Lawrence Arts Commission

Minutes of January 9, 2008

Present: Evie Rapport, chair; Donna Griffin; Elizabeth Hatchett; Matt Herren; Lora Jost; Tom King; David Loewenstein; Margaret Morris; John Reeves; Leslie vonHolten; and

Sandra Wiechert.

Absent: none.

Staff Liaison: Michael Tubbs

A. The meeting was called to order at 7:10 pm in the City Commission Room at City Hall

by the chair, Evie Rapport.

B. The Minutes of the November 14, 2007 meeting were accepted.

C. Regular Agenda Items

1. The chair encouraged commissioners to attend an Open Meetings Act refresher

course to be given 4-6 pm on Tuesday, Jan. 15. It is open to the public.

Staff liaison Tubbs asked that all committees submit their meeting minutes.

2.A. Commissioners Hatchett and vonHolten will do a workshop in late February or early March to help those interested in making LAC grant applications. Commissioner Morris said staff at the Kansas Arts Commission might help. These applications are due Monday, March 24, at 4 pm. Application forms will be available at the Arts Center, the Lawrence Public Library, and City Hall. Forms via e-blasts will be sent to arts groups. Other publicity will be handled by liaison Tubbs.

B. Commissioner Griffin announced that entries for the Outdoor Downtown Sculpture Exhibit remain due Jan. 28. Parks & Recreation Dept. staff will review them and eliminate those not considered safe or in compliance with city standards. The remaining entries will then be sent to the juror, Bill Buchen, who is now under contract.

C. Commissioner Loewenstein as the new Phoenix Awards chair will soon meet with the past chair, Commissioner Wiechert, to learn of the needed procedures.

D. Commission King reported on website development. Podcasts, videocasts, a guestbook, a kids area, and artist uploads are being built into the infrastructure. Andrea Wertzburger hopes to have it up next month. Commissioner Jost is working on a grant for her. Hopefully she will maintain the website for two years, training two LAC members to take over maintenance. Trent Flory will meet with the committee. Web hosting cost is

about $250 yearly.

E. Commissioner Jost reported on fundraising and passed around two handouts. One is a “working document” giving the mission and goals of this committee. The other is an initial proposal for a Kansas Arts Commission Grant including a timetable. Both commissioners Morris and Herren suggested asking for $2000 rather than $1000. There was discussion about what “in kind” donations mean; commissioners felt we had easily met the requirements. The grant will go through City procedures before being submitted.

F. Commissioner Wiechert had last attended a Roundtable meeting in December, so there was no report for the January session.

D. Unfinished Business

1. As a new executive committee will begin functioning in February, it was agreed to table writing a letter concerning the new Arts Commission Policy Manual and potential

revisions until then. Before the manual can be adopted, the LAC must request changes in the existing governing resolutions. The new executive committee and liaison Tubbs will write a letter to the City Commission, citing the existing resolutions (5966 and 3951) and the proposed resolution changes. After city legal staff approve the requests, it will be sent on to the City Commissioners. If they approve, then the Policy Manual with revisions can be adopted. Liaison Tubbs will keep LAC members informed by email.

E. New Business

1. Chris Fennell, the artist for Hedgehog House that now stands at the edge of South Park as part of the Outdoor Downtown Sculpture Exhibit, has offered to donate his sculpture to the City of Lawrence. All paperwork for Donated Art in Public Places is now in place, and Commission chair Rapport has advised him of all City relevant policies.

Commissioners are delighted with Fennell’s offer, as Hedgehog House is popular and people seem to love it. Commissioners Loewenstein and Griffin moved and seconded to approve the artistic merits of Chris Fennell’s Hedgehog House, and to recommend that the City Commission accept it as a piece of Donated Art. The motion passed. It will be left in place, and it is estimated the sculpture may last perhaps two to three years before it deteriorates, at which time the City will determine its future. Fennell’s gift will be announced to and viewed by all participating in next spring’s ODSE Walk, and possibly publicized in other appropriate ways.

2. The nominating committee, chaired by Commissioner Wiechert, presented a slate for new officers: chair: John Reeves; vice chair: Leslie vonHolten; secretary: Matt Herren.

No additional nominations were made. Commissioners Griffin and King moved and seconded that the slate be accepted by acclamation. The motion passed.

F. Commissioner Items

1. The outgoing chair, Commissioner Rapport, thanked commissioners Reeves and Wiechert for their services as vice chair and secretary. She especially thanked staff liaison Michael Tubbs for all his help, knowledge, and kindness during her term. He in turn thanked her for all her work and dedication.

2. Commission chair Rapport announced that Commissioner Margaret Morris was concluding her first full term, and would not be seeking reappointment. She had served since November 2003.

She also announced that Commissioner Sandra Wiechert was resigning, effective January 31, leaving one year into her second term. She had served since December 2003.

Staff liaison Tubbs presented both departing commissioners with framed certificates of appreciation from the City of Lawrence, the Lawrence Arts Commission, and the citizens of Lawrence.

3. The meeting adjourned about 8:25 pm for a reception honoring both women, the retiring officers, and the new officers.

Respectfully submitted,

Sandra Wiechert, Secretary