0:03
welcome everyone I councilmember Martz
0:06
call the January 23 2023 city council
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services safety and Parks committee
0:12
meeting to order
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there are multiple public comment
0:16
opportunities at tonight's meeting there
0:19
is a general public comment opportunity
0:21
at the beginning of the meeting or you
0:23
can make comments after the presentation
0:25
and counsel question and answer period
0:27
on any of tonight's agenda items
0:29
members of the public May address
0:31
council at this time in person or
0:33
virtually those who signed up in advance
0:35
to make comments will be called on first
0:37
if you're joining us virtually and would
0:39
like to make comments please raise your
0:41
virtual hand that means if you're on the
0:43
phone plus press star 3 if you have
0:46
joined by computer or smartphone please
0:48
look for a hand icon this varies by
0:50
device one option may be to go to the
0:53
participant panel and choose the raise
0:55
hand icon in the lower right hand corner
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if you are in the room and did not sign
0:59
up I will ask for other speakers before
1:01
closing this portion of the meeting
1:04
I will wait for a moment to see if
1:06
anyone wishes to raise their hand
1:10
clerk has anyone signed up to speak or
1:12
indicated a desire to speak this evening
1:17
chair Martz no one has signed up uh on
1:20
the sign-in sheet to speak
1:24
all right as a reminder written comments
1:26
can be submitted at any time to city
1:29
council at issaquah.gov
1:35
um with that we will move to
1:39
uh approval of minutes
1:42
the minutes for the November 15 2020
1:46
council meeting is does anyone wish to
1:48
put forward a motion
1:54
uh council member D Michelle thank you I
1:57
I will move that we accept the amendment
2:00
says presented
2:01
I will second and I'm glad councilmember
2:04
D Michelle made the motion and she was
2:06
actually in attendance at that meeting
2:08
and I hadn't been put on this board yet
2:10
or on this committee yet that's true you
2:13
had not been appointed yes and nice to
2:14
have you here I'm sure you'll do a good
2:16
job of replacing uh that Troublemaker
2:19
Chris Ray
2:22
uh we have a motion the that is in front
2:25
of us and has been seconded uh all those
2:27
in favor say aye aye aye opposed
2:30
abstentions motion carries through to
2:33
zero
2:34
uh next we have uh the first of two
2:38
agenda items this evening ID one three
2:41
one seven amendments to IMC
2:44
2.20 Cemetery code and this is going to
2:47
be presented by city clerk geezer
2:50
and I believe uh director Watling and
2:53
Randy darst from the cemetery board
2:57
thank you chair Marts and committee
2:59
members my name is Tisha Geezer City
3:01
Clerk and as you mentioned chair I'm
3:03
also here tonight are Jeff Watling the
3:06
parks and Community Services director
3:07
Rick still the parks operations manager
3:10
Randy darst the cemetery board chair and
3:12
Barbara wood one of the board members
3:14
and you'll be hearing from a couple of
3:16
them later on here but I'll get us
3:18
started off
3:19
so tonight we're asking for your
3:22
recommendation on whether to proceed
3:24
with changes to IMC 2.20 which
3:27
establishes the cemetery board and has
3:29
some Provisions related to the cemetery
3:31
and the board
3:33
as a reminder and for the new Committee
3:36
Member
3:37
um Jeff and I were here in June 2022 to
3:40
talk about a larger item the
3:43
consolidation of boards and commissions
3:44
at that time we had two uh questions for
3:48
you one was whether to proceed with the
3:50
sunset of the cable TV commission you
3:53
were supportive of that change in the
3:55
full Council Sunset of that Commission
3:57
in July of 2022 and the second question
4:00
was whether to proceed with asking the
4:02
cemetery board to evaluate their their
4:06
purpose whether they might consider a
4:09
consolidation or Sunset of the board or
4:12
a review and change to their duties and
4:15
responsibilities and we committed to
4:17
returning with a recommendation from the
4:19
cemetery board in the first quarter of
4:21
2023.
4:23
the committee was also supportive of
4:25
proceeding with that and expressed your
4:28
care and concern for the cemetery and
4:31
the history there
4:33
following the June meeting the cemetery
4:36
board began talking about their purview
4:40
evaluating their duties and this
4:42
occurred from July all the way through
4:45
December with the board making their
4:48
final recommendation and looking at the
4:50
code amendments that you see here
4:51
tonight at their January meeting
4:55
with that I'm going to turn it over to
4:56
Jeff to talk a bit about the proposal
5:07
thank you clerk Geezer good evening
5:09
council members Jeff Watling parks and
5:11
Community Services director
5:12
um yeah before I go into
5:16
um key elements of The Proposal I
5:19
thought I'd just highlight some of the
5:21
work that was done these past seven
5:22
months as as Tisha mentioned the
5:25
cemetery board
5:27
and hats off to chair darst Rick still
5:31
our park operations manager who serves
5:34
as a staff liaison
5:36
the cemetery board went through a pretty
5:39
long process of looking at historic
5:40
roles
5:42
reviewing some of the work that they've
5:44
done over the decades literal decades
5:46
I'm also taking a look at some of the
5:48
current roles that the cemetery board
5:51
was doing and then really allowing
5:54
that work to help clarify really roles
5:59
that the cemetery board might want to do
6:01
more of or or really should do this was
6:04
also really brought into light with you
6:07
might recall a number of years ago we
6:09
the city went through a
6:11
process with flintoffs our operating
6:14
partner and created our management
6:16
agreement in 2018 so that management
6:19
agreement also became really helped us
6:21
shed light on this work and recognizing
6:24
as the roles were clarified between the
6:26
city and flintoffs it really helped to
6:28
also fit this niche of of what really
6:31
could and should the role of the
6:33
cemetery board be
6:36
it was a very thorough process as I said
6:39
over the decades this this group has
6:41
done a lot of work and a tremendous
6:45
amount of work and and certainly
6:47
something to be commended I think the
6:49
