Manhattan Beach Cultural Arts Commission
March 20, 2023
1 CITY OF MANHATTAN BEACH
MINUTES OF THE CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSION
March 20, 2023
Hybrid format: by teleconference (Zoom) and in person in accordance with procedures on agenda 1400 Highland Avenue
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
A. CALL TO ORDER
Vice Chair Spackman called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m.
B. ROLL CALL
Present: Karger, Marcy, Tokashiki, Attam (remote), Vice Chair Spackman, Chair Rubino (seated at 4:05) pm)
Absent: None
Staff present: Eilen Stewart, Cultural Arts Manager, Linda Robb, Senior Management Analyst, Andrew Booras, Cultural Arts Coordinator, and Rosemary Lackow, Recording Secretary.
C. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – December 19, 2023
Commissioner Tokashiki asked whether the second paragraph in Section F 2, which starts “CAM Stewart clarified…..” is accurate or should be struck or reworded. It was discussed that several weeks have passed and there have been subsequent meetings in which the Commission has di scussed the work plan and revisions have occurred. CAM Stewart stated based on her recollection, said paragraph generally accurately summarizes a lengthy discussion on that date. She advised the Commission to approve the December meeting minutes today and suggested that she can, as a stipulation of approval, review the recording and make changes to the cited paragraph as needed.
It was subsequently moved and seconded to approve (Spackman/Rubino) subject to CAM Stewart going back over the recording and making changes as appropriate to ensure the record is accurate.
Roll Call:
AYES: Chair Rubino, Vice Chair Spackman, Tokashiki, Karger, Marcy, Attam.
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
The motion passed 6-0.
D. CEREMONIAL –None
E. AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION (3-Minute Limit) – None
F. GENERAL BUSINESS
1. Work Plan Item Discussion
Manhattan Beach Cultural Arts Commission
March 20, 2023
2 Chair Rubino started discussion by noting that the commission has two tasks today: to discuss each work plan item and related RFP, based on input from the City Council on March 7, and to form committees to work on the items. Commissioner Spackman requested that they hold discussion regarding each work plan item first and then form committees; no objection - it was so ordered.
CAM Stewart noted that the Utility Box beautification project may not need a committee as this project is so advanced. Once the RFP is posted and the submission window closes, staff will vet the applications and bring a list to the whole Commission which will evaluate them for a recommendation to council.
CAM Stewart gave a brief recap of city council action on Marcy 7th. City Council basically approved all main plan items (Utility Box Beautification, Murals, and Sculpture Garden); as recommended with one change: they left all identified mural and sculpture garden locations open as potential for the project (up to 7 murals and up to 8 sculptures) and left it to staff and the Commission in reviewing, to make final selections.
In general, the council was very supportive and pleased.
The Commission gave kudos to CAM Stewart for an excellent presentation.
Prior to beginning discussion, Commissioner Karger asked if there was some way the three main project timelines could be formalized as a working document that could be updated for each meeting and provided as a staff report attachment to the entire Commission. After considerable discussion CAM Stewart advised that this was something that she had tried with prior commissioners and found the process cumbersome.
She advised the commissioners once the committees are formed, to meet and evaluate and harden the timelines. The committees could incorporate all timelines into a single spreadsheet and circulate to the entire Commission before each monthly meeting. This would not need to be sent to and reviewed by CAM Stewart but can be done within and between committees - however the material should be emailed via a blind copy distribution to avoid violations of the Brown Act. The timeline should have just the main timeframe benchmarks.
CAM Stewart will provide copies of the Power Point slides that have the timelines and encouraged all to make use of the city website for information as much is available (e.g. meeting minutes and staff reports for council as well as the commission).
a. Utility box beautification (RFP review)
CAM Stewart made opening remarks, explaining that the draft RFP submitted today is cut and pasted from the Phase 1 utility box project with some revision and updating. She suggested going through and commenting on the draft and the goal is to finalize the document at the next meeting.
Chair Rubino opened the floor for questions.
In response to a question from Commissioner Spackman, CAM Stewart explained that the first round stipend was $500 location and the council approved increasing this to $600, so this will be updated .
Changes agreed to be made to the RFP included:
1. Cover page: change the image to an existing Round 1 utility box that exists in Manhattan Beach and update the blurb text to reflect Round 2, and Round 1 was completed in 2019 and Round 2 takes place in FY 2023 – 2024 (to be completed in 2024). Also in burb, eligibility of artists to include MB, HB, RB
Manhattan Beach Cultural Arts Commission
March 20, 2023
3 and El Segundo.
