[0:08] Welcome to the regular meeting of the
public art review board uh July 15,
[0:14] 2026. The time is 608. Uh Becky, can you
please call?
[0:21] » All right. Um acting chair Merrick.
>> Oh, here. [laughter]
[0:25] » Member Sandival
>> here. Member Schoffler
[0:30] » here.
>> Member Skinner.
[0:32] » Yes.
>> All right. And then member Xiao we know
[0:35] will be absent this evening. Thank you.
[0:40] » Okay. So, I'm calling [clears throat] I
guess our first agenda item approving
[0:46] the regular meeting minutes from January
14th.
[0:50] Uh at this time, we invite questions and
answers from committee members to staff.
[1:02] Okay. So, I'll call for a motion and
then a second to approve the minutes.
[1:09] » So, moved.
>> Second.
[1:13] » Becky, can you please call the role?
>> Yeah. Was the second uh member Skinner?
[1:19] » Yeah.
>> Okay. Thank you.
[1:22] » All right. Um,
acting chair Merritt,
[1:26] » uh, yay.
>> Member Sandival,
[1:29] » yes.
>> Member Schoffler,
[1:31] » yes.
>> And member Skinner,
[1:34] » yes.
>> Right. Motion approved. Thank you.
[1:37] » Thank you.
>> At this time, I'd like to open public
[1:41] comment for any in-person participants
on any matters not listed on the agenda
[1:45] that pertain to the public art review
board.
[1:50] » I'll just add a quick comment. It's
great to see so many people here
[1:53] tonight. Thank you all for being here,
taking time out of your evening. My name
[1:56] is Craig Baray. I work for the city. I'm
the assistant library rec director. Uh I
[2:01] also wear the hat of being the um city
staff leazison for the public art review
[2:06] board, which is why you're all here. And
I'll just encourage everyone since
[2:09] there's a lot of people in the room, we
limit public comment to two minutes per
[2:13] person. And if if someone already said
something that you agree with, one of
[2:17] the ways we really like to acknowledge
that is to use the ASL applause. Like
[2:22] you can put your hands up and um just
acknowledge that you're in agreement. Um
[2:26] but we also want to just remind everyone
to be respectful and um share opinions
[2:30] in a respectful way. With that, that's
open for anyone.
[2:37] » Who wants to go first?
>> I'll go first.
[2:40] » Okay.
>> Yeah. We don't have a dis here. So,
[2:43] » all right.
>> Well, I read this part here. It says,
[2:46] "Be respectful." So, I won't tell you
what I really think about this project,
[2:51] but it's not art. Emperor has no
clothes. These are cartoons. Dunesbury
[2:58] has a message. Do you cut out the
Dunesbury cartoon and frame it and put
[3:01] it in your living room? We have to have
these just because somebody wants them.
[3:05] Somebody wants to say, "We got heard, so
therefore we got this." Most of us that
[3:10] live there don't want it. If you read
these, you're going to read them once.
[3:14] You're not going to read them again and
again, and it's not even it's the same
[3:17] people going by over and over. These
even don't even go on the path over to
[3:21] Target. So anyway, uh I hope you don't
approve it. This is the art review
[3:29] boards and you're looking at cartoons,
keep that in mind. Thank you.
[3:35] » Excuse me.
>> We had a question.
[3:39] » Dad Labar.
>> Dad Labar. Lamar B.
[3:42] » Yeah. L A capital B A R R E.
>> Yeah. And just since we don't typically
[3:48] get a lot of public comment, I think
that's a a really great point. If you
[3:50] want to share your name, the
neighborhood you live in, that's always
[3:53] helpful for us. If you also have any
written correspondence that you want to
[3:57] share and leave with me, we can add that
to the project record. We do have a
[4:01] project file for you.
>> Thank you.
[4:07] » And also, can I just get a show? Um, how
many of you are here to speak about the
[4:10] people of the canal project tonight?
Just to clarify that, um, if you're
[4:16] speaking about that people of the canal
project, that is not an item that's on
[4:19] the agenda. And since it's not an item
that's on the agenda, I just want to
[4:23] clarify that. Um, to date, the public
art review board has not received a
[4:28] proposal. So, they are they have not had
any information in front of them to
[4:33] review at this point in time. So just to
clarify that um to make sure that
[4:37] everyone's on the same page. Um so if
you are speaking about that project
[4:41] again not on the agenda it's not
something that we'll we to discuss at
[4:44] length this evening in in alignment with
our brown act rules.
[4:49] » Right. I'll speak next.
>> Hello everyone. My name is Susan Lavine.
[4:53] I live in Bayoint.
>> Speak up a little bit.