first key point of this proposal
6:51
as we went through the view review we
6:55
also through the review process had
6:57
check-ins with Administration it became
6:59
clear and as you see in the slide the
7:01
first element of The Proposal was to
7:03
continue the work of the the cemetery
7:05
board but do it in a a little more
7:09
clarified fashion
7:11
I'll jump into that sorry I went the
7:14
wrong direction
7:15
the makeup of
7:18
um uh the The Proposal
7:20
um these these five bullet points really
7:22
I think highlight it along with
7:24
continuing the role of the cemetery
7:26
board
7:27
um the the proposal before you
7:31
proposes to reduce the minimum number of
7:33
board meetings required so take that
7:36
minimum requirement from once every two
7:38
months to quarterly this isn't
7:40
necessarily meaning only having four
7:42
meetings a year but just giving the
7:43
board that flexibility knowing during
7:45
peak times of the year there probably
7:47
will be meeting monthly but but knowing
7:50
there might be certain times of the year
7:51
when quarterly will will do
7:54
uh that second bullet the pink bullet
7:57
clarifying the role of the cemetery
7:58
board as advisory and amending the
8:01
duties and responsibilities you'll see a
8:03
lot of amendments a lot of proposed
8:05
amendments that that speak to this
8:07
um what we really
8:09
um
8:10
seek to do with this these proposed
8:13
changes is really focus their role on
8:16
monitoring operations of the cemetery
8:19
that's why again having Rick still our
8:21
park operations manager is a staff
8:23
liaison makes so much sense monitoring
8:26
the cemetery fund that's both revenues
8:28
and expenditures
8:30
on a monthly or quarterly basis
8:33
reviewing annually and and recommending
8:37
fee changes as necessary
8:40
um would be a key role of the cemetery
8:42
board advising on capital projects you
8:45
might recall as we went through the
8:47
management agreement with flintos we
8:50
spent a lot of time talking with U.S
8:52
Council how do we look at not only
8:54
near-term needs but long-term needs of
8:56
the cemetery there are some capital
8:58
Investments so that cemetery is going to
8:59
need and so really allowing the cemetery
9:03
board to help provide that advice and
9:06
guidance not only on near-term projects
9:08
as we're doing them but really trying to
9:09
take a Long View a capital investment
9:12
needs with that with that public asset
9:14
within that public asset
9:17
also a key role is adopting rules for
9:20
care
9:22
for standards maintenance standards
9:25
headstone standards Etc really helping
9:28
provide advice there and then also
9:31
really helping the city in monitoring
9:35
inventory burial types that are offered
9:38
there at the cemetery
9:40
um and also if needed looking at either
9:43
expansion of burial types or expansion
9:46
of space
9:48
so that clarification of roles is a
9:50
really key part of these amendments
9:53
also in the proposal are the
9:56
incorporation of the board roles that
9:58
were found in the management agreement
10:00
so making sure the management agreement
10:02
and these proposed bylaws speak to one
10:06
another and are complementary with one
10:07
another
10:08
you'll also hear a little bit further
10:10
from Tisha about this one the
10:12
recommendation of removing the cemetery
10:14
fees from this section from the IMC and
10:18
formalizing in a fee ordinance that'll
10:21
be part of perhaps some potential bigger
10:24
work that we're doing
10:26
with within the IMC and how we recognize
10:29
fees
10:31
also Within These recommendations are as
10:35
as our City attorney had a chance to
10:37
review them were addressing some
10:39
outdated Provisions that were in this
10:41
old IMC Provisions that are already in
10:45
Washington state law those Provisions
10:46
included the annexation of the cemetery
10:50
restrictions on burials and penalties
10:54
for for vandalizing at the cemetery and
10:58
again all of those have Provisions
10:59
covered in state law and we're a bit
11:02
redundant so the recommendation was to
11:04
to remove those so
11:06
again what's reflect elected tonight it
11:09
represents a lot of hard work by the
11:12
cemetery board a lot of self-analysis
11:13
and and sort of review of of what this
11:16
board can be moving forward in playing
11:20
an advisory role in a really really
11:21
important city asset
11:23
with that I'm going to invite Cemetery
11:26
board chair Randy darst to come up and
11:28
maybe share a few words on not only the
11:30
process but just insights from the board
11:39
good evening I'm Randy darst
11:41
um
11:42
been on the other on been on the
11:45
cemetery board for about eight years now
11:48
um it's near and dear to my heart I have
11:50
a lot of family and friends
11:51
um hanging out up there
11:54
um so you know making sure that it's in
11:57
good uh you know it's being operated
11:59
profitably properly fiscally sound it's
12:01
it's a very it's a important thing to me
12:04
as it is to our board
12:07
um I don't have a lot to add to what
12:11
Jeff said as far as some of the
12:13
revisions in the process but I do want
12:16
to acknowledge that what he says and
12:18
what the staff report says
12:21
um it's it's a very good job very
12:23
comprehensive and and really does
12:26
incorporate the cemetery ports comments
12:29
concerns recommendations suggestions it
12:32
was a very collaborative process I think
12:34
they listened well they're very
12:36
objective and we the board really
12:39
appreciates that attention
12:43
um
12:44
and we're very pleased that the initial
12:47
recommendation is to retain the cemetery
12:50
board and we definitely are on board
12:52
with um
12:54
the some of the revisions left the
12:57
revisions that have been touched on by
12:59
Jeff to the chapter 2.2 you know it
13:03
hadn't been really looked at since
13:05
mid-80s I think so it was time you know
13:08
things change
13:10
and we were maybe a little bit reluctant
13:13
at first you get a little defensive
13:16
sometimes you know when you know you you
13:19
you go through a process like this
13:21
because we really do think that we've
13:22
done some some really good work in not
13:25
only the current Cemetery board
13:27
but you know the cemetery board goes
13:30
back to 1915 right so we've been around
13:33
a hundred and I can't even do the math
13:35
quite a few years
13:38
um actually it dated back to 1908.
