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Home My WebLink About2025-05-15 Public Arts MIN Public Arts Advisory CommitteeMeetingMinutes May 15, 2025,RegularMeeting 4:00-5:30 PM, Siskiyou Conference Room 51 Winburn Way I.(4:10) CALL TO ORDER(Postponed): a)Welcome b)Quorum count –No quorum at start; presentations proceeded informally c)Announcements–none Attendance Present: ChairCassie Preskenis Susan MacCracken Jain Kate Womack Heather Warden RussellCopley(joined via Zoom at 4:35 p.m.) Emily Simon, SERJAC Liaison Gina DuGuenne, City Council Liaison Absent: Patricia Way; Christi McLain –resignation announced Staff Present: Brandon Goldman, Community Development Director II.(4:12) LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT -Read by Cassie Preskenis III.(4:13) APPROVAL OF MINUTES –delayed until Quorum Achieved IV.(4:15) PRESENTATIONS (addressed prior to presence of a quorum as updates/presentations) Due to lack of quorum, the following items were discussed informallywith no actions taken, although after a quorum was achievedmany of the items were revisited under action items: Playwright’s Walk Plaque Update Juneteenth and Plaque Unveiling Event on June 22nd Guanajuato Hearts Presentation by Dee Carreon on a proposal to install large decorated heart sculptures in Ashland to celebrate the sister city relationship with Guanajuato, Mexico. Labor Acknowledgement Presentation by Emily Simon on proposed draft language for a formal Labor Acknowledgement. The Committee discussed the tone, content, and suggested edits including explicit reference to “Indigenous labor.” Strategic Planning High-level priorities were discussed for possible inclusion in a future work plan. M.A.P. Discussion Initial overview of the Mapping Arts Project shared for future committee discussion. Traffic Signal Box Update Discussion on forming a selection panel and timeline for the 2025 signal box RFP. Note: Anyone wishing to speak at any Public Arts Advisory Committee meeting is encouraged to do so. After you have been recognized by the Chair, give your name and City of residence. You will then be allowed to speak. Please note the public testimony may be limited by the Chair. Page 1of 4 Public Arts Advisory CommitteeMeetingMinutes Art Maintenance Report Brief update regarding maintenance of the Rio Amistadartwork by Sue Springer, and discussed the needfor continued maintenance planningand funding.Discussion included cost estimates and labor cost variables for restoration, to begin in July and be completed in august. Womak explained that the artist, Susan (Sue)Springer, has been consultant and has indicated she would be willing to oversee the restoration at a significantly reduced cost. The Committee discussed other ongoing maintenance, and the extent of cleaning needs for public art, and a breakdown of estimated costs for repairs and cleaning depending on volunteer vs city employees have been evaluated. V.(4:26) PUBLIC FORUM Sally Mix, an Ashland resident, spoke during the public forum to raise concerns about Indigenous representation in public art. She expressed her contentionthat the specific artist, RussellBeebe, who createdthe We Are Here sculpturein Ashlandis not Native American according to her research, and she urged the Committee to prioritize Indigenous artists in future projects, especially those depicting Native themes and history. VI.(4:35) QUORUM ACHIEVED RussellCopleyjoined via Zoom. Quorum established. VII.(4:36) LAISON REPORT a)Council-Duquenneexpressed support for the work the PAAC is doing. b)Staff -none VIII.(4:38–5:40)DISCUSSION ITEMS-FORMAL ACTIONS& MOTIONS Guanajuato Hearts Presentation by Dee Carreon regardinga proposal to install large two decorated heart sculptures in Ashland to celebrate the sister city relationship with Guanajuato, Mexico. The request to the City was to cover the cost of shipping the hearts, covering travel and lodging for the artist, paint materials, and marketing costs. No assessment of installation or maintenance costs was available. Motion:Kate Womack moved to develop a proposal within our \[PAAC\] scope for the GuanajuatoHearts project to be presented to the City Council forconsideration. Second: Susan MacCracken Jain Vote:All ayes –motion passed unanimously (Preskenis, MacCracken Jain, Womack, Warden, Copley) Following the vote, Susan MacCracken Jain suggested that Rotary, Travel Ashland, and the Ashland Gallery Association be invited to participate in and help support the Guanajuato Hearts project, given their shared interest in cultural exchange and public art. Note: Anyone wishing to speak at any Public Arts Advisory Committee meeting is encouraged to do so. After you have been recognized by the Chair, give your name and City of residence. You will then be allowed to speak. Please note the public testimony may be limited by the Chair. Page 2of 4 Public Arts Advisory CommitteeMeetingMinutes Warden, Womack, MacCracken-Jain to create Subcommittee to follow-up with above tourism/marketing groups. IX.