[4:56] » And I'm a member of which stands for
Marin Alliance to Retain Stark weather
[5:01] habitat. I want to begin by recognizing
that the peoples of the canal project is
[5:06] unlike anything your board has approved
before. In the past, the board has
[5:11] approved murals on buildings, artwork on
utility boxes, and temporary exhibits
[5:17] inside places like Fallerk Cultural
Center. Those projects may be very
[5:22] different artistically, but they have
something important in common. They are
[5:26] located in developed settings. They're
relatively easy to maintain or replace,
[5:31] and they can be removed without
permanently changing the character of
[5:35] the place. This proposal is different.
It would permanently install a two-mile
[5:42] largecale exhibit throughout one of San
Rafll's most treasured shoreline parks.
[5:49] These signs wouldn't simply occupy the
space, they would become part of the
[5:53] landscape for decades. And that's
especially significant because on the
[5:57] shoreline path, the view is the art.
People come to experience the marsh, the
[6:03] bay, the wildlife, and the sweeping
views. The shoreline itself is the
[6:07] destination, not a backdrop for a
permanent outdoor exhibit. That's why
[6:13] your responsibility isn't simply to
decide whether this is a worthwhile
[6:17] project. It's to decide whether it's the
right project for this location. Your
[6:22] review criteria asks whether this site
is appropriate, whether the project is
[6:27] compatible with its surroundings, and
whether it enhances the public space in
[6:31] which it will be placed. I don't think
anyone disputes that these stories
[6:35] deserve to be told. They absolutely do.
The real question is whether the
[6:39] shoreline park is the right place to
tell them. And if the current design
[6:43] can't work anywhere else, then perhaps
the design should evolve so it can.
[6:49] Great public art doesn't ask a special
place to change to accommodate the art.
[6:54] It succeeds because it respects and
complements the place where it's
[6:58] installed. Thank you.
[7:06] » Yeah. Mark fellows. I'm a Scottish but I
actually live in Sper Point. So before I
[7:11] get to the next question and I'm going
to speak fast. I apologize because I
[7:14] thought we had three minutes. I want to
get I want to bring perspective from my
[7:17] own work in public art in New York City
with NGO Artbridge. Last month I helped
[7:21] launch a community art project called
speaking body in Brooklyn's 34 district
[7:26] that tells the stories of immigrant
mothers living in the city's shelter
[7:28] system. We didn't ask where the story
whether the story deserved to be have a
[7:32] home and clearly did. We asked where the
audience was time and attention to
[7:36] consume the art. That's the lens I'm
bringing to tonight. So this exhibit has
[7:40] real educational in my view educational
and artistic value. Nobody here is
[7:44] arguing otherwise in front of this board
tonight isn't the question isn't whether
[7:48] the panels are good art or not. It's
whether the shoreline path is the right
[7:51] environment to deliver that art. So
throughout the process the question
[7:54] seems to have been framed around whether
the installation fits the shoreline path
[7:57] largely because that's where it was
first conceived. I believe correct me if
[8:01] I'm wrong. Um [clears throat] I'd
suggest it's the wrong question. The
[8:04] question is whether it's the site can
deliver what a permanent 22 panel
[8:09] exhibit actually needs an audience that
stops, reads, and returns. Picklewood
[8:15] Park sits at the canal neighborhood
itself with parking, restrooms, shade,
[8:18] and room for people to gather. This
audience this project is meant to serve.
[8:24] The shoreline path is a linear two-mile
recreational trail. People walk, run,
[8:27] bike, fish, bird watch there. never
built to hold a museum's worth of text
[8:31] and moving um art through um I'm gonna
move on quickly. M so matching the
[8:36] project to the right side isn't a
downgrade. It's the ordinary work of
[8:39] producing public art responsibly. My art
bridge project succeeded because we
[8:44] match the work to where the audience
already was, not because we found a way
[8:48] to force it somewhere else. So the board
can live by the same standard here not
[8:51] by judging whether the art is good um or
not but by asking whether this stretch
[8:57] of shoreline is a place to receive it.
The current proposal can't be met by the
[9:01] board's if a current proposal can't be
met by the board standards for this
[9:05] location. The answer isn't to compromise
the shoreline is to give this project a
[9:08] site where it can actually succeed.
[9:16] » Okay, I'll go next. Uh my name is Claire
Taylor uh also of Spanaker Point and
[9:22] this evening I'd like to talk about um
the perspective of planning that went
[9:28] into uh the the uh canal art project and
there are two con significant points
[9:34] that haven't been considered in the
placement of where the panel should be
[9:40] along the weather path. And the first is
that the city part of the city's general
[9:46] plan as a part of the sea level rise
adaptation plan is the likely potential
[9:52] for the refabrication or the removal of
the burm to accommodate the new
[9:57] infrastructure that will be constructed
to protect against inevitable sea level
[10:02] rise. We all know that this is
happening.