13:41
you know because the cemetery committee
13:43
came into existence prior to the city
13:46
annexing the property into the city in
13:50
1915 and so that's when the cemetery
13:52
board came into existence so because the
13:55
cemetery was looking so terrible back in
13:58
1908 the the citizens of the of Issaquah
14:02
got together and formed a committee
14:04
basically and they went around and tried
14:07
to get people to volunteer donate a
14:10
dollar you know their their fund was
14:12
about 34 dollars the last time I looked
14:14
at it so anyway it's been the cemetery's
14:17
been near and dear to the the folks in
14:19
Issaquah for a lot of years
14:22
um I found it very useful and
14:24
informative to go through the process I
14:27
really do appreciate Tisha and and Rick
14:31
and Jeff facilitating that process for
14:34
us it's not something that we've done as
14:36
a board or I've done since I retired
14:38
eight years ago so it was very helpful
14:40
to have them on board and and assisting
14:43
this
14:45
it was good to look at the
14:46
responsibilities the roles and the
14:48
duties and look at the value of the
14:51
cemetery board is broader over the years
14:53
in proper operation and maintenance and
14:56
really the fiscal oversight has been
14:58
important to as well as you know the
15:00
growth of the cemetery you know the the
15:03
cemetery board was instrumental in the
15:05
80s for leading the development of
15:09
Hillside upper Hillside Cemetery that
15:11
you know it was it was it was one of the
15:13
bigger projects that they've ever
15:14
undertaken
15:16
so I think the board has done some great
15:18
work over the last 108 years
15:22
and and we are pleased that the mayor
15:24
and the administration recognize this
15:25
and are recommending that the cemetery
15:28
board be retained it's a place that I'm
15:30
proud of and I think the community
15:32
greatly appreciates
15:34
and so then at our January meeting the
15:36
board did review the final
15:37
recommendations
15:39
from staff and administration and then
15:42
we also reviewed the final draft of the
15:44
revised chapter 2.2
15:47
the proposed revisions and the board
15:50
then did make a motion and approve the
15:52
motion to recommend approval of the
15:55
revised
15:57
Issaquah municipal code to the mayor and
16:00
the city council
16:01
and we the board looks forward to
16:03
continuing its work and and like Jeff
16:05
said we do have several projects in the
16:08
works right now
16:09
and it takes a lot of time and effort
16:11
and we're a group of three right now
16:14
we're hoping to get a few more members
16:17
come the turn of the the New Year here
16:20
and we also have a number of projects
16:23
that we're excited about
16:24
perhaps pursuing in the future that
16:28
really need to be done when we have some
16:31
additional time and and resources so
16:33
thank you for your support and I'd be
16:35
happy to answer any questions
16:42
I we I think we can proceed to the next
16:43
part of the presentation but thank you
16:48
all right I just have a few more slides
16:51
I'll move really quickly through here
16:53
um so we can't answer any questions you
16:55
might have so Jeff and Randy went
16:57
through some of the changes to the
16:59
duties and responsibilities that were
17:01
addressed so I'm not going to walk
17:02
through them individually but they're
17:04
shown both in the proposed code changes
17:06
in here on the screen they were trued up
17:09
a bit with the management agreement and
17:11
to remove some inconsistencies and
17:14
redundancies and approval of Warrant
17:16
review
17:17
and such
17:21
um one thing I wanted to touch on
17:22
briefly that's not shown on the slide
17:24
here is the cemetery fees so you saw
17:27
there was an exhibit with uh fees in the
17:30
packet so the fees there are are our
17:35
existing fees incorporating a 10
17:38
increase so the current IMC provides for
17:42
the mayor to administratively increase
17:44
the fees based on the CPI annually the
17:48
cemetery board considered the CPI for
17:53
June through July which was 10 I believe
17:56
and recommended that that inflationary
17:59
increase be incorporated in the fees
18:02
the mayor they made this recommendation
18:04
to the mayor who supported their
18:06
recommendation uh because as Jeff
18:09
mentioned we have a city-wide goal of
18:12
moving our fees out of our municipal
18:15
code and into an annual fee resolution
18:18
to bring some transparency and
18:19
coordination of that process we are
18:22
proposing removing the cemetery fees and
18:25
instead approving them through the
18:26
ordinance that will bring forward
18:28
hopefully at the February 6th meeting
18:30
that would also adopt these code changes
18:32
and of course we would like the fees
18:35
with the inflationary increase approved
18:37
as part of that process when the fee
18:40
resolution comes to be later this year
18:42
or next we'll include the cemetery fees
18:45
as part of that process so I wanted to
18:48
speak for that to that for a moment so
18:50
as far as the options tonight they of
18:52
course are to recommend the
18:55
administration's proposal and the
18:57
cemetery board's proposal to move
18:59
forward with the proposed revisions but
19:01
certainly if you have Rec recommended
19:03
changes or other considerations
19:05
please feel free to share those you are
19:09
clear on our recommendation I believe
19:11
real quickly timing and next steps as
19:15
Randy alluded to the cemetery board is
19:18
currently functioning with three board
19:20
members out of five seats
19:22
and is lacking any alternates as well so
19:26
we will certainly be hoping through the
19:28
boarding commission recruitment process
19:29
that's about to begin anytime now to be
19:33
Shoring up the cemetery board
19:36
as I mentioned we're hoping to bring
19:38
this ordinance back to the city council
19:41
at the February 6 meeting and would like
19:42
your input on whether that can return on
19:44
consent or regular business the
19:47
ordinance would be effective in early
19:48
March and we will be bringing boarding
19:51
commission confirmation of appointments
19:53
to the council in mid-april which again
19:56
will hopefully include a few new
19:57
Cemetery board members with that here's
20:00
the direction we're looking for from you
20:03
tonight and we're all here if you have
20:04
any questions
20:08
I have a question
20:11
um so you talked about a CPI adjusted
20:13
fee uh does this ordinance I I see
20:16
there's
20:17
one uh use of that for this uh 10 but
20:22
does this does this presuppose automatic
20:25
increases going forward
20:27
it does not um the wording in the draft
20:29
ordinance which I realize is not in your
20:32
packet tonight we were having the
20:33
attorney take a look at it and just got
20:35
the final edits back it would like the
20:37
IMC it would allow for an
20:40
administratively approved inflationary
20:42
increase if recommended but upon
20:44
recommendation of the cemetery board so
20:45
it sort of remained status quo okay
20:48
thank you other questions council member
20:51
Joe thank you first Mr DARS thank you
20:55
for your service to our community on the
20:58
cemetery board
21:00
I live very close and and to the
21:03
cemetery and I'm always impressed with
21:06
first how well it's maintained and
21:08
second on all the important holidays
21:11
whether it's Veterans Day or other
21:13
important holidays the flags are always
21:15
up by my friends that are up there by
21:18
their by their headstones so thank you
21:20
for making that happen I know it's a
21:21
coordination with some of the Cub Scout
21:24
Boy Scout Troops et cetera et cetera
21:26
it's a it's a testament to our community
21:29
and how we honor those that came before
21:31
us so I want to First say that
21:34
um
21:35
I had a question about the fees
21:37
themselves
21:38
oftentimes there's a perception in our
21:41
community that the fees cover everything
21:43
that is needed including Capital
21:45
expenditures et cetera Etc
21:48
um
21:48
and so when the fees get increased
21:51
sometimes people think that well I'm
21:53
paying for the whole darn thing when I
21:55
go and pay one fee could you comment on
21:59
how much the fees cover just in general
22:02
and how much as a as a kind of a
22:05
percentage comes from other sources
22:07
throughout the city
22:09
foreign
22:16
again
22:21
um yeah you know the cemetery fund is
22:23
actually set up to function very much
22:25
