman, Sklar, Stryker, Young
    Nay: Commissioner Calloway
    
    President Johnston thanked the Commission. Commissioner Calloway added that his intention was not to be adversarial, and that he thought a little bit of tweaking of the proposal could have changed his vote. President Johnston assured him that he understood, and that this was simply the nature of an up-or-down vote.
  2. RESOLUTION NO. 0207-11-039: Motion to approve proposed fiscal year 2011-2012 Arts Commission budget submission to the Mayor’s Office.
2. Civic Design Review Committee—Cass Calder Smith, Chair
  1. Commissioner Smith reported that water projects coming to the Committee were looking better, and he thought it might be worth showing some to the full Commission at a future meeting. He reported that the Committee reviewed two projects of some note: the Central Subway portal and the Public Safety building. He reported that the Committee requested that the engineers design the portal itself more artistically. He noted that architecture critic John King had written recently about the Public Safety building in the San Francisco Chronicle. He thought the project was off to a good start, and that the design team was working hard to keep the building from looking too “institutional.”
    
    Commissioner Smith presented the following motion.
  2. RESOLUTION NO. 0207-11-040: Motion to approve Phase 1 of the San Francisco Public Safety Building.
3. Community Arts, Education and Grants Committee—Sherri Young, Chair
  1. Commissioner Young reported that the Committee discussed the budget. She explained that the Neighborhood Festival program was being transformed to give larger grants for art walks and performance spaces artists will create in a variety of neighborhoods. She reported that the Committee also had a report from Ms. Wong about CEG.
    
    She presented the following motion.
  2. RESOLUTION NO. 0207-11-041: Motion to enter into a grant agreement with World Savvy, in an amount not to exceed $6,000, for curriculum development in conjunction with the “Daraja Means Bridge” project.
  3. RESOLUTION NO. 0207-11-042: Motion to increase the grant agreement with The Luggage Store for work on The ARTery Project by $30,000 for a total grant not to exceed $50,000.
  4. RESOLUTION NO. 0207-11-043: Motion to approve the following individuals as grants application review panelists for Cultural Equity Grants:
    Margaret Jenkins, choreographer, teacher
    Moy Eng, Consultant; arts, culture and nonprofit organizations
4. Street Artists Committee—Gregory Chew, Chair
  1. Commissioner Chew referred Commissioners to the Committee’s minutes. He reported tha the Committee recommended amendment of the procedure for assigning spaces to the artists; the amended proposal was supported by more than a hundred of the artists.
    
    Street Artist James Millard said that the proposal was unanimously approved by the artists, that it was a minor change that would stop conflict and fights. He said that this was a sensitive issue, and affected how people make money, and that if the system was not fair and clear, it would create problems. He explained that the change in procedure had been motivated by disturbances this summer, and closed a loophole most of the artists have wanted to close for twenty years. He thanked the Committee members.
    
    Commissioner Chew reported that the Street Artists budget does not call for a fee increase this year. He reported that since the program began operating it has added 38 new spaces and 65 holiday spaces. He said this was a great program, that it brought in $4,000,000 for the city, and allowed over 430 artists to make a living for themselves and their families. He again urged everyone to check out the artists.
    
    Commissioner Chew reported that new regulations for the sale of slumped bottles prohibits their keeping the original commercial labels unless the artist significantly alters or creates their own labels.
    
    He briefly described the work of the artists in the following motions and recommended approval.
    
    Commissioner Chew presented the following motions.
  2. RESOLUTION NO. 0207-11-044: Motion to approve requests by former certificate-holders for priority issuance of certificate with waiver of re-screening of wares: Phillip Shaw, Bushi Luo, Diana Samuelson, Tatsuo Saito, Gonzalo Ortega, Jason Haubrich, Louise Garbarino, Barbara Ramos, Aldo Cardarelli, Madeline Marrow, Leah Mazor, Shane Wentz, Juan Jimenez.
  3. RESOLUTION NO. 0207-11-045: Motion to approve request by applicant for waiver of 15-day requirement for obtaining a certificate: Lisa Kempton Corker, Gyusup Park, Jungjoo Heo, Greg Sandzimier, Claire Cade.
5. Visual Arts Committee—Lorraine García-Nakata, Chair
  1. Commissioner García-Nakata reported that the Committee reviewed and approved another iteration of artwork for Sunset Playground, and thanked the artist for being so responsive to Arts Commission concerns. She reported that the Committee heard reports of vandalism of Rabbinoid, which will be moved to Laguna Honda Hospital, and of the heavily vandalized McKinley monument. Discussion continues on how to mitigate this vandalism.
    
    Commissioner García-Nakata reported that the Committee reviewed a few items at San Francisco Airport Terminal Two, all of which were moving forward. She reported that a Guide By Cell tour of the Terminal Two artwork is being created by Earprint Productions.
    
    She reported that the Committee discussed the upcoming golden anniversary celebration of the Golden Gate Bridge, and reviewed the terrazzo floor design for the airport’s Boarding Area E. She noted that the artist had been very cooperative.
  2. RESOLUTION NO. 0207-11-046: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into contract with Earprint Productions to create audio content for a cell phone tour of the public art collection at San Francisco International Airport’s Terminal Two for an amount not to exceed $17,000.
Public Comment
There was no other public comment.
New Business
There was no new business.
Reports and Announcements
President Johnston welcomed former Commissioner Jeannene Przyblyski, who had joined the audience. He noted that the Commission was thanking Commissioners who had recently left at a celebration at Soluna, across from the Asian Art Museum, immediately following this meeting.

Commissioner Chew reported that he had attended the San Francisco Symphony’s Chinese New Year concert, along with Commissioner Chuang, Ms. Manton and Mr. Cancel, and it was a fabulous sold-out event. He thought it was wonderful to see so many families all dressed up and enjoying the event, and so many wonderful gowns.

He reminded everyone that Zhang Huan’s Three Heads, Six Arms was returning to Shanghai, and he was sad to see it leave. Ms. Manton said people could walk past and say goodbye on their way to Soluna.

There were no other reports or announcements.
Adjournment
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 4:55 p.m.

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