[10:05] Secondly, that if the proposed park
lighting goes through, um the city will
[10:11] have to dig up the same pathway where
the signs would sit to install lighting.
[10:16] And this of course would seriously
interfere with or delay any installation
[10:21] that is placed along the path and may
necessitate its removal to complete an
[10:27] electrical infrastructure project.
The only way to guarantee that the art
[10:33] remains intact and untouched is to place
it elsewhere. For example, at Pickle
[10:39] Pickle Community Center where it will be
preserved and protected for all to
[10:44] enjoy. Long-term projects need to be
planned in conjunction with each other.
[10:50] Um, if the art project is considered an
asset to the community, it should be
[10:56] placed where it can be most appreciated
by everyone. Thank you.
[11:02] I'll go next since I'm going to kind of
speak a little bit to what Claire just
[11:06] said. My name is Flores. I'm a resident
also of Senkar Point. The history of the
[11:12] Canal neighborhood is rich, important,
and absolutely deserves to be shared.
[11:17] But tonight, the issue isn't the history
that we're talking about. It's the
[11:20] location. Why would the city install a
permanent exhibit on a shoreline it
[11:25] already knows will have to be redesigned
because of sea level rise? The shoreline
[11:30] trail and bayfront BM are in the FEMA
flood zone. The city's southeast
[11:36] Sanrifell sea level rise adaptation plan
identifies this very corridor as an area
[11:42] that will require future adaptation. The
city is already studying options that
[11:47] include raising, widening, relocating,
or reconstructing the levy and the
[11:52] shoreline path. So, we know that this
landscape is going to change. Yes. Yet,
[11:58] this proposal calls for 22 permanent
history panels anchored in the same
[12:02] corridor. When shoreline improvements
eventually occur, those panels could
[12:07] have to be moved, removed, lo relocated,
repaired, or replaced, all at additional
[12:13] expense. That simply isn't a good
long-term planning. There is a better
[12:18] solution, but the goal is to celebrate
the canal history. Use a temporary or
[12:23] rotating exhibit. The city has already
demonstrated this concept with the civic
[12:27] cent's music and moren through the
decades exhibit. Temporary exhibits can
[12:32] be updated, expanded, relocated, or
replaced as community needs change and
[12:37] as a shoreline evolves. There's also a
smarter investment. Instead of spending
[12:43] taxpayer dollars on permanent
infrastructure that may later have to be
[12:47] demolished or reconstructed, the city
can avoid unnecessary future costs while
[12:52] preserving the flexibility to adapt.
Better yet, place the exhibit where
[12:57] people can truly experience it in a
location with parking, restrooms,
[13:02] seating, shade, a ADA accessibility, and
room for school groups and community
[13:09] programs. not along a narrow
recreational trail that is already
[13:14] slated for future modification. No one
is questioning whether the canal's
[13:19] history deserves recognition. It
absolutely does. The question before you
[13:25] is whether a permanent installation
belongs in a place the city already
[13:30] knows will be fundamentally
altered by sea level rise. I
[13:35] respectfully ask you to reconsider the
proposal and pursue a temporary movable
[13:41] exhibit in a more appropriate location.
It will honor the canal's history,
[13:46] better serve the public, [clears throat]
and be a more responsible investment of
[13:50] taxpayer dollars. Thank you so much.
[13:56] » I'll go ahead. Um, I'm also a Sparkle
Point um, resident and I walk that path
[14:02] every day. And the art is the water, the
pelicans, the birds, the sky. I would
[14:09] love to even see a little critter
crossing the what are the um the little
[14:14] predators who live on the little island,
but as long as they're going the other
[14:17] way. But the and there is absolutely no
parking for anybody to come and look at
[14:23] that art. and our streets are already
crowded from from cars that don't are
[14:28] not living there residents and so people
who live there have a hard time parking.
[14:34] So again, I think a more appropriate
space to leave the nature, which is what
[14:38] that path was originally designed for to
to enjoy nature and the beauty. It's bad
[14:44] enough if those lights go in because
that's going to destroy the ecosystem,
[14:48] but I would please urge you to look for
a more appropriate place to put the art
[14:54] which which deserves an appropriate
place. Thank you.
[15:04] » Sure, I'll go. Uh, my name is Stuart
Dubie. I am a 29-year Sanrfell resident
[15:11] at Baypoint Lagoon's HOA board member
and tonight I speak as a volunteer with
[15:15] Marsh to address the board's upcoming
evaluation of the people's of of the
[15:19] canal signage project. Um before I
start, I think everyone's made this
[15:24] really clear. We completely support
preserving and sharing the history of
[15:28] the Miwok Coast Miwok, the Canal
neighborhood, and many communities that
[15:32] shape San Rafll's history. We believe
it's a story that deserves to be told.