like an Enterprise fund
22:27
so the the intention of the cemetery
22:29
fund is
22:31
um as we're collecting fees we're not
22:33
only addressing operational costs but
22:36
we're also
22:37
um
22:38
securing some funds for long-term care
22:43
um and and as well the capital
22:44
investment so that's part of our Capital
22:46
strategy too is taking a look at as
22:48
revenue is coming in how are we making
22:51
initial Investments that either add a
22:54
capacity to call them barium niches Etc
22:56
but um the cemetery fund is really
22:59
um as I said set up more like an
23:01
Enterprise thank you for that I
23:03
appreciate the information
23:06
oftentimes the citizens don't know the
23:08
difference between an Enterprise fund
23:10
and some of the other funds that we
23:11
might do for transportation where we're
23:13
getting funds from the States or other
23:15
sources so it's good information thank
23:17
you
23:18
foreign
23:20
I will ask you another question and I'm
23:23
surprised you know I've
23:25
seen these fees over the years a number
23:27
of times
23:28
um I don't remember the estate standard
23:30
in the estate double and and what is
23:33
that and they're uh quite a bit more
23:35
expensive than other uh Cemetery options
23:37
so can you tell me a little bit more
23:39
about that
23:40
sure I don't have those in front of me
23:41
but I'll do this off of memory so in
23:43
2019 we brought the cemetery fees before
23:46
U.S Council they hadn't been reviewed in
23:48
a really really long time
23:50
um You Might Recall at that time those
23:52
are new fees that were established then
23:54
in 2019 and so part of
23:57
um diversifying plot options as we've
24:01
worked with our managing partner
24:02
flintoffs we've identified a couple
24:04
areas of upper Hillside Cemetery where
24:06
there might be estate lots that could be
24:08
plots that could be purchased so that
24:11
was it
24:12
sorry what does an estate plot mean so
24:14
what that means is a family could
24:16
purchase an estate plot that would have
24:19
access for multiple burial sites within
24:22
that that plot would be somewhat set
24:24
aside established through some type of
24:28
um vegetation area
24:30
to be basically buying multiple plots
24:32
got it and so multiple plots and you're
24:35
saying sort of set aside or separate
24:37
from them yeah what we've looked at is
24:40
um sort of the upper you might remember
24:42
recall a map in 2019 that we were
24:44
looking at sort of the upper the upper
24:46
edge of upper Hillside Cemetery so
24:50
um the the back of this estate plot
24:52
could be planted with vegetation to give
24:54
some definition for that plot but also
24:56
give some natural separation within and
25:00
screening with the neighbors
25:03
got it thank you
25:04
other questions
25:07
all right
25:11
Tisha it was that if you closed in
25:15
there's no further summary of you're
25:18
just ready for us to deliberate all
25:20
right well then we have reached a point
25:22
where we can take public input
25:24
um do we have uh clerk do we have
25:26
anybody online indicating that they want
25:28
to speak
25:32
chair Martz we have a couple of virtual
25:34
attendees but no virtual hands raised
25:36
the virtual hands raised anybody here
25:39
this evening want to speak to this issue
25:40
before we deliberate on it
25:43
anyone wishing to speak third time nope
25:47
all right so we can deliberate on it
25:51
what do you think
25:53
I think this has been well thought out
25:55
great
25:57
um contributions from the community at
26:00
large and our volunteer Cemetery board
26:03
and I think it's ready to go back to uh
26:06
council with a recommendation for
26:07
approval
26:11
council member to Michelle
26:13
thanks yes uh I was saying before the
26:16
meeting started that I was so happy when
26:19
I read the packet because I was fearful
26:21
that we had a recommendation to close
26:24
the cemetery board and I would have been
26:26
very sad if that had happened this has
26:29
board has been around since 1915 and
26:34
um also as mentioned by council member
26:36
Joe that Cemetery holds so much of
26:39
Issaquah history and is again a
26:42
reflection of the esteem that we hold
26:46
our earlier Generations in so I'm very
26:50
very pleased that the cemetery board
26:52
will continue as I was reading through
26:54
the packet I uh the reason I didn't have
26:57
any questions is every question I had
27:00
was answered I was one of the most
27:02
thorough presentations we've received in
27:05
a long time and I really appreciate that
27:08
aspect of it as well and also clearly
27:11
showed how much much thought and
27:15
dialogue went into the final final
27:18
proposal so I was very pleased to see
27:21
that as well so appreciation to
27:23
everybody who worked hard on it so I too
27:27
would would like to approve this
27:30
recommendation I would love to see the
27:32
cemetery board continue I would hope
27:34
that maybe once again I got to got to
27:37
sit in on one meeting right before the
27:40
pandemic so perhaps sometime in the
27:43
future I can come back because I was
27:45
very impressed with the board work that
27:47
evening as well so so
27:49
I uh what is that good Speed Ahead so
27:55
um and I guess I would ask whether we
27:58
want to put this on consent or do we
28:01
want to put this on the regular agenda
28:04
that would be the question I would have
28:06
but I I would approve it's moving
28:08
forward in either case yeah I would like
28:10
to I would like to take the vote and
28:13
then once we take the vote um can decide
28:15
how to route it okay afterwards
28:18
um I'm going to be supporting this as
28:19
well you know one of the things that I
28:23
think is really important about a
28:24
community is is of course how we treat
28:27
our citizens when they most need our
28:29
help and uh you know I've said before
28:32
you know my mother passed away in 2008
28:35
and she didn't have a lot and in
28:39
Minnesota
28:40
private cemeteries are very expensive
28:42
but she was lucky enough to live in a
28:44
community that like Issaquah had a
28:47
public option that was that was not
28:49
super expensive and so in the midst of
28:51
everything else that was going on I
28:54
didn't have to to you know countenance
28:56
the idea of spending a whole bunch of
28:58
money on out of my pocket in a time that
29:00
was that was so much was so challenging
29:02
so I love that we can continue to
29:06
consider this important and uh as long
29:08
as we have folks who continue to want to
29:10
serve the city and help maintain this
29:13
this really important aspect of our
29:15
community that I'm supportive of of
29:18
continuing to do that so
29:21
um I guess I will move
29:23
um to proceed with changes to IMC 2.20
29:27
Cemetery board to update the duties and
29:29
responsibilities of the board and make
29:31
other changes as recommended by the
29:33
cemetery Board second
29:36
any discussion
29:38
all in favor
29:40
aye aye opposed abstentions that carries
29:45
three to zero and now do we want to have
29:47
it come back on uh consent or did we
29:51
have a recommendation from the
29:52
administration
29:54
City administrator generally if it's
29:56
unanimous a committee consent is often
29:58
an option
30:01
council member Joe personally I think
30:03
that our
30:05
council members do a great job reading
30:08
their packets
30:09
um and so I believe that it could come
30:12
back on consent and if people do have
30:14
questions they would pull it down
30:16
all right I'm seeing agreement so we're
30:18
asking that to be uh taken back on
30:21
consent or brought back to the full
30:22
Council on consent all right thank you
30:25
very much uh and thank you um staff and
30:29
member members of the community that
30:31
were here for this this evening
30:33
uh including Randy darst
30:36
we will now move on to ID one three four
30:39
five Arts Grant recommendations from our
30:42
own Amy Dukes arts program administrator
30:46
welcome
30:48
foreign
31:08
hopefully that is the hardest part good
31:10
evening council members I'm Amy Dukes
31:12
the arts program administrator for the
31:14
City of Issaquah and I'm here tonight to
31:17
present to you the 2023 Arts Grant
31:19
recommendations via the Arts Commission
31:24
and so there are some beautiful pictures
31:27
to accompany just to let you know
31:28
everything that is pictured in this
31:30
presentation are things that were
31:31
supported by the Arts Commission in
31:33
their funding in 2022.