2. B. Artist stipend: change stipend to $600 and 50% payment to $300.
3. C. City responsibilities: fix typo in number 1 (delete “be”). Add a provision 7, to guarantee a minimum of 3 years as time period that the artwork must remain, excepting in certain cases, e.g. where utility company removes (staff to word smith).
4. G. Artwork Themes: In 3 , a dd b. to read “Reflect Manhattan Beach’s commitment to Diversity, Inclusion and Inspiration” and in c. revise by adding parentheses to read: “Reflect the specific neighborhood or area of the box location (for historical images of Manhattan Beach please feel free to visit the….org)”.
5. H.1: CAM Stewart to see if can eliminate requirement to print, and see if can be set up to be a “live” document that can be submitted digitally online and if can do that, revise the requirements as needed.
6. H.3: change to clarify that designs are accepted only as pdfs (not jpg).
7. Artist Application Form: change submission deadline to 5pm, May 31, 2023 but add a window for submissions that starts April 17. Add an electronic signature at bottom.
8. Add an optional artist bio, additional information about yourself or your proposal. (perhaps make it a requirement for larger projects such as murals, sculptures.
9. Map and location chart: to be updated and correlated including legend; globally update project title to read Phase (not Round) 2.
10. Check with Communications team and see if logo as opposed to city seal should be used.
A motion was made and seconded (Tokashiki/Marcy) to accept the Utility Box Beautification RFP with these revisions.
Roll Call:
AYES: Chair Rubino, Vice Chair Spackman, Tokashiki, Karger, Marcy, Attam.
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
The chair announced that the motion passed 6-0.
b. Velzy Plaque
CAM Stewart gave introductory remarks; noting that in March City Council approved the wording of the plaque as recommended by the Commission. The next steps will involve staff coordinating with the South Bay Board Riders Club which will produce a final rendering and then installation details will be worked out. This project will not be coming back to the Commission; it will come back to council only for approval of the contract.
Chair Rubino invited Commission input; seeing none the Chair opened the floor to audience comment.
Jacki May, project proponent, offered her assistance if needed and asked if the Commission had an idea as to when this will be implemented. Chair Rubino responded that she expects Ms. May will be contacted with that information.
Commissioner Spackman commented that he hopes the city can give as much lead time as possible.
Manhattan Beach Cultural Arts Commission
March 20, 2023
4 CAM Stewart will contact the city communications team to see about arranging a ribbon-cutting when installed.
c. Murals.
CAM Stewart advised that it would be appropriate to now form ad hoc committees and then input can be given to each of the committees. Ad hoc committees will meet with staff and then report back to the commission on a regular basis.
Chair Rubino invited input.
It was noted that terms for Commissioners Attam and Rubino will be expiring ; Commissioner Marcy is eligible for a second term.
The committees were formed as follows with one Commissioner to act as the lead.
1. Murals: Karger and Marcy (Karger lead).
2. Sculpture Garden: Attam, Tokashiki, Spackman (Tokashiki lead).
3. New Art Initiatives: Rubino, Spackman (Rubino lead) . It was noted that a basic schedule will be important to get started.
CAM Stewart advised that a committee is not needed for the utility box project.
Chair Rubino invited comments on the murals project. Commissioner Karger noted that she will not be attending the April meeting but she will have a presentation ready.
CAM Stewart requested that all presentations for the April meeting be submitted no later than Wednesday before the meeting (minimum 72 hours needed to post the agenda and packet).
CAM Stewart went over council concerns with two locations including the restroom by the pier —for possible oversaturation and ownership issues—and at the public safety (police/fire) facility at the civic center—there was a discussion about the wall and the narrative relative to the 911 memorial nearby. But the council felt that submissions may be received for both locations and a great submittal could override these concerns.
d. Sculpture Garden:
Commissioner Tokashiki commented that the first and important steps will be to look at the schedule and meet with staff to get input on locations and any important issues.
Chair Rubino invited comments, seeing none, discussion closed on this project.
e. New Art Initiatives
Chair Rubino suggested that they touch on these several items and she presented a slide overview (basic schedule and costs) and images for the suggested initiatives which include: Art Walk, Digital Art and Performance, Instruments in the Park, Entertainment at MBAC, Art Nights, and lastly a list of suggestions from Mayor Napolitano. She noted some items such as I nstruments in the Park, Digital Art and Entertainment at MBAC have already been flushed out, but some, such as Art Nights would take a lot of
Manhattan Beach Cultural Arts Commission
March 20, 2023
5 work, is open ended and would involve working with the Chamber of Commerce (a longer term project).
Some commission comments including the mayor’s list include (but are not limited to):
1. Commissioner Karger: likes art night, entertainment at MBAC, digital art; thinking one item about murals could become a murals phase 3.
