Arts Commission Regular Meeting

Agenda Modification: Public Art Fund Report

• A motion passed to defer the Public Art Fund report to a future meeting.
• The commission determined the preliminary report was not yet prepared for review.
• A dedicated meeting regarding public art fund finances is already scheduled.

Presentation: Roles and Responsibilities

• An educational presentation covered Brown Act compliance and ethics training requirements.
• Members discussed legal restrictions regarding serial meetings and remote attendance laws.
• The commission directed staff to follow up with the City Attorney on audio-visual copyright solutions.

Future Agenda Items

• Requests were approved to discuss Libby Bowl purview and Ojai Day poster involvement.
• A conflict between event banners was identified for future agenda discussion.
• These topics were added to the list of items for upcoming meetings.

Staff Liaison Report

• Commission members will be issued City email addresses to maintain public records.
• Discussion occurred regarding the preferred location for the upcoming mural jury.
• Staff agreed to coordinate technical solutions for on-site filming during the review.

• Meeting: City of Ojai Arts Commission Regular Meeting Subject: Summary of Proceedings

Agenda Modification: Public Art Fund Report

• A motion was made to remove the Public Art Fund report from the current agenda and defer it to a future meeting. The motion was based on the assessment that the preliminary report was not yet prepared for commission review and that a dedicated meeting regarding public art fund finances was scheduled. The motion was seconded. The motion passed.

Public Comment

• Bernadette DiPietro appeared on behalf of the Ojai Studio Artists to thank the commission for a recent grant. She reported that the organization awards annual scholarships to high school students and noted that the funds come from ticket sales generated by their annual tour. She offered a print by Gail Childress as a gift to the City Art Collection. It was noted that donations of art to the collection require a vote at a future meeting.

Presentation: Roles and Responsibilities

• Lisa Torossian of LHR & Winder presented an educational overview regarding the roles and responsibilities of Arts Commission members. Topics included the Brown Act, serial meetings, conflicts of interest, ethics training requirements (including updates under SB 827), public records requests, and the specific duties of the Arts Commission regarding the Public Arts Program, the Committee to Approve Public Art (CAPA), and the five-year arts plan.
• During the Q&A session, the following topics were discussed:
• Agenda Setting: Clarification was sought regarding who may place items on the agenda. It was noted that the Chair sets the agenda, though two commission members may request items for future meetings.
• Brown Act Compliance: Discussion occurred regarding serial meetings, specifically concerning communication via email, social media, and meetings of a quorum outside of public view. The proper response to a perceived violation was discussed.
• Remote Attendance: Information was provided regarding laws allowing for remote attendance under specific conditions (AB 2449 and 2302), including notice requirements and venue accessibility for the public.
• Copyright and A/V: Concerns were raised regarding the restriction on audio-visual presentations during meetings due to copyright policies. The Commission noted the need to resolve technical solutions allowing creators to present original work during grant applications. This was designated for follow-up with the City Attorney's office.

Consent Calendar

• A motion was made to accept the minutes for the December 15 and December 16 meetings as the consent calendar. The motion was seconded. The motion passed.

Commissioner Reports

• Public Art: A report was given regarding the organization of a mural jury. It was noted that the maintenance costs for the public artwork "Big Red Roller" would be brought to the City Council's attention.
• Enrichment Seminar: A report was provided regarding a seminar held on January 18. High attendance was reported, and the recording of the event was discussed regarding storage and distribution.
• Grants: A report was provided indicating a busy schedule for grant reviews in March.
• Strategic Planning: Progress on advertising for a meeting coordinator/facilitator was reported. An upcoming meeting with the Chamber of Commerce was noted.

Future Agenda Items

• Libby Bowl: A request was made to place the presentation of the Libby Bowl on the agenda for discussion regarding the commission's purview over such events.
• Ojai Day Poster: A request was made to place the involvement of the Arts Commission in the Ojai Day poster design on the agenda.
• Studio Artist Tour Banner: A conflict regarding the Ojai Day banner overlapping with the Ojai Studio Artist Tour banner was discussed. This item was added to the list of topics for future agenda items.

Staff Liaison Report

• Email Addresses: Commission members will be issued City email addresses to maintain public records regarding official communications.
• Grants: Follow-up is ongoing regarding grant checks that were lost or undelivered.
• Mural Jury Location: Discussion occurred regarding the location of the upcoming mural jury. Staff liaison indicated the City Chamber is preferred to facilitate filming and adherence to the Brown Act. Commission members indicated a preference for on-site review to allow jurors to view the wall. Staff liaison agreed to coordinate with management and IT to determine technical solutions for on-site filming.

Council Liaison Report

• The Council Liaison invited commissioners to a Chamber of Commerce breakfast event on March 4 regarding the creative economy. Connections with California for the Arts were also reported.

Commissioner Comments

• Economic Focus: Comments were made regarding the balance between focusing on the creative economy and supporting non-commercial creators.
• Audio-Visual Access: Concerns were reiterated regarding the lack of audio-visual support for guest presentations over the previous nine months.
• Strategic Planning: Commissioner interest was noted regarding access to the existing five-year arts plan and incorporating new perspectives into the strategic planning process.

Adjournment

• The meeting was adjourned.