31:38
and really here just to get direction
31:40
from you all about placement to help
31:44
move forward the allocation of the Arts
31:47
grants
31:51
so just to give a quick background of
31:54
the purpose of the Arts grants every
31:57
year for decades the Arts commission has
32:00
opened a open call for applications
32:03
to help support Community Arts programs
32:06
for the community for visitors and
32:10
really to make a vibrant cultural scene
32:12
in Issaquah I'm really hoping to support
32:16
things that are providing meaningful
32:18
Arts engagement really letting people
32:20
experience something unique I'm really
32:23
hopeful that they are all of the
32:26
programs collectively are reaching all
32:28
types of people every type of Community
32:30
member that we have age ability and
32:33
otherwise we really look for for
32:38
opportunities to support the cultural
32:40
diversity of the community and things
32:43
that really help build our creative and
32:45
vibrant Arts community and then also
32:48
it's really important we feel that our
32:51
commission to support our Arts sector
32:54
and our our artists that make us a qua
32:56
home and so really looking for for
33:00
projects that also provide opportunities
33:03
to keep them sustainable
33:07
so this year actually in order to sort
33:10
of clean up things a little bit and make
33:11
them more clear the Arts grants were
33:14
divided into categories so that Arts
33:16
partnership category is really intended
33:19
to support those Arts organizations that
33:21
call Issaquah home and we hear time and
33:25
time again from them that what they
33:26
really truly need is just general
33:29
support for for their mission of
33:32
producing arts for the community and so
33:36
this this grant realm was the first one
33:39
that we allowed kind of a general
33:41
operating Arts support
33:44
request and that could be up to 10 of
33:46
their operating budget we are based on
33:49
some feedback from this first round we
33:51
are going to adjust that some we
33:53
actually only have one Arts organization
33:55
that felt that this was an attractive
33:57
option for them so I think we do need to
34:00
adjust you know a lot of our Arts
34:02
organizations our volunteer only and so
34:05
their budgets are very small um so we'll
34:08
be looking at that and then Arts
34:10
projects this
34:12
was also new so we maxed those requests
34:16
at five thousand dollars and really were
34:18
intended to support requests coming from
34:21
organizations who didn't do not have
34:23
Arts as their primary Mission and this
34:26
is actually the majority of groups that
34:29
provide Arts programs in Issaquah we
34:31
have a very small arts and culture
34:33
organization Community but we have a lot
34:35
of Civic and other types of
34:37
organizations that provide an arts
34:39
program as part of their offerings for
34:43
example Dia friends of Lake Sammamish
34:46
and organizations like that so we
34:49
thought it would be better to have these
34:51
as Arts projects so we could really see
34:53
the budget that is specifically tied to
34:57
that art project and that worked out
34:59
really well this year
35:01
and then finally
35:03
um
35:03
we also kind of made some significant
35:07
revisions to the Arts and schools
35:09
program so the max request for that is
35:11
twenty five hundred dollars but we are
35:13
going to moving forward limited to
35:15
schools that are either in the city
35:17
limits or who serve a majority of
35:20
Issaquah residents in their school and
35:23
that we also are going to move the
35:26
request time period for that and better
35:28
align that program with the academic
35:30
calendar which should really make for a
35:34
more effective program so you will see
35:37
in the recommendations a set aside bless
35:39
you for um for the schools program and
35:43
we have estimated although we do still
35:46
need to verify but we have estimated
35:48
that there are 10 schools within the
35:50
district that fit that criteria and and
35:54
so we've set aside enough funding if all
35:56
of them should request
36:01
um and so just to give you quickly the
36:03
criteria that the Arts commission uses
36:05
so we have three main criteria
36:09
um and all of the applications were
36:11
scored based on this criteria public
36:14
benefit so serving the community in a
36:18
way that's meaningful and also
36:20
measurable artistic value that there is
36:24
a truly artistic component to the
36:26
project that has a value to our
36:29
residents and visitors and then the
36:32
managerial capacity and feasibility we
36:35
do have the grant program on a
36:38
reimbursement basis so that does require
36:40
that the organization is able to front
36:43
the expense and be reimbursed and also
36:46
we're trying to make our Contracting
36:49
process more streamlined and easy but it
36:52
is a bit of paperwork so we just want to
36:55
make sure that organizations are able to
36:56
manage that
36:59
so with those criteria the Arts
37:02
commissioners
37:04
did a fabulous job of evaluating I hope
37:07
you can read that it's very small
37:09
evaluating all of the applications and
37:11
scoring them
37:12
and then they they uh sort of created a
37:17
cut off point so anything that scored 11
37:20
or above out of 15 was recommended for
37:23
funding so you'll see just a couple did
37:25
not meet that threshold
37:28
um so we're still getting uh
37:30
we're still getting back organizations
37:33
into the fold and you know we definitely
37:36
did lose some organizations projects at
37:39
least maybe not the organization but
37:40
just their capacity to do an arts
37:42
project
37:43
um during these last couple of years so
37:45
um the load of applications was a little
37:49
bit lighter than it has been
37:51
before covid
37:54
I'm gonna need to put glasses on
37:56
so the recommendations are 138
38:00
380 dollars for the arts project support
38:04
and the Arts partnership support and
38:08
then twenty five thousand dollars
38:09
Holding Out for that program that we'll
38:11
administer later in the year for a total
38:14
Grant recommendation of 163
38:17
380 dollars
38:22
and there's just a quick visual of how
38:25
that breaks out so as you can see the
38:27
Arts projects category is up is the very
38:30
is large by quite a margin
38:35
and just to quickly
38:37
um let you know how we got here we
38:39
released the application in November of
38:41
22. the deadline was December 9th of
38:44
2022. the Arts commission held two Grant
38:47
review meetings that were well attended
38:49
by the public on January 9th and
38:51
actually just last Wednesday on the 18th
38:53
and then we're here tonight and hopeful
38:56
to be placed on a council agenda once
38:59
these Grant recommendations are approved
39:01
we would move to Contracting all funded
39:05
projects and organizations do get a site
39:08
visit by at least one if not more Arts
39:10
Commissioners we do a data collection
39:15
um around the metrics that they identify
39:18
as important to their project and then
39:20
of course we always like to celebrate
39:21
and promote their work
39:25
so again the direction that I'm seeking
39:28
tonight is just how to move these
39:29
forward in the process and I do want to
39:31
acknowledge there are Arts Commissioners
39:34
on WebEx joining us tonight so Arts
39:38
commission chair Tracy mahadeo and arts
39:41
commissioner Bridget agabra and I don't
39:43
know if they might want to say something
39:47
I have a question
39:49
um when you mention about celebrating uh
39:52
our art how do we how do we done that in
39:55
past years long ago we would talk a
39:58
little bit about uh art projects
40:00
specifically that were being funded but
40:03
