SFAC | Full Commission | May 2002 Minutes

San Francisco Arts Commission

Special Meeting of the Full Arts Commission

Monday, May 13, 2002

3:00 p.m.

25 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 70

San Francisco, CA 94102

Minutes

Commissioner Guggenheim called the meeting to order at 3:15 p.m.

ROLL CALL

Commissioners Present
Kirk Anderson
Andrea Cochran
Rod Freebairn-Smith
Ralph Guggenheim
William Meyer
Barbara Stauffacher Solomon
Dugald Stermer
Ethel Pitts Walker
Dede Wilsey

Commissioners Absent
Stanlee Gatti
Blanche Brown
Andrew Brother Elk
Eddie Marshall
Janice Mirikitani
Denise Roth
APPROVAL OF MINUTES

The following Resolution was Moved by Commissioner Guggenheim, Seconded, and unanimously Adopted:

RESOLUTION NO. 0513-02-122: APPROVAL OF MINUTES ADOPTED
RESOLVED, that this Commission does hereby approve the Minutes of the Regular Monthly Meeting of April 1, 2002.

NOTE: ALL ADOPTIONS ARE UNANIMOUS UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.
PRESIDENT'S REPORT

In reference to the minutes for the joint Visual Arts/Civic Design Committee Meeting about the proposed Emperor Norton project, Commissioner Guggenheim corrected the date for the next discussion. The item will be addressed at the next Visual Arts Committee Meeting on May 22.
DIRECTOR'S REPORT

Mr. Newirth reported on his successful visit in St. Petersburg as a guest of the American Consulate in that city. He reported that he had lectured to government officials and young arts managers, and that he had met with the heads of several major arts institutions, including the Hermitage, the State Russian Museum and the Mariinsky Theatre.

In an update on the African American Art and Culture Complex, Mr. Newirth informed the Commissioners that employee Charles Edington had completed his work. The new facility manager is Bob Davis. Mr. Newirth said that the CAE Committee Meeting scheduled for tomorrow was to be held at the Center, since community members wished to be heard. However, a quorum had not been obtained. A Committee meeting will be scheduled for later in the month. He added that the building itself had been improved, and that the time had come for the artists with a stake in the facility to take part in implementing their vision.

Mr. Newirth announced the preliminary budget hearing a week from tomorrow (the 21st) before the Board of Supervisors Budget Committee. He said that the Arts Commission as a small department was considered a submittal department. He also outlined the new approval process, whereby the Mayor submits a preliminary budget in April and the Board holds hearings in April and May. The Mayor submits a final budget on June 1, and Board of Supervisors hearings are held later in June. Mr. Newirth added that all departments had been asked to submit a baseline budget with a prioritized list of 10% cuts. For the Arts Commission, that the GF budget is only $1 million so that equates to approximately $100,000. Each department was also required to submit a mandated 3% cut.

He reported on the resurrected interest in the Harvey Milk project. At a meeting in his office, Supervisor Ammiano expressed his interest in taking the project to the next phase, the planning stage. Another meeting is scheduled for the end of the week. Mr. Newirth also said that the Mayor and Supervisor Ammiano might make a joint announcement on Mr. Milk's birthday.

He reported on a meeting the previous week about the Treasure Island Museum. The Airport Museum, which had agreed to take over the TI museum two years ago, was no longer going to do so because of the Airport's economic problems. Consequently, Treasure Island Museum representatives had inquired about Arts Commission interest in saving the museum. The museum's collection contains items from the Golden Gate International Exposition (for which Treasure Island was built) as well as items related to military history. Mr. Newirth said that the Arts Commission would be interested in seeing what could be done. He will contact Treasure Island representatives directly.

He announced the Gallery's opening reception on Friday, May 17. It will be the last in a series of seven for the exhibition collectively titled "Openings."
CONSENT CALENDAR

RESOLUTION NO. 0513-02-123: ADOPTED UNANIMOUS
Approval: RESOLVED, that this Commission does hereby adopt the following items on the amended Consent Calendar and their related Resolutions:

Approval of Committee Minutes
1. RESOLUTION NO. 0513-02-124: Motion to approve the Civic Design Committee Meeting Minutes of April 15, 2002.
  Explanatory Document: Draft Committee Minutes
2. RESOLUTION NO. 0513-02-125: Motion to approve the Visual Arts Committee Meeting Minutes of April 17, 2002.
  Explanatory Document: Draft Committee Minutes
3. RESOLUTION NO. 0513-02-126: Motion to approve the joint Civic Design and Visual Arts Committee Meeting Minutes of April 17, 2002.
  Explanatory Document: Draft Committee Minutes
4. RESOLUTION NO. 0513-02-127: Motion to approve the Community Arts and Education Committee Meeting Minutes of April 9, 2002.
  Explanatory Document: Draft Committee Minutes
  
  Civic Design Committee Recommendations (04/15/02)
5. RESOLUTION NO. 0513-02-128: Motion to approve the Administrative Office Building- 525 Golden Gate Avenue, Phase 2.
  