[15:37] The question before you is not whether
this is an important story. The question
[15:42] before you is is the one that your own
bylaws require you to answer.
[15:47] [clears throat] Has the applicant just
demonstrated that the proposed peoples
[15:50] of the canal project satisfies the
public art reviews boards boards adopted
[15:56] review criteria.
These criteria ask that you evaluate the
[16:00] project readiness, community engagement,
long-term maintenance, design, and
[16:04] whether the appropriate site has been
identified. With those standards are
[16:08] applied, I believe several important
questions remain. First, community
[16:12] engagement. Your bylaws require
meaningful engagement with the
[16:18] neighborhood organizations and adjacent
communities for long-term art projects.
[16:23] Yet hundreds of residents, trail users,
environmental organizations, and
[16:27] recreational users only became aware of
this proposal on October of 2025.
[16:34] Today, more than 290 verified petition
signatures along with letters and public
[16:40] testimony asked the city to reconsider
the location, not because they oppose
[16:45] the history, but the le but because they
question whether the shoreline path is
[16:49] the appropriate setting. That level of
community concern deserves more than
[16:53] acknowledgement. It deserves meaningful
consideration.
[16:58] Has the applicant demonstrated the level
of community engagement envisioned by
[17:02] your bylaws.
Second, appropriate site. Your review
[17:06] criteria specifically identifies
selecting an appropriate site as part of
[17:11] the project ready readiness. The
shoreline path is not a downtown
[17:15] streetscape, civic plaza, or museum. is
one of San Rafll's most treasured
[17:19] shoreline parks where the landscape
itself is the destination. People come,
[17:24] walk, run, bicycle, observe the
wildlife, enjoy uninterrupted bay views
[17:29] of one of the last remaining tidal
natural tidal salt marshes. This
[17:34] proposal will introduce approximately 22
permanent interpretive stations along
[17:38] nearly two miles encouraging vis
visitors to stop, read, interact with
[17:43] digital content on a narrow shared use
recreational corridor.
[17:48] » I'm sorry, we're we're like 30 seconds
over.
[17:51] » Okay. Can I just
>> speak?
[17:57] » Okay, that's fine. Um,
[18:02] it it will introduce approximately 22
permanent interpretive stations across
[18:06] nearly two miles, encouraging visitors
to stop, gather, read, interact with
[18:10] digital content on a narrow shared
shared use recreational corridor,
[18:16] blocking the same path frequented by
runners, cyclists, and fast moving
[18:20] ebikes and ecooters. The board should
ask these simple questions. Does this
[18:25] installation enhance the shoreline or
fundamentally change the experience
[18:29] people come to there to enjoy? Has the
applicant demonstrated that other
[18:34] alternative publicly accessible
locations were meaningfully evaluated?
[18:40] Um, in conclusion, this proposal is
unlike projects previously reviewed by
[18:45] PAR. It is not simply a mural or
sculpture. It's a permanent two-mile
[18:49] interpretive experience that becomes
part of the landscape itself. Your
[18:54] responsibility is not simply to
determine whether the part project has
[18:57] artistic or educational merit. It is to
determine whether the applicant has
[19:02] demonstrated that this proposal
satisfies the city's adoptive review
[19:06] criteria and that this shoreline park is
the appropriate location. We
[19:11] respectfully ask that these questions be
answered before any recommendation is
[19:15] made to the city council. Thank you.
>> I'll go next. My name is Reva Revis and
[19:22] I live in Spker Point. Um, I'm going to
speak to the educational value and
[19:27] practicality. One of the primary
justifications for this project is it
[19:31] will educate Canal students and serve
the 13,000 residents of the Canal
[19:35] neighborhood and also uh the students of
the Marin uh school system. We all agree
[19:41] again that this history deserves to be
told. Again, the question is whether or
[19:45] not the Shoreline Path is the right
classroom to bring a class here.
[19:48] Teachers would have to bring students on
a bus, park at at the if you're going in
[19:54] the direction that the exhibit goes,
they would park and then have to walk
[19:58] two to four miles along a along a shared
recreational trail to view signs and
[20:03] access QR codes. But I want to speak to
the rec the shared part of the
[20:06] recreational trail. It is a very narrow
path, very narrow. And it is full. It is
[20:12] always busy. So, if you how you can you
imagine moving school groups along uh of
[20:18] of young children and then and then also
there's lots of they're not supposed to
[20:23] be, but there's lots of um um motorized
traffic like scooters and bikes just
[20:29] zipping by. Um which is I think would be
a problem for school groups. Um but the
[20:35] so imagine the children are the school
children are going along. They're
[20:38] viewing signs in big clusters of groups
and they're accessing QR codes and
[20:42] digital features, which raises another
concern. Instead of experiencing the
[20:45] marsh wildlife scenic shoreline,
students will spend much of their time
[20:48] looking at phones and screens. The
experience becomes more like walking
[20:52] through an outdoor museum than one one
of enjoying San Rafael's most beautiful
[20:56] park. And again, we've already talked
about the lack of facilities that is
[21:00] really critical for for school children.