uh nowadays like for our 2022 I saw some
40:06
some amazing uh painting in there how
40:10
would I find out more about how yeah so
40:12
we definitely promote everything
40:15
um via all of the city's channels we try
40:19
really hard to promote before the fact
40:21
so that residents know usually that's
40:24
via the e-news and most I should note
40:28
that most things in this recommendation
40:31
list are free and open to the public
40:34
um you know there's obviously some
40:35
exceptions like Village Theater requires
40:38
a ticket for many of its activities but
40:40
most of these are just free and open
40:41
community events so we like to promote
40:44
them beforehand so people know to
40:45
participate and then we we will also
40:49
take pictures when we're there and
40:51
promote via our social media and and
40:54
other opportunities so
40:58
okay so uh social media websites that
41:02
kind of stuff I was just looking to try
41:04
to see if I could find things that had
41:05
been done in in 2022. it's not obvious
41:08
to me how you how you find I mean we
41:10
have a section on public art I suppose
41:13
but that doesn't I mean
41:16
yeah it's some of those things have been
41:17
around for a while yes um we do list all
41:21
the organizations that we Fund
41:24
in some years past we have provided
41:26
links to all of the projects and
41:28
programs that have some challenges
41:30
sometimes because it does require that
41:31
they keep the links up on their end too
41:34
but I'd say it's more Dynamic and that
41:38
it is more in that social media Realm
41:42
um okay I mean it just seems like
41:45
there's an opportunity to
41:47
um you know sort of celebrate the art
41:49
and unfortunately you know we live in a
41:52
universe where not everybody understands
41:54
art I I you know I think it's an
41:56
important thing to invest in as a
41:58
community but I think having some uh
42:01
ability to show folks what
42:03
happens in a given year the kinds of
42:05
things that we fund I think would be
42:07
important and this this does feel like
42:08
you could use a little freshening yeah I
42:11
think that we would like to create more
42:14
of a report about what's funded and make
42:17
a more Dynamic digital promotion as well
42:20
as website and but then I also do know
42:25
from our funded groups that they really
42:27
do appreciate the social media
42:29
promotion and that they get a lot of
42:32
followers and and new people engaged
42:34
that way so
42:36
I just think it's a great way to uh
42:38
promote the art in the in the community
42:40
yeah when you like when you say social
42:42
media like what what kinds of social
42:44
media are you talking about mostly
42:46
Instagram
42:48
um some Facebook but Instagram really
42:50
seems to be the platform that is most um
42:53
vibrant for this type of I thought you
42:56
were going to say that and I don't know
42:57
how to use Instagram I have to confess I
43:00
don't want to leave you out so that's
43:02
important well I just know people are
43:04
moving into things like Instagram and
43:06
Tick Tock and all sorts of things that I
43:07
don't know how to use but that's
43:09
unfortunate we also have asked in our
43:12
application for groups to consider
43:15
cataloging and
43:18
um and taking video during their
43:20
projects so that they can share it so
43:22
some so a lot of times things that are
43:24
funded were not necessarily
43:26
um you know the only promoter of so they
43:29
themselves are also out there
43:31
promoting them on their end and we do
43:34
require that they include that the Arts
43:38
Commission in the City of Issaquah has
43:41
funded their project so there's a little
43:43
bit more acknowledgment there too got it
43:46
but thank you for those recommendations
43:49
oh City administrator yeah I just wanted
43:52
to amplify the last Point Amy made you
43:54
know every uh Patron who comes to a
43:57
village theater event opens a program
43:59
and sees brought to you by the City of
44:01
Issaquah
44:02
good so I think that those kind of
44:05
things are very important so people come
44:06
from outside the community to enjoy
44:08
events we may not be the producer of the
44:12
activity but we were listed as sponsors
44:14
and so I think people make that
44:16
connection as well good so the thousands
44:18
I'm not sure how many thousands
44:20
generally come annually to a village
44:22
theater event but you feel every time
44:24
they open a program or you go to their
44:26
website uh the city logo is prominently
44:29
displayed so I think that that in of
44:31
itself is a is an important connection
44:33
and I'll add to that um because I I just
44:35
became a subscriber to Village Theater
44:37
this year that they also give
44:39
acknowledgment from the stage to the
44:40
city every performance that I've been to
44:43
so that's nice I know Seattle
44:44
Shakespeare when they do the Shakespeare
44:46
in the park they give a big shout out to
44:48
Larson so that's one of the reasons that
44:51
we have site visitors too just to make
44:53
sure that that's being treated
44:55
accurately
44:59
uh council member D Michelle
45:03
well it is I'm sure you know my concern
45:05
always is do we have enough money in uh
45:08
during the budgeting process last year
45:11
was noted by several council members
45:13
that the Arts fund is uh diminishing uh
45:17
because we've had some theaters close it
45:20
was really a result of the pandemic and
45:23
the uh you know lack of Arts activities
45:25
during those two years so
45:28
um
45:28
I am going to presume and maybe you can
45:31
correct me but the two 2500 limit the
45:34
five thousand dollar limit and so forth
45:35
I presume we're
45:37
levels that were Set uh based on the
45:40
capacity of the Arts fund is that
45:42
correct and that's correct so yes
45:46
and so
45:48
um and so by setting those limits then
45:50
we don't know what people might have
45:53
applied for if they had had a an
45:55
open-ended Grant and so it it uh you and
45:59
this is not a criticism it's just a
46:02
concern that we're not capturing maybe
46:06
what the total need is in the community
46:09
for Arts programming and also
46:13
um what we might be able to obtain if we
46:16
had a more robust Arts fund and and so
46:20
that's a concern of mine and I'm hoping
46:23
that we'll be looking at that more
46:25
intensely in the future that might be a
46:27
question for the city administrator and
46:30
not not Amy so
46:34
absolutely as we said during the budget
46:36
process for 23-24 the administration
46:40
doesn't see tying just the revenue from
46:44
the uh the tax that we collect on the
46:47
ticket most picture tickets other
46:50
amusements to this so we'll have another
46:52
discussion we committed for this cycle
46:55
to fund it at the level we have been and
46:57
I think as we move into budget
46:59
discussions into the future we'll ask
47:01
the council how far do you want to go
47:03
I think that's an open question for the
47:06
council to consider
47:08
we are currently scheduled to come back
47:11
to you to have that discussion at our
47:13
committee
47:14
um this spring
47:18
or summer or summer yeah
47:21
yeah I think as long as we're planning
47:25
to have that discussion that
47:27
um
47:28
um and I you also brought up the
47:29
reimbursement uh
47:31
aspect of the grants that we give and
47:34
and I have some ideas about how we might
47:37
handle that especially with there's
47:39
organizations on this list to get grants
47:42
from this year after year after year and
47:44
obviously have demonstrated their
47:45
ability to manage a grant and so I'd
47:48
like us to look at that and see how we
47:49
might rethink
47:51
how we handle those groups that have
47:55
