City and County of San FranciscoSan Francisco Arts Commission

Executive Committee - April 27, 2010 - Meeting Minutes

Executive Committee - April 27, 2010

SAN FRANCISCO ARTS COMMISSION
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Monday, April 27, 2010
3:00 p.m.
25 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 70

Draft Minutes
 

Commission President P.J. Johnston called the meeting to order at 3:08 p.m.

  1. Roll Call
    Committee Members Present 
    P.J. Johnston, President
    Maya Draisin, Vice President
    JD Beltran
    Sherri Young
     
    Commissioners Absent
    Leo Chow
     
  2. President’s Report
    President Johnston reported that he was very moved by the testimony and communications of the Cultural Centers regarding the budget cuts. He said that the Commission was in a very difficult position of having to make cuts to meet the budget target.
     
    There was no public comment.
     
  3. Director’s Report
    Mr. Cancel reported on recent staff training, and on a multi-department mid-Market grant proposal to the National Endowment for the Arts.
     
    There was no public comment.
     
  4. Harvey Milk Commemorative Plaque on Castro Street
    Mr. Cancel discussed the commemorative plaque; President Johnston described it as a relatively minor addition to the storefront. He added that the plaque was made by the same artist who did the bust of Harvey Milk in City Hall, at the recommendation of staff.
     
    There was no public comment, and the motion was unanimously approved as follows.
     
    Motion to approve the decision of the Director of Cultural Affairs to give administrative approval for a commemorative plaque at 575 Castro Street honoring Harvey Milk.
     
  5. Grant Agreement with the Mexican Museum
    Mr. Cancel reported on discussions between the Redevelopment Agency, the Arts Commission and the Mexican Museum. The Committee discussed the status of the discussions, and determined that the Museum had reached the milestone for its next installment. Mr. Cancel reported that the audit was almost completed, and he discussed next steps.
     
    There was no public comment, and the motion was approved unanimously as follows.
     
    Motion to approve an amendment to the grant agreement between the San Francisco Arts Commission and the Mexican Museum to increase the grant amount from $250,000 to $600,000, pending approval by the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency Commission on May 4, 2010 to work-order these additional funds to the Arts Commission.
     
  6. Contract for Administration of Grant to the Mexican Museum
    This item was tabled, and there was no public comment.
     
  7. Arts Commission FY 2010-2011 Budget
    Mr. Cancel presented the overall budget for the fiscal year 2010-2011, and the Committee reviewed and discussed it in detail. The Committee reviewed the budget reduction targets, which need to come from General Fund dollars, and they discussed where General Fund monies were currently being spent. The Committee reviewed the proposed budget cuts.
     
    President Johnston called for comment from Cultural Center staff. SOMArts Director Lex Leifheit thanked the Committee for their careful attention. She argued that in the last two years, the increases in the fees paid by the Cultural Centers amounted to the same thing as a cut in their allocation.
     
    President Johnston noted that deferred maintenance was not in anyone’s interest, and it wasn’t always clear where the maintenance responsibilities of the tenant end and the major repair responsibilities of the City, through the Arts Commission, begin.
     
    Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts Director Jennie Rodriguez described the costs the Centers must now assume, leaving them no reserves to address preventive maintenance or repairs to a broken elevator. She added that they were targeting funds to programs, while maintenance was very important.
     
    African American Art and Culture Complex Director London Breed said her Center was fortunate to have been renovated, and that all of the Centers are in this together. She said there was still no heat in the Center. She said they were all trying not to take money from the pockets of artists.
     
    Vinay Patel of the Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center spoke about his challenges regarding rental costs, and about organizations closing their doors.
     
    The Committee continued to discuss the budget challenges with staff and the Cultural Center directors.
     
    There was no public comment, and the motion was unanimously approved as follows.
     
    Motion to approve the Arts Commission’s budget for Fiscal Year 2010-2011.
     
  8. Old Business
    Mr. Cancel presented nine-month actual budget figures, and said it was his goal to report quarterly.
     
    There was no public comment.
     
  9. New Business
    Ms. Nemzoff announced an event with 49er tight end Vernon Davis and Willy Mays, which will support the Arts Education Program.
     
    There was no public comment.
     
  10. Public Comment
    There was no further public comment.
     
  11. Adjournment 
    There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 4:52 p.m.

posted 12/1/14 spr

Language Accessibility

Translated written materials and interpretation services are available to you at no cost. For assistance, please notify Commission Secretary Sharon Page Ritchie, 415-252-2591, sharon.page_ritchie@sfgov.org.

我們將為閣下提供免費的書面翻譯資料和口譯服務。如需協助，Commission Secretary Sharon Page Ritchie, 415-252-2591, sharon.page_ritchie@sfgov.org.

Materiales traducidos y servicios de interpretación están disponibles para usted de manera gratuita. Para asistencia, notifique a Commission Secretary Sharon Page Ritchie, 415-252-2591, sharon.page_ritchie@sfgov.org.