And then um I can't even imagine that it
[21:05] meets any type of ADA uh requirements
where you could actually take school
[21:09] children. Um the the person who proposed
this project stated the project is
[21:14] warmly welcomed by the Marin school
superintendent. Well, we we reached out
[21:18] to John Carroll and he said he said my
role has not involved participation in
[21:25] the development location or visitor
logistics of the project itself. My role
[21:29] has been focused specifically on the art
and history education components. And I
[21:34] guess my time is up.
[21:49] » Jimmy
[clears throat]
[21:55] artists and visual artists. We just
pulled together some pictures so you
[21:59] could see what we're talking about.
Um, this one is an actual scale sign.
[22:06] It's over at Chrissy Field in San
Francisco. And this is a child. So, this
[22:11] is what it would look like for the child
standing at the sign. And there's one
[22:15] sign there. And it talks about what
you're seeing, the birds, the natural
[22:20] wildlife.
This is a sign that's already on the
[22:24] path. It's the only one there.
Well, see it, but oh, actually, yeah, it
[22:31] won't be on there. And this is 22 by 22
in. This is 36x 24, which is the size of
[22:40] this. This is how big those signs are
going to be. Okay, this is an actual
[22:46] interpretive. There's a definition for
interpretive signage, and it means it's
[22:50] wetland birds of walkman. If anybody's
ever been at Andy's Market, you know
[22:54] where that is before you get to the This
is all about the birds that live in this
[22:59] marsh. Um, this is the temporary exhibit
at the civic center that we were talking
[23:06] about and it's beautiful. It's music
through the decades in Marin. You've
[23:12] probably seen it if you went to the fair
or something and they've moved it a
[23:16] couple of times, but it gives you an
idea of how you could put large panels
[23:19] and there's parking there. You get the
idea. There's bathrooms.
[23:26] This is the path. This is what it looks
like when people are there. It's almost
[23:33] impassible. If you if the bike comes,
you've got to really You really got to
[23:38] do something.
>> And the bikes, you're missing the bikes
[23:40] whipping down.
>> Yeah, the ebikes.
[23:44] This is a flooded um this is a flooded
part of the path where there won't be
[23:48] any signs. It's privately owned and it's
unlit and it's
[23:54] » unimproved. You have to walk through
that
[23:55] » and during the winter, can you tell them
what the what it's like in the winter?
[23:59] » Yeah, it's worse than this. Finally, wet
money.
[24:02] » This is what happens to signage in that
area and it's a regular occurrence.
[24:07] There's lots of graffiti on ba waste
baskets and the on the on the asphalt,
[24:13] etc. This is the before and this is it
cleaned up, which isn't really clean.
[24:20] Thank you
[24:26] for public comment.
>> I wasn't going to speak, but something
[24:32] that was just barely mentioned um but I
think is really important and I agree
[24:36] with everything everyone said is
parking. Parking is a nightmare for us,
[24:41] particularly on the weekends, which
would be the most likely the highest
[24:45] time that the public would come to see
the exhibit. There are no parking
[24:49] spaces. I live on Spre Point Drive in
Spre Point. And um the parking at the
[24:55] other end um is negligible. Um there's a
few spaces. I can't imagine what
[25:01] wouldn't be happening with school buses
that are coming to find a place to wait
[25:07] for the people in our neighborhood.
[25:12] » By the way, um my name is Joanie Harris
and I live at Baypoint. Sorry, got all
[25:18] excited. My name is Susan Burns.
[25:28] » My name is Rich Stock and I'm here on
behalf of the Canal Arts Nonprofit,
[25:35] which is the the author of this project.
And I know some of you may not know
[25:40] about this, but I just want to give you
a brief glimpse at the typical signage
[25:45] that's being designed, proposed.
This is one of 20 exhibits that will be
[25:53] on on the path. Um [clears throat]
the uh
[26:02] misinformation that I think some folks
are suffering from is that the uh
[26:10] exhibits are going to be
twice the size that they really are.
[26:16] They'll be located
uh
[26:21] together, which they're not. This is a
two-year, excuse me, a twomile
[26:27] project. The average space between these
exhibits is a tenth of a mile. That's
[26:33] about a 2 to three minute walk between
one and the next. U this is a this is an
[26:40] actual
image showing one of the signs and the
[26:46] next one that's
approximately a tenth of a mile away.