obviously been providing us with service
47:57
for quite some time so anyway
48:00
um you know great job and
48:02
um those are my concerns maybe not my
48:05
questions but my concerns about the
48:08
future of uh Arts here in Issaquah so
48:11
thanks thanks I appreciate your very
48:14
thoughtful comments
48:16
council member Joe thank you chairman
48:19
um with respect to the question about
48:21
reporting
48:22
has there been any consideration of
48:25
maybe well let me start with this first
48:27
just in the interest of full disclosure
48:30
I'm on the board for the garage a teen
48:31
Cafe so so my colleagues know that and
48:35
if we need to
48:36
cut out that piece as a voting piece we
48:39
can do that et cetera et cetera but to
48:42
my question has there been any
48:44
consideration I think that council
48:46
member D Michelle was on to a point
48:48
where
48:49
organizations have been getting funding
48:51
from us for a number of years and I was
48:54
wondering in the PDC if you are under a
48:57
certain dollar amount you're on a short
48:58
form for reporting whereas if you're
49:01
over a certain amount you have to do all
49:03
the reporting and all the all the
49:04
different
49:05
um you know full disclosure type things
49:07
I'm wondering if there might be some
49:10
consideration of having a short form for
49:13
organizations that might meet some
49:15
criteria that we would set so that we
49:18
know them as an organization we have
49:20
worked with them and so it'd be easier
49:23
for those organizations while still
49:25
adhering to I think that the items that
49:28
the finance committee want us to have in
49:30
there for the um issues of an audit and
49:34
what have you so just throw that out
49:36
there for consideration by staff and the
49:38
administration my other question perhaps
49:41
is for uh City administrator Bob kowitz
49:45
um
49:46
I see that the Downtown issca
49:48
Association is receiving quite a bit of
49:51
of uh support this year and
49:55
um
49:56
do they still have an mou out there that
49:59
we have not signed with them and are
50:02
they just two separate buckets of money
50:04
so that it's it's a apple orange type
50:07
thing if you could kind of give me a
50:10
little bit of background there
50:11
sure
50:12
um
50:13
the administration came to the the
50:15
council during the 2021 budget cycle
50:18
saying that any funds to be allocated to
50:22
the downtown Issaquah Association the
50:24
administration was going to request an
50:25
mou we spent a year uh negotiating in
50:29
mou and were unsuccessful so the
50:32
downtown Issaquah Association received
50:33
no money from the City of Issaquah
50:35
during 2022. we continue to discuss an
50:39
mou for 2023 and have yet to resolve
50:43
that so that is where that is
50:46
um I mean as far as the are these
50:48
different buckets of money
50:50
um yes and no
50:52
um the the mou dollars uh were coming
50:55
through a a pass-through from the real
50:58
estate transfer tax these are general
51:00
fund dollars so they are different
51:04
buckets but still things that the city
51:06
council allocates through the annual
51:08
budget process so
51:10
um
51:10
I I know that there were additional
51:13
requests that dma'd that were not funded
51:15
how many additional there was one one
51:18
additional request
51:19
um that was not funded because it felt
51:22
repetitive to another
51:23
um project so there that they were the
51:26
second largest recipient of dollars uh
51:29
as proposed this evening after Village
51:31
Theater
51:32
um you know it's our hope that we can
51:35
continue to talk with Dia and find
51:38
Opportunities to to support their
51:39
efforts
51:41
would it be within council discretion
51:44
to ask the administration to consider
51:46
whether or not one it's legal for us to
51:48
hold these funds back and if it might be
51:51
appropriate to hold these funds back
51:52
until an mou is signed in other words
51:54
using all of our fiscal elements or or
51:57
you know tools that we have I think it's
52:00
important that we have an mou for this
52:02
organization I think the administration
52:04
is recommending
52:06
um you know to just go ahead and let it
52:08
go through I'd certainly like to hear
52:09
that
52:11
um and but first I'll hear your thoughts
52:13
on on that
52:14
uh thank you councilmember Joe members
52:16
of the committee uh downtown Issaquah
52:19
Association is a separate non-profit if
52:21
they do not wish to uh abide by any
52:24
terms and conditions that the city might
52:26
place on dollars I think that's their
52:28
business and if they can operate without
52:30
City support
52:32
um I mean good for them I think it's
52:35
important to provide Arts opportunities
52:37
in the community they have demonstrated
52:39
the ability to do that and so in this
52:41
instance with the grants I'm not sure
52:43
how much that they've received in past
52:45
years but certainly have received they
52:47
did receive 32 500 last year so this
52:51
does represent a small decrease so they
52:53
they seem to be pretty flush
52:55
um you know I think the question just is
52:57
what's the role of the city in that
53:00
um in that so it's up to the council I
53:02
don't think there's any law legal issues
53:04
here I think it's really a policy
53:05
question if the council wished to
53:08
withdraw the this funding for idea uh
53:12
pending an additional mou I mean that's
53:14
a policy question for the council but at
53:16
this point that's not what the
53:17
administration is recommending I I think
53:19
we feel comfortable moving forward with
53:21
the Arts dollars I mean it's unfortunate
53:24
in some respects I think that you know
53:27
certainly many main streets around
53:28
America uh benefit from that additional
53:32
Public Funding if we have one that
53:33
doesn't have a need for that funding
53:35
then that's great and you know perhaps
53:37
in future years we look and see if
53:39
there's if there's not a need for Arts
53:41
funding either then that can go to
53:42
others I think as councilmember D
53:44
Michelle said there's certainly need and
53:46
if DIA is not an organization that has
53:48
that need in future years then there are
53:50
probably other organizations that'd be
53:52
happy to submit proposals for those
53:54
dollars okay
53:56
um I'm just wondering not for the this
53:59
forum but if we could put a request into
54:03
our City attorney to outline the
54:07
liability dangers that we have by not
54:09
having an mou in place with the Downtown
54:12
Association just so
54:14
um I can be informed and be able to make
54:16
some some good decisions on this I don't
54:18
think we need to I'm asking for that
54:20
before this comes back to council I
54:23
agree with the account the
54:24
administration recommendation to go
54:25
ahead and approve those funds but as per
54:29
as a council member responsible
54:30
fiduciary responsibility I'd just like
54:32
to know that for liability purposes for
54:35
the city certainly and and let me once
54:37
again stress that we are not making that
54:40
General payment so there is no liability
54:43
there are other agreements so for Dia to
54:45
receive the dollars that are before you
54:47
there will be a separate agreement which
54:49
is reviewed by the City attorney I'm
54:51
happy to make the requests of the City
54:52
attorney regardless
54:54
of your regardless I will ask the City
54:57
attorney to opine more broadly and if
54:59
this comes back you'll also have to
55:01
decide this is a regular consent item uh
55:04
we'll make sure it comes back
55:05
great yeah I think I'm just asking for
55:07
you know
55:08
do we have liability right now the way
55:10
we're operating
55:11