  Visual Arts Committee Recommendations (04/17/02)
6. RESOLUTION NO. 0513-02-129: Motion to rescind resolution #0204-02-041 modifying contract with Diller and Scofidio for an amount not to exceed $11,000 for additional engineering services provided by Pol-X West and extending contract completion date until Dec 31, 2002.
7. RESOLUTION NO. 0513-02-130: Motion to authorize modification of contract with Diller and Scofidio increasing contract amount by an amount not to exceed $20,000 for additional engineering services provided by Pol-X along with evidence of professional liability insurance in the amount of $1 million and extending contract completion date until Dec. 31, 2002.
8. RESOLUTION NO. 0513-02-131: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into Phase II contract with artist Ned Kahn for the 525 Golden Gate Avenue office building for an amount not to exceed $25,000.
9. RESOLUTION NO. 0513-02-132: Motion to authorize approval of panelists from the following pool to serve on artist selection panels for Recreation and Park Bond Projects: Connie Wolfe, Janet Bishop, Trisha Lagaso, Susan Miller, Sergio de la Torre, Eduardo Pineda, Marina McDougall.
10. RESOLUTION NO. 0513-02-133: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into a contract for $10,000 with Jeffrey Brown for landscape design, restoration and maintenance services related to site improvements at the Endangered Garden / Sunnydale Pump Station Public Art Project.
11. RESOLUTION NO. 0513-02-134: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into a contract for $24,000 with Judy Marecco, Glass Block Designs, for repairs, replacement and modification of glass paving and fiber optic elements on the Embarcadero Ribbon Sculpture.
12. RESOLUTION NO. 0513-02-135: Motion to authorize approval of design submitted by Anna Valentina Murch for 525 Golden Gate Avenue Office building.
13. RESOLUTION NO. 0513-02-136: Motion to approve the revised, final artwork designs by the artist team of Johanna Poethig and Julio Morales for the facade glazing, hallways, dayrooms and multi-purpose/chapel room of the Juvenile Hall Replacement Facility.
14. RESOLUTION NO. 0513-02-137: Motion to approve the following finalists recommended by the Library Bond Art Enrichment Artist Selection Committee for a pre-qualified artist pool to be eligible for future consideration to create artwork for six new or renovated library branches, in Glen Park, Ingleside, Mission Bay, Portola, Richmond, and Visitacion Valley, in Phase I of the Library Improvement Program: Seyed Alavi, Juana Alicia, Lois Anderson, Anders Barth, Teresa Camozzi, Ann Chamberlain, Sheila Ghidini, Daniel Goldstein, Cherrymae Golston, Diane Andrews Hall, Terry Hoff, Gordon Huether, Werner Klotz and John Roloff, Vincent Koloski, Reddy Lieb and Linda Raynsford, Cork Marcheschi, Anita Margrill, Oscar Melara and Kate Connell, Emmanuel C. Montoya & Rebecca Solnit, Jeff Northam and Rufus Butler Seder, Johanna Poethig, Eric Powell, Jon Rubin, Shan-Shan Sheng, Amy Trachtenberg, Horace Washington, AnnWeber, John Wehrle, Rene Yung, and Dana Zed.
  
  Community Arts and Education Committee Recommendations (04/09/02)
15. RESOLUTION NO. 0513-02-138: Motion to approve the Programs in the Community (PIC) grant to the following PIC grantee organizations, recommended by the PIC review panel, from the 2002-03 Grants for the Arts Fund, pending written confirmation from Grants for the Arts:
  
  The Arc San Francisco $16,000
  Institute on Aging $18,000
  Lavendar Youth Recreation and Information Center $15,000
  Life Frames, Inc $16,000
  Positive Directions Equals Change, Inc. $15,000
  Every Child Can Learn $15,000
  Richmond District Neighborhood Center $13,500
  San Francisco Ministry to Nursing Homes $16,000
  San Francisco Women Against Rape $16,119
  Tenderloin Reflection and Education Center $4,880
  
  TOTAL $145,499
16. RESOLUTION NO. 0513-02-139: Motion to approve distribution of additional funds for Programs in the Community (PIC), pending written confirmation from Grants for the Arts if the funding exceeds $145,499, following the recommendations by the panel: a) increase to $6,100 for Tenderloin Reflection and Education Center; b) distribute the remainder evenly to San Francisco Women Against Rape, Institute on Aging and Richmond District Neighborhood Center.
17. RESOLUTION NO. 0513-02-140: Motion to approve up to $274,332 as a grant to Intersection for the Arts as fiscal sponsor for the African American Art & Culture Complex subject to review of financial reports.
  