[26:51] And that bears no resemblance to to
what's being shown here. And I and I,
[26:55] you know, I look at these and I think,
you know, if I was evaluating a project
[27:00] that was as congested and as oversized
as this is depicted on the on the
[27:05] website that's been created, I would
object. But that's not what this is.
[27:12] This project began four years ago with
our partners, the Kushniwok
[27:18] saying, you know, we have never told our
story in public
[27:23] and uh this is an opportunity that we
can we can use. We worked with the city
[27:28] to see if this is a a feasible project.
City elected officials have been on our
[27:35] side and warmly receptive of the project
for all of this time. Uh the final
[27:40] approval of course won't be until it
goes to the city council after your
[27:45] board reviews it. U
>> sorry I think we've answered the
[27:51] objections by uh by the loyal opposition
>> and we can we can elaborate on that but
[27:59] uh that's to give you a a quick
introduction to what the project is.
[28:07] If there are any questions we're here to
represent saying it's opposition. We're
[28:11] not opposition.
>> This isn't a forum for discussion.
[28:15] » I'd like to supporting the art itself.
This isn't a forum for discussion right
[28:21] now.
>> Scotland.
[28:23] » Yeah. I'm just saying it should be a
public forum. [laughter]
[28:27] » So I understand democracy may be a
little bit different than it is here.
[28:30] » We just try to limit the back and forth
thing.
[28:33] » Um thanks. Uh we go next. Um I also want
people project of course. My name is
[28:42] Brian Shaw. Uh I live in S Sano. Um I've
been working with Rich uh as a project
[28:48] manager and a historian the project. Um,
I like I I think Omar Carrera of the
[28:54] Canal Alliance and a strong supporter of
the project put it really well uh when
[29:00] he spoke in support of the project and
said that for some time now we've been
[29:04] witnessing uh these scenes around the
country where Hispanic immigrants are
[29:08] reminded that some Americans feel they
don't belong here. And um he said that
[29:13] the beauty of this um public art a
public history is that it kind of
[29:19] counters that. Um now I know a sense of
history doesn't give like you know
[29:24] knowledge of the past doesn't give any
clear marching orders for present- day
[29:28] political debates about about uh doesn't
say how stringent or relaxed immigration
[29:34] policies should be or environmental
policies should be. But um the past can
[29:40] provide extremely important context and
guidance for how to conduct those
[29:45] debates. Um knowing that California was
part of Mexico not very long ago and
[29:50] before that was Coast Miwok land and
that our current bay is at least the
[29:54] third iteration of San Francisco Bay. uh
that just 20,000 years ago, Alcatraz was
[30:01] once again a hill rising over a lush
green valley and the coast was 20 miles
[30:07] out by the Fairine Islands. Is the sort
of knowledge surfaces questions um of
[30:12] how we can build and sustain resiliency
to live well and compassionately with
[30:18] each other and with the land here today.
Um now where should that story be told
[30:24] in a book? Um perhaps. But I I think um
history is about location and and I know
[30:33] when I walked the path with Mayor Kate
and uh Council Member Loren Galott with
[30:38] Rich and and um tribal member Laurel
Ross of the Federated Indians of Great
[30:44] Rancheria. Lurel in particular stressed
um location that when you were talking
[30:50] about the Chief Maran where Maran County
gets its name. There's the Marin Marin
[30:56] Islands right um offshore um and talking
about some of the environmental lessons.
[31:02] Here's a um lagoon that could surface
that. So
[31:06] » sorry, that's that's time.
>> Great. I'll I'll end there and and you
[31:09] know, I think it'd be a shame to let the
opportunity to tell this story in the
[31:14] place that it that it is would be a real
shame that way. Thank you.
[31:23] » Uh [clears throat]
Good afternoon everyone. Um, my name is
[31:27] Laura Himenez. I'm a Marine resident and
I have called this county home for 20
[31:32] years. I am the current president of the
board at the Ohio Center for the Arts. I
[31:38] spent nearly a decade supervising social
services and community programs at Canal
[31:42] Alliance and working alongside canal
families every day. I am here today
[31:47] because the discussion is ultimately
more about just public art. It's about
[31:53] how we choose to honor the history that
has shaped our community and whose
[31:58] histories we choose to make visible in
our shared public spaces. Over the
[32:03] years, I've learned that art has a
remarkable ability to create connection,
[32:07] foster understanding, and cultivate the
sense of belonging. Public art is not
[32:13] merely decoration. It is one of the ways
that communities preserve their
[32:17] collective memory. Places carry the
imprint of those who came before us. The
[32:23] canal is no exception. Its history has
not been written by a handful of people
[32:29] or a single generation. It has been
shaped over thousands of years by
[32:34] indigenous peoples, successive ways of
migration, working families,
[32:38] environmental change, and the many
communities that today continue to
[32:43] contribute to its identity. The peoples
of the canal project recognizes that
[32:47] this history is larger than any one of
us and invites us all to reflect on the
[32:52] many lives that have shaped this place.