2. Commissioner Spackman: likes digital art, MBAC entertainment, Art Nights (collaborations with the Chamber good), Veterans Parkway sculptures, Polliwog Park landscape art and intersections.
3. Commissioner Tokashiki: likes the intersections, and a mural at Dorsey Field. Has concerns for adding sculptures in the greenbelt area as this has been problematic. Create a small performance space may be a way to get into the Art Nights.
4. Commissioner Attam: likes Art Nights and Veteran’s Parkway sculptures.
5. Chair Rubino: like all the projects and would like to add a “Chalk Art Day” in Polliwog Park.
CAM Stewart added two ideas that came from residents: 1) an additional performance in Polliwog Park (Good Man Charlie Brown -would need significant funding) and 2) performing arts musical performance – an outdoor classic music series in the Polliwog Park amphitheater.
Commissioner Spackman stated he feels the biggest challenge will be to narrow the focus if adding to the work plan. Commissioner Tokashiki suggested that the list can be a living document that can be updated as they go and provide new work plan items; perhaps the committee can narrow the list down.
Chair Rubino summarized the committees: Murals: M arcy and Karger *; Sculpture Garden : A ttam, Tokashiki* and Spackman; and New Art Initiatives- Rubino* and Spackman. The committees shall meet with staff separately to determine next steps and report back to the Commission. * = lead.
G. STAFF ITEMS
Cultural Arts Manager Stewart and Cultural Arts Supervisor Brinkman reported/updated on Cultural Arts Division updates: 1) Staff is firming up the summer class schedule and will include a major increase in programming at the MBAC (classes for kids, art camps adult journaling, workshops). 2) Glaze Lab continues to increase its popularity and its being used for birthday parties and larger groups. 3) The current exhibition continues to draw large crowds as the craft component is popular; staff is engaging with area schools and groups with gallery tours; 5) The next exhibit which opens April 21st, is inspired by surfing and the city will be partnering with Dennis Jarvis, owner of Gallery 208; and 6) The summer concert series has been booked. PATF update: total funds: about $2.1 million; allocated: about $1.5 million; unallocated is about $674 thousand. The soonest funds will expire is December 2024 ($280 thousand), and in December, 2025 another $46,000 could expire. The addition of money to the fund occurs on a continuous basis and are reported to the Commission when they land into the account (currently very incremental). Redoing of crosswalks in the North End recently used about $300k. Council updates: none other than approval of the Cultural Arts Work Plan.
Other items: The Bo Bridges mural at City Hall is about to be installed given clear weather; the new permanent C.J. Rench sculpture (big red circle) for Polliwog Park is about to be delivered from the
Manhattan Beach Cultural Arts Commission
March 20, 2023
6 artist; in mid-April; in May the MBF donor wall in Metlox plaza will be unveiled; staff continues to work with the South Bay Riders Club on the Catalina Classic sculpture (requires coordination with LA County); and on April 4th the Highland Avenue north end surfboard sculpture will be considered by City Council.
New rules for councilmembers and commissioners attending meetin gs: for the next and future meetings attendance is required in person. If by Zoom, the location needs to be publicly noticed and accessible. There also is a 30-minute grace period before you would be considered absent (will check if this applies to commissioners).
Responding to Commissioner inquiries: the sculpture at the Botanical Garden is installed, and some submissions have been received for Bruce’s Beach RFP, that submission window has been extended and last, the Commission meeting time cannot be changed (later than 4:00 pm) as the Council established the time for all city Commissions. Per the Brown Act, for the commissions, for the next meeting and going forward all meetings will be in person. Director Leyman added that if traveling a remote participation can be done but with specific conditions and criteria and staff will doublecheck and clarify working both while on travel and at home. Basically the meetings will also be more structured.
H. COMMISSION ITEMS
Commissioner Spackman asked if, offline staff could send him a link to the copy of the March 7 city council staff report regarding the CAC work plan. She showed how to find online with the pathway: city website/government/council minutes/date of meeting/agenda/links for each staff report.
Commissioner Marcy asked about a protocol for Commissioners networking or collaborating with other city similar commissions and CAM Stewart stated that such is welcomed but to request that they attend a meeting may be onerous.
Staff clarified that the pledge of allegiance will be returned to the agenda and reordering of the agenda can be done at the beginning or throughout the meeting. The items themselves cannot be changed.
Director Leyman thanked the Commission for their leadership on the work plan items and noted that the utility box project is ahead of schedule.
I. ADJOURNMENT
At 6:26 p.m. with no objection, Chair Rubino adjourned the meeting to April 17, 2023 at 4:00 pm.