DATE: January 25, 2022
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Assistant City Manager
SUBJECT Adopt a Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Accept and Appropriate $20,000 in Grant Funding from the National Endowment for the Arts for Heritage Plaza Art Pieces
RECOMMENDATION
That Council adopts a resolution (Attachment II) authorizing the City Manager to accept and appropriate $20,000 in grant funding from the National Endowment for the Arts for Heritage Plaza Art Pieces.
SUMMARY
On July 2, 2019, Council approved concepts for three new heritage art pieces in the downtown Heritage Plaza. Two of the pieces are currently in the design phase and nearing fabrication: one honoring the Japanese American history at the Plaza site, and another honoring Hayward’s Indigenous heritage. Staff applied for and received a $20,000 grant from the National Endowment of the Arts to supplement the budget of these pieces, due to the size, scope, and increasing material costs. Staff is seeking Council authorization to accept this grant funding.
BACKGROUND
On May 26, 2015, the Council approved the plans for the Measure C-funded 21st Century Library and Community Learning Center and Heritage Plaza project. Staff updated Council on the design for the Plaza at a July 10, 2018 work session. At that work session, several members of the public and Council provided comments and concerns related to the existing historic elements of the plaza.
Subsequently, staff worked with community groups to revisit the features. On July 2, 2019, Council approved concepts for three new heritage art pieces and appropriated $30,000 to begin designs. The art pieces include:
A detailed memorial sign and interpretive art piece marking the location on Watkins Street where local Japanese-Americans boarded buses for detention centers in 1942. The sign was unveiled in fall of 2021. The art piece has been designed in collaboration with the community committee and is ready to be fabricated.
An interpretive art piece and sign honoring the native Muwekma Ohlone tribe and other local Indigenous Peoples. Staff has been working with representatives from Indigenous Groups, as well as history faculty at Chabot Community College. The group has selected an artist for their piece and is in the design process.
An interpretive art piece and sign to commemorative the history and cultural heritage of Russell City. In 2021, staff convened a group of former Russell City residents and descendants, as well as subject matter experts. The group has been meeting regularly to craft language and identify images for a sign. Fabrication for this project will likely not commence until after 2022.
DISCUSSION
The existing budget for the Japanese American and Indigenous heritage art pieces is $40,000 each. This includes the $30,000 from the Council appropriation, and $50,000 from other existing City sources. Due to the high cost of materials at the moment and the scope of these projects, staff sought additional funding to increase the budget for each piece.
Staff applied for and received a $20,000 grant from the National Endowment of the Arts. Should Council accept this funding, it would need to be spent by February of 2023. Staff would use this money to increase the budget for the Japanese American and Indigenous pieces to $50,000 each, which staff believes is a more realistic budget for the size and scope of these pieces. Staff intends to pursue additional grant funding for the Russell City piece as the design work progresses further on that element.
Both projects are on track to be completed by the end of calendar year 2022 and would therefore meet the grant deadline.
FISCAL IMPACT
The match from this grant will come from the existing budget that has been allocated for this project. This grant will have no impact on the City’s funds.
STRATEGIC ROADMAP
This agenda item is not a project in the City’s Strategic Roadmap. It is related to the following projects:
Grow the Economy: Explore a public art program and prioritize gateway locations Improve Organizational Health: Work across Strategic Roadmap priorities to include racial equity lens
NEXT STEPS
If Council accepts the grant funds, the City Manager will execute the appropriate grant documents and work will continue on the art pieces.
Prepared by: Mary Thomas, Management Analyst
Recommended by: Jennifer Ott, Assistant City Manager
Approved by:
Kelly McAdoo, City Manager