I understand that some nearby residents
[32:58] have concerns. Their perspectives
clearly deserve to be heard, but public
[33:03] spaces exist to serve the broader
community. Projects like this invite
[33:07] reflection, learning, and dialogue. They
help us understand not only where we
[33:12] live, but how we arrived here together.
The proposed location is integral to the
[33:18] project's purpose. Moving it elsewhere
would separate the place from its
[33:23] history. I respectfully encourage you,
our civic leaders, to support the people
[33:28] of the canal project as planned. Context
matters. History matters. Place matters.
[33:34] Thank you.
[33:45] Hi everyone, my name is Aelia Vargas. I
live in the area the Canal and I'm come
[33:50] today because I support to reach and I
support the all the commenters with LA
[33:56] and I live uh in Canada for a long time
and I like the area
[34:03] the area park. I'm sorry my English is
not too good. So I try so the people
[34:09] walk with the dogs with the children
because it's open for the public are I'm
[34:14] not sure is private or
I'm not sure
[34:20] » because all the families it's only one
space for the old area. I don't have
[34:25] another space. I don't have another
park. So I walk to the park four days a
[34:32] week with my family with my a little dog
and I respect all the families and and
[34:38] the home.
I I support the art for each and the for
[34:45] community San Rafael and I'm very happy.
I like the colors. I like the murals and
[34:51] I'm very happy. Thank you.
[34:56] » [laughter]
[35:02] » comments.
>> Can I ask a question? [clears throat]
[35:05] » Just a quick question. Is Pickle
considered a park?
[35:10] » Yes. Okay. So, it is a park near the
canal.
[35:13] » That's all I
>> Yeah.
[35:16] » Can I say something else? I'm I'm just
wondering why there's a beautiful
[35:21] community center, Pickleweed, that has a
lot of space and why not put the art
[35:25] there where there's a big parking lot
where buses can go in.
[35:28] » I'm just going to pause, but again, this
so this is not an item that's on the
[35:31] agenda and so we're not going to be able
to get into a dialogue or be able to
[35:35] answer questions.
>> I'm not asking for an answer on that.
[35:38] It's a rhetorical question to consider a
different location. No, everyone here
[35:43] has has acknowledged the art's
important. Absolutely. the history and
[35:48] the art, but it needs to be in the right
place
[35:50] » and not in on a very narrow strip where
we want to look at nature and there's no
[35:56] parking, you know. So, there's this
beautiful community center.
[36:00] » Again, like I said, context
to one comment per per person during the
[36:06] public comment period at this time. So,
again, this is not a forum for back and
[36:10] forth discussion. Thank you.
>> Right. Thank you.
[36:13] Any
other comments?
[36:16] » Yes, right here.
[36:20] » Excuse me. My uh comment is in Spanish.
Okay.
[36:34] Australia.
[37:04] Last
[37:26] I'm happy to translate to you if you
want to please. Yes, please.
[37:29] » My name is Deon. I live in the canal. My
family is in the canal. I happen to work
[37:34] with Rich Durk and some of his to
support some of his projects. Uh this is
[37:39] one of the few places that I have where
I can go with my children. I feel that
[37:43] this project represents me. I feel as
though I want to walk down that path
[37:47] with my children and being able to share
where we came from uh where we where
[37:51] we're headed and uh it's one of the few
places that I have I'm summarizing.
[37:58] Uh [clears throat] but I fully support
uh this project because I feel it
[38:01] represents me and my community.
[38:09] » My um
[38:20] for
[38:48] same thing. I didn't catch their names,
but you know, they often walk the path
[38:52] back and forth. They love the area. They
love being in it, and they feel
[38:56] identified by this project.
[39:01] » Okay.
[39:18] » [clears throat]
[40:19] » My name is Felix, I'm a member of the
Bosel Canal organization in the canal
[40:23] area. He and his family and his dogs,
you know, it's important to go with your
[40:27] dogs and go out. They walk the path.
They think it's a beautiful area and he
[40:31] feels as though having this uh exhibit
and the art enhances the beauty of the
[40:37] area and he feels as though it's a way
to tell the story even for people from
[40:42] who come from outside. If they are here,
then they can show their families and
[40:46] relatives from out of town, from out of
state, from out of the country. you know
[40:49] what the history is like in the canal
for and where they come from.
[40:59] » Can I just was this about the Miwok?
