HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-PAC-2016-09-28
Approved – 12/22/16
PAC Minutes
September 28, 2016
PAC members present:
Sally Grubb
Norma Gutierrez
Carol Mallison
Caleb Thomas
Liaisons:
Rob Gearhart - Common Council
John Spence – Community Arts Partnership
Staff: none
Also present:
Ben Sandberg
Daryl McCullough
Brigid McCullough
Agenda additions/deletions – none
Announcements – none
Public Comment
Introductions were made. The role of PAC was explained. No public comments.
Approval of Minutes – none
CAP Grant Application
The application is due Monday and Sally is not submitting one, explaining that we should finish
projects funded by the current grant, before applying for funds for new projects. Sally
summarized current projects, also described in Megan’s 9/28/16 memo. An RFP will go out
requesting artwork for the eight electrical boxes described in Megan’s 9/28/16 memo. We have
$1,200 left to work with and it was agreed we will offer $200. per box, including materials, for
six of the eight boxes. Caleb will write the RFP and send a draft to PAC. There is much interest
in saving the small box at the Five Corners, painted by Suzanne Schafer Baker with a zipper and
mouse, which is scheduled for replacement in October; Rob will look into this. If the box itself
can be saved, it could be posted as an art piece in another public location.
Rainwater Art
This project can be installed next year, after the snow is gone. (Plus, this year we’ve had no
rain…) We will need to make the stencils by March. Several stencil options were described and
we want to use a material that will not allow the paint to run under the stencil. Caleb will contact
the Ithaca Generator regarding use of their laser cutter; Norma will work with him to figure out
which stencils need laser cutting and which can be done by hand. Sally will contact Cornell
regarding use of the laser cutter in Martha Vann. PAC members accepted Ben Sandberg’s offer
to contact Cornell about the use of their CNC machine.
Approved – 12/22/16
More boxes
See Megan’s 9/28/16 memo for an update on the Commons Boxes. In addition, the State has
agreed to allow their boxes to be painted; more details to come regarding any requirements, what
will be allowed, etc. Perhaps there is a funding opportunity through the Tourism Board for
boxes that illustrate a popular theme such as scenes depicting our local heritage; others are
doubtful that this would be considered an appropriate tourism related activity. The question is,
what do we want to see painted on the State boxes?
Future meeting schedule
To be determined via a doodle poll, designed by Norma.
MISC. discussion
See the September 26 edition of the Tompkins Weekly for a photo of our street mural project that
was approved by Common Council and completed during Porchfest. PAC members are
interested in similar projects for additional intersections, ideally completed during community
events when the intersections are closed, such as for Streets Alive and Porchfest. [Editor’s note:
Also, see the September 28 edition of the Ithaca Times. The Best of Ithaca section identifies the
electric utility boxes as the Best Local Art Exhibition.]
Caleb will design a survey to gather public input on what kinds of public art projects people are
interested in and what functions they might serve (such as the traffic calming street mural). A
draft of the survey will be sent to PAC.
We have an opening on PAC for an additional member and should develop a plan to fill the
opening. A press release went out last year in November for the same purpose.
Rob encouraged PAC to develop a schedule of funding opportunities and deadlines, and
coordinate art ideas and any public input needed, so these steps align with a grant’s application
process and deadlines.
Minutes by Carol Mallison