(4:53) APPROVAL OF MINUTES April 17, 2025 Meeting Minutes –Motion to approve by Kate Womack, second by Heather Warden. Approved unanimously. X.(4:54) DISCUSSION ITEMS& MOTIONS Labor Acknowledgement Presentation by Emily Simon on proposed draft language for a formal Labor Acknowledgement. Emily provided the history of the development of the Labor Acknowledgement through the Social Equity and Racial Justice Advisory Committee. The Public Arts Advisory Committee discussed the tone, content, and suggested edits including explicit reference to “Indigenous labor.”The following Labor Acknowledgement was discussed for inclusion (reading) at the beginning of regular PAAC meetings: We also pause to recognize andacknowledgethelaborupon which our country, state, and institutions are built. We remember that our country is built on thelaborof enslaved people who were kidnapped and brought to the U.S. from the African continent and recognize the continued contribution of their survivors. We alsoacknowledgeall immigrantlabor, including voluntary, involuntary, trafficked, forced, and undocumented peoples who contributed to the building of the country and continue to serve within ourlaborforce. Weacknowledgeall unpaid care-givinglabor. To the people who contributed this immeasurable work and their descendants, weacknowledgetheir indelible mark on the space in which we gather today. It is our collective responsibility to critically examine these histories, to repair harm, and to honor, protect, and sustain their contribution to our society. During discussion, Susan MacCracken Jain suggested thatthe words “immigrant” and “Indigenous” be added to ensure the statement fully acknowledged historically underrepresented labor contributions. The Committee reviewed the draft and determined that “immigrants” werealreadyaddressedin the original statement, but the term “Indigenous” was not. Motion:Kate Womack moved that the Public Arts Advisory Committee adopt this \[Labor Acknowledgement\] into our readings with the amendment to add “and Indigenous”into the verbiage. Second: Susan MacCracken Jain Vote:All ayes –motion passed unanimously (Preskenis, MacCracken Jain, Womack, Warden, Copley) Note: Anyone wishing to speak at any Public Arts Advisory Committee meeting is encouraged to do so. After you have been recognized by the Chair, give your name and City of residence. You will then be allowed to speak. Please note the public testimony may be limited by the Chair. Page 3of 4 Public Arts Advisory CommitteeMeetingMinutes Art Maintenance Budget Womack referenced the prior presentation, and the committee discussed which budget year the funding for maintenance would apply to the maintenance. Womack noted that the artist Kevin Christman had estimated $1200 for maintenance for the public art he created, with the Committee previously stipulated such costs on that specific maintenance work should not exceed $2000. The Committee discussed further the offer from Sue Springer to assist in the restoration of Rio Amistad. The Committee discussed allocating funds for the maintenance. Motion:Wardenmovedto move forward with the maintenance of the Rio Amistad artwork not to exceed $3000. Womack seconded. Vote: All ayes–motion passed unanimously (Preskenis, MacCracken Jain, Womack, Warden, Copley). Additional discussion about creating a volunteer maintenance formwaiver. XI.(5:30)MEETING EXTENSION MacCracken Jain moved to extend the meetingby ten (10)minutes, Womackseconded. Vote: All ayes –motion passed unanimously (Preskenis, MacCracken Jain, Womack, Warden, Copley) XII.(5:31) TRAFFIC SIGNAL BOX PANEL Womack and Peter Finkle outlined the work of the subcommittee to identify a pool of selection panelists, and requested the Committee consider each individual for potential appointment. The Committee reviewed the selection committee names provided, and rd discussed the process for reviewing designs to be received by June 23, and it was clarified thatthe selectionpanel will have to be formedfrom those listed depending on availability, andwould meet prior to the next PAAC meeting. Motion: Wardenmoved to approve thecandidate list for theformation of a selection panel for the 2025 Traffic Signal Box Project, secondedbyMacCracken Jain. Vote:All ayes –motion passed unanimously (Preskenis, MacCracken Jain, Womack, Warden, Copley) XIII.(5:36) OTHER BUSINESS Chair Preskenis discussed the developmentof a timeline for PAAC work, and the M.A.P project. MacCracken Jainsuggested the Strategic Planning effort come to the July PAAC meeting. Preskenis noted the strategic planning efforts should be included in the timeline she is developing. XIV.(5:50) ADJOURNMENT -Next Meeting Date: July 17,@4:00 pm Note: Anyone wishing to speak at any Public Arts Advisory Committee meeting is encouraged to do so. After you have been recognized by the Chair, give your name and City of residence. You will then be allowed to speak. Please note the public testimony may be limited by the Chair. Page 4of 4