without an mou in place and and just if
55:16
we're okay and and because we don't have
55:18
an agreement we don't have any liability
55:19
I'm just concerned there might be other
55:22
things that we haven't closely examined
55:24
it and so again it's not a request for
55:27
an extensive white paper or anything
55:29
like that but just so that we as a
55:32
council are able to understand the
55:36
liability for the city but I do agree
55:37
with the the administration
55:39
recommendation to go ahead with these
55:41
funds
55:42
um and I don't think a requirement for
55:45
an Miu would necessarily be appropriate
55:47
as it seems that they're from two
55:48
different buckets so to speak thank you
55:52
council member G Michelle
55:54
uh Council memory Joe's comments
55:56
reminded me that I also needed to say
55:58
that I am chairman of the board for
56:00
influence to choice and I had checked
56:03
with the city attorney earlier
56:06
um on the same issue of recusing myself
56:08
from votes and her conclusion was that
56:12
since I don't receive any personal
56:13
benefit from the grant that it was okay
56:17
for me to vote on it and I I would
56:19
presume that would also apply to council
56:21
member Joe as well but I do think for
56:23
transparency that I would like people to
56:26
know that I'm in that position with
56:27
influence of choice thank you
56:32
all right uh I will ask at this point if
56:36
we do we have any other questions
56:39
uh is there anything more that you want
56:41
to present
56:43
um I have concluded my presentation I
56:45
just um if the either of the Arts
56:47
Commissioners who are um joining us
56:49
would like to say something
56:54
uh uh oh all right
56:57
um well do we have any members of the
56:59
public that wish to speak at this time
57:01
chair Joe both of our virtual attendees
57:04
are members of the Arts commission and
57:06
previous polling of them has indicated
57:08
that uh neither of them have comments at
57:10
this time all right right and as we have
57:13
no members of the public that aren't
57:15
City staffers I think we can safely go
57:17
to deliberation of this uh item so
57:23
council member Joe thank you I'm in full
57:26
support of the recommended amounts I'm
57:29
just going to touch on
57:32
um
57:32
how the programs are significant to
57:35
the way that I feel about our community
57:38
and and I'll just point to the the
57:40
Veterans Day event that is being funded
57:42
up at the Highlands I had the pleasure
57:45
of attending that event this past
57:47
November and to see the Girl Scouts up
57:52
there
57:53
preparing the facility welcoming the
57:56
veterans that come in making them feel
57:59
appreciated and at home was just
58:04
something that that wore in my heart so
58:06
to speak and I think that for the amount
58:09
that's in there the return that we get
58:11
in terms of of both contrib
58:14
contributions from young people who are
58:16
going to be adults tied into our
58:18
community in the future and those
58:19
veterans that have come back from
58:21
service wherever in the world they they
58:24
were called to I think it's just a great
58:26
Synergy and and helps
58:29
helps really
58:31
diversify the the the the community and
58:34
make us a richer community in there so
58:36
I'm in full support of the
58:38
recommendations
58:41
council member G Michelle
58:43
thank you uh before I start my remarks I
58:46
just want to say that I did have the
58:48
privilege of working with Amy Dukes when
58:51
I was a member of the Arts commission
58:52
for years and just want to commend her
58:55
and say what a very fine administrator
58:57
you are of the Arts uh
59:00
the new signs on the Front Street for
59:04
the creative District are just fantastic
59:06
so there's always something I catch
59:09
something I see something and I think in
59:11
their Amy's fingerprints are all over
59:13
that so thank you so much for all that
59:15
you do for the Arts
59:18
um I too will approve this
59:19
recommendation and I'm really glad to
59:21
hear that we're going to have a wider
59:23
conversation about the Arts I always
59:26
like to emphasize that our investment in
59:29
arts is also an investment in Business
59:31
Development and Tourism and leads to the
59:36
Vitality of this District of this
59:38
District of this community and also is a
59:42
tremendous way for bringing people
59:43
together
59:44
from all different kinds of backgrounds
59:47
and points of view to enjoy the Arts
59:50
together so it's kind of the glue that
59:53
holds a lot of our community together
59:55
and so I always see these Investments as
59:59
just told vital to our community and I
1:00:03
was also very pleased to see the wide
1:00:05
range of grants that are being awarded
1:00:07
this year so absolutely 100 percent
1:00:10
approve this moving forward and thank
1:00:13
you for all your work and the work of
1:00:14
the Arts commission which I you know
1:00:17
having gone through it I know how many
1:00:19
hours go into reviewing all those grand
1:00:21
Grant applications so thanks to them too
1:00:24
and please extend our thanks to them
1:00:26
thank
1:00:28
and with that I will move that this
1:00:32
committee uh recommends that the agenda
1:00:36
build representing the 2023 Arts Grant
1:00:39
allocation be brought to the city
1:00:40
council at the February 6 2023 council
1:00:44
meeting second
1:00:46
think we've had our conversation I am a
1:00:49
huge supporter of the Arts and I'm happy
1:00:52
that we live in a community that can
1:00:55
make some public investment in the art
1:00:56
and like I said the part of that part of
1:01:00
that for me is definitely the education
1:01:02
out in the community and I would love to
1:01:04
see if we have opportunities in the
1:01:06
future to sort of Leverage that and and
1:01:09
do some Outreach with our community and
1:01:11
help introduce art into the community
1:01:13
because not everybody has spent a bunch
1:01:16
of time with art since they were in you
1:01:18
know Middle School
1:01:19
which for some of us was more than a few
1:01:22
years ago
1:01:23
so uh no further discussion there for uh
1:01:28
all in favor say aye aye
1:01:30
opposed
1:01:32
abstentions that carries three to zero
1:01:34
and did the administration have a
1:01:37
recommendation of whether this came back
1:01:38
on regular or consent
1:01:41
I I think if we're able to answer
1:01:43
councilmember Joe's questions off agenda
1:01:45
there's probably no reason this can't be
1:01:46
on consent okay let's send it on consent
1:01:50
and uh if there are still questions
1:01:52
people can can address them at that time
1:01:56
all right I believe that is it for our
1:01:59
agenda this evening
1:02:01
um uh hold on a second let me just go to
1:02:04
let me just double check that and you
1:02:07
never know if you had any surprises that
1:02:10
you didn't think of nope are there any
1:02:11
announcements from any uh committee
1:02:13
members Just one thought uh as this
1:02:16
committee has jurisdiction over the uh
1:02:18
police department and Public Safety uh I
1:02:21
would just ask we kind of keep an eye on
1:02:24
the legislative uh items that are going
1:02:26
through concerning Pursuits and reducing
1:02:29
the level of making a decision to pursue
1:02:32
from probable cause down to Reasonable
1:02:34
Suspicion I think that'll have an impact
1:02:37
on the safety in our community and some
1:02:39
of the crime issues that we're seeing at
1:02:42
some of our big retailers so let's throw
1:02:44
that out there for monitoring as we go
1:02:46
forward this year
1:02:49
anything else
1:02:51
all right thank you with that we are
1:02:53
adjourned at 7 33 p.m thank you everyone
1:02:56
out there at home and have a great
1:02:58
evening