We're limited to one public comment per
[41:05] person at this time.
[41:39] her name, which I missed. Sorry. Uh, but
she supports Rich's program. her
[41:45] daughter uh is part of the school of
muralists that she belongs to and she's
[41:50] able to um show her feelings not just
the art through this uh you know through
[41:57] the work that she does as a muralist
with Rich's project but she supports
[42:01] this uh project exactly because that
because rather than just have graffiti
[42:06] to have something that's historical that
tells the story that is beautiful is
[42:10] something that she supports.
[42:19] Hey, like a really quick thing. I'm
listening to everyone. There's not one
[42:24] person in this room who doesn't want
this project to go through. Not one
[42:28] person. We are all in favor of the of
the art project going through. The only
[42:36] issue is the safety.
>> Have you already spoken?
[42:39] » Yeah, I did.
>> Yeah. Okay. I just want to again just
[42:41] one comment.
[42:45] » Okay. I just I just want to finish by
saying that our concern comes because of
[42:52] the safety the because it's not
permanent. path is is not permanent
[42:56] because of what's planned and because
it's um
[43:03] the the best place is where people can
come together in a community center
[43:09] where there's where there's restrooms
where there's picnic areas where there's
[43:13] water none of which are available on the
path and it's a four mile round trip for
[43:18] children so um and crossing undeveloped
areas So
[43:25] please,
you know, support the project, but
[43:30] support it in a place where we really
can enjoy it. That's just
[43:36] » other public comments.
[43:46] » I am closing public comment. Uh
[clears throat]
[43:50] any uh staff care to respond to
questions raised during public?
[43:55] » Yeah, I'll just again thank you all of
you for being here. I know that you have
[43:59] gone out of your way to be here, taking
time out of your schedules and I just
[44:02] want to acknowledge that. I'm also going
to acknowledge that you know at this
[44:05] point in time the city has not received
a formal proposal that has come to the
[44:10] public art review board for review and
so this topic has not been brought to
[44:15] the public art review board at this
point in time. Um the city has created a
[44:18] project web page um that is on our
website. So if you go to the city's
[44:23] website and look up the peoples of the
canal project, you will find information
[44:27] there including uh the timeline, the
city's review process, information to
[44:32] date, uh the proposal as we understand
it at this point. And that is a page
[44:37] we'll keep updated as we receive
information from the project team. We'll
[44:41] make sure that that page is updated. And
we'll also make sure that um anyone
[44:45] who's corresponded with the city to this
point. As I mentioned, we have a project
[44:49] file that we're keeping. So, if you have
any written correspondence that you'd
[44:53] like to share, we will collect that.
We'll also be communicating to try to
[44:56] make sure everyone's aware of how they
can stay involved and make sure their
[45:00] voice is heard as the project is routed
through the city's review process. So,
[45:04] want to share that information.
>> Will there be any opportunity? We're
[45:08] gonna we're not going to take questions
right now at this point in time for this
[45:12] topic since the public comment period
has.
[45:15] » Okay. This is just a procedural
procedural question.
[45:19] » Go ahead.
>> When it is on the agenda,
[45:23] » is there an opportunity to actually have
a dialogue service?
[45:28] » I can talk with you offline a little
more.
[45:31] » Yeah, you can. If you have any written
statements or comments that you'd like
[45:34] to share, I can [clears throat] collect
those.
[45:36] » Thank you. Thank you for your time.
Appreciate it.
[45:38] » Thank you so much.
>> Thank you so much. I appreciate it.
[45:40] Thank you. City of Sanel.
[45:46] » And you're welcome, but stay for the
rest of [clears throat]
[45:52] » those.
Yes.
[45:58] » It's okay. You can leave them.
>> I can take out a couple of chairs.
[46:04] » Thank you all.
>> Thank you so much. Thanks. Thank you.
[46:08] Thank you very much for listening.
[46:22] » Give it just a quick pause as people are
are
[46:27] acting chair. I'll turn it back over to
you.
[46:32] » Well, fun night to be acting.
>> What?
[46:36] I know. He's like, "Is this okay with
you?" I'm like, "Sure." And then
[46:40] » 25 people on a non-aggenda item. Okay.
>> Am I able to ask a question about the
[46:44] process to move on
>> at this point? But if you have a
[46:47] question, yeah,
>> I I I mean, just for all of us to be on
[46:50] the same page, I'm looking at the page
um that explains the process and and
[46:55] what I see is this project is on hold
with internal staff review with city
[47:00] staff. And then once [clears throat]
that if if that is
[47:06] if it's approved to the next stage then
it would come to the public art review
[47:09] board.
>> Yeah.
[47:10] » Yeah. So as I mentioned we at this point
the city has not received a proposal. We
[47:16] we have received what I would call