Memorandum

City of Lawrence

City Manager’s Office

TO:	David Corliss, City Manager
FROM:	Michael Tubbs, Management Analyst
CC:	Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager Cynthia Boecker, Assistant City Manager Toni Ramirez Wheeler, Director of Legal Services
Date:	August 14, 2008
RE:	Resolution No. 6773 and Resolution No. 6774

The City Commission directed staff to modify resolutions Resolution No. 5966 and Resolution No. 5015 at its May 6, 2008 meeting.

Summary

At its March 12, 2008 meeting, the Lawrence Arts Commission (LAC) voted to send a letter to the City Commission outlining changes the LAC wanted to Resolution No. 5966 and Resolution No. 5015.

The LAC submitted a letter to the City Manager’s Office on March 24, 2008, and the letter was placed on the April 1, 2008, City Commission consent agenda. The City Commission referred the request to staff for a report.

The City Commission, as part of the consent agenda, referred this request to staff for a report at its April 1, 2008 meeting.

At its May 6, 2008 meeting, the City Commission, as part of the regular agenda, considered the request from LAC regarding modifications to Resolution No. 5966 and Resolution No. 5015 and directed staff to draft revised resolutions with the changes as discussed regarding the proposed name change and revised mission statement, as well as to provide additional information on proposed travel funding.

After this item was discussed by the City Commission, staff thought it would be appropriate to ask the LAC to consider whether the LAC wanted Resolution No. 6773 language pertaining to ex-officio membership to remain. The issue of ex-officio membership has been raised in the past by some Arts Commissioners. This item was delayed until the LAC could consider it at its August 13, 2008 meeting. The LAC discussed and considered whether to recommend to the City Commission the removal of language pertaining to the ex-officio members of the LAC. The LAC decided not to recommend removal of the language in the resolution pertaining to ex-officio members.

Staff has prepared two (2) resolutions in accordance with the direction from the City Commission at its May 6, 2008 meeting. The travel funding request was submitted as part of the 2009 LAC budget request and was not recommended for funding.

The table below shows the LAC requests, the current policy or practice, the changes made, and staff comments in accordance with City Commission direction:

Lawrence Arts Commission requests	Resolution 5966 current policy or practice	New resolutions changes & staff comments
The LAC is requesting to change its name to the “Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission.”	Resolution 5966 governs the function and charge of the Lawrence Arts Commission. The resolution also identifies this advisory board as the “Lawrence Arts Commission”	Resolution No. 6773 changes the name from the Lawrence Arts Commission to the “Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission.”
The LAC is requesting to adopt the following new mission: “The mission of the Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission is to enhance and enliven the community by promoting cultural opportunities and arts education while nurturing an environment of aesthetic vitality.”	Current purpose statement in Resolution 5966 states: “The purpose of the Arts Commission shall be to promote, encourage, and coordinate the artistic and cultural activities of the community through recommendations made to the Governing Body of the City and through coordinating endeavors of those groups and organizations which identify themselves as primarily concerned with the artistic environment of Lawrence.”	Resolution No. 6773 replaces the purpose statement with the following mission: “The mission of the Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission is to enhance and enliven the community by promoting cultural opportunities and arts education while nurturing an environment of aesthetic vitality.”
The LAC is requesting a permanent office at the Carnegie Library (or suitable alternative).	This is an advisory board that is required to meet once monthly, with all other meetings and activities being discretionary. This advisory board meets in City space during meetings.	City staff is following up on City Commission direction to look into the possibility of using the Arts Center as a meeting and office space for meetings of the Arts Commission. June Jones, Interim Executive Director of the Lawrence Arts Center has submitted a letter in response to this request.
Establish an Arts Commission reading/resource library in a permanent office space	No City owned Art Library/ reading room currently exists. Arts Commission files are held in the staff liaison office and dated material are in City storage.	This item was considered during the City budget process and was not recommended for funding
Provide funding for staff liaison to attend national conferences.	No funding is provided for attending National Arts Conferences for the staff Liaison.	This item was considered during the City budget process and was not recommended for funding

Lawrence Arts Commission requests

Resolution 5015 current policy/practice

New resolution changes & staff comments

The LAC is requesting that the City Commission specify a department to coordinate implementation of the resolution annually.

Resolution 5015 is the City’s Percent for Art Resolution, providing that up to two percent (2%) of eligible capital projects’ costs may be set aside by the City Commission for the purchase of public art.

The Percent for Art procedures provides that, “to facilitate the placement of art in public places, the Lawrence Arts Commission shall recommend the acquisition and placement of public art in accordance with an annual plan adopted by said Commission and approved by the Lawrence City Commission.” The plan will identify CIP projects completed in the prior year that qualify under Resolution 5015.

Resolution No. 6774 states: The City Manager’s Office will provide plan information regarding projects eligible for public art funding to the Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission on or about March 1 of each year.

The LAC is requesting a set date that the plan information is submitted to the LAC each year.

The City Manager has historically advised as to the amount budgeted for Percent for Art each year based on projects completed in the prior year. Smaller projects funds have been forwarded to the next year and pooled with other projects as necessary.

Action Requested

Staff recommends that the City Commission adopt Resolution No. 6773 changing the name of the Lawrence Arts Commission and adding a mission state and adoption of Resolution No. 6774 requiring the City Manager’s Office to provide the Lawrence Arts Commission with public art plan information on or about March 1of each year as outlined in the table above.