  Street Artists Committee Recommendations (04/10/02)
18. RESOLUTION NO. 0513-02-141: Motion to approve amending the street artist lottery procedures to allow artists to enter into the lotteries names of artists not present at the lotteries for a trial period from Tuesday, May 7, to Tuesday, July 2, 2002.
Committee Reports
1. Civic Design Committee -- Stanlee Gatti, Chair
  1. Report from Chair of Civic Design Committee regarding activities of the Committee and the Program.
2. Visual Arts Committee -- Ralph Guggendheim, Chair
  1. Report from Chair of Visual Arts Committee regarding activities of the Committee and the Program.
  2. RESOLUTION NO. 0513-02-142: Motion to extend Contract #CT2871012 with Michael Manwaring to December 31st, 2002, and to decrease the contract amount by $8,765, for rescinded services related to Fireboat Station plaque design, fabrication and installation services, for a new total contract amount of $129,735 for design services during construction of Mid -Embarcadero Historic and Interpretive Signage Project.
  3. RESOLUTION NO. 0513-02-143: Motion to approve amendment to the Mildred Howard/Fillmore Bridge Contract Number POAR02000067 increasing the contract amount by $10,350 (5% of the original contract amount) to cover construction bond requirements and the purchase of three glass replacement panels.
3. Executive Committee -- Stanlee Gatti, Chair
  1. Report from Chair of Executive Committee regarding activities of the Committee and the Program.
  2. RESOLUTION NO. 0513-02-144: Motion to approve CEG panelists as follows: David Dower, artistic director of the Studio at Z Space; Vinay Patel, executive director of Asian Improv Arts; Francis Wong, musician, theatre artist; and Taraneh Hemami, visual artist.
4. Street Artists Committee --Dugald Stermer, Chair
  1. Report from Chair of Street Artists Committee regarding activities of the Committee and the Program.
  2. RESOLUTION NO. 0513-02-145: Motion to request by former certificate-holder for priority issuance of certificate with waiver of re-screening of wares:Peter Bothwell, Yuri Tsapayev, David Mack, Lora Arbrador, Dirk Williams, Janet Cassiday and Cesar Cabarillo.
5. Community Arts & Education --Denise Roth, Chair
  1. Report from Chair of Community Arts & Education Committee regarding activities of the Committee and the Program.
    
    The following motion was revised to change the total allocation from $70,000 to $60,000 and the Hotel Tax Fund allocation from $60,000 to $50,000.
  2. RESOLUTION NO. 0513-02-146: Motion to approve up to $60,000 of which $10,000 from capital funds and $50,000 from hotel tax fund to be granted to Intersection for the Arts to support renovations at AAACC.
Reports and Announcements

In reference to the Emperor Norton project proposed for the top of the Kearny Street steps at Vallejo Street, Commissioner Freebairn-Smith commented on the controversy surrounding the issue. He said the proposal had reactivated long-time neighborhood interest in the steep Kearny Street block between Broadway and Vallejo Street. He said that neighborhood opinion about the project seemed divided. Many had expressed approval of an Emperor Norton concept, but there was also concern about the proposed location for such a tall lit sculpture. The Commissioner said that at a recent meeting, a number of fresh ideas for the Kearny Street block had been proposed, and that other sites on or closer to Broadway had been suggested. He added that one of the proposed statue's architects had felt that the project would be lost if a long-time upgrade of the Kearny Street block took place. Commissioner Freebairn-Smith said that he expected the board of the neighborhood association to modify the language of its previous motion enthusiastically endorsing the project.
Public Comment

Mr. Bob Planthold commented on two items:
In reference to the proposed Emperor Norton project, he stated that the project now has a signature in support of the proposal from renowned San Francisco poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti.

Mr. Planthold reported that he recently called the Arts Commission, and not only was it difficult for him to recover any information about the cancelled meeting of May 8, 2002, he was also dismayed to hear at the end of the SFAC outgoing recording, "if you're deaf, call this number for TTY … " He requested that the Arts Commission make sure to report our TTY number to Pacbell before June so that it will be listed in the telephone book printed this fall.

Stephen Worsley spoke about the Coit Tower Mural Rotunda. Mr. Worsley expressed his dismay over the current state of Coit Tower. He stated that the penny imprint and vending machines are a threat to the frescoes. He remembers a time when he visited Coit Tower and was left with the impression that it was worth visiting again. He said, as a San Franciscan, he is embarrassed by its current state. He stated that he has a website and is circulating a petition currently.

Commissioner Freebairn-Smith suggested that Mr. Worsley is not alone, that there are other advocates for Coit Tower including Julie Christenson.

Mr. Worsley stated that he hand delivered his petition to Ms. Christenson, among others, and she told him "you need numbers."
Adjournment

There being no further business, the Meeting adjourned at 3:55 p.m.

Approved by Richard Newirth, Director of Cultural affairs

RN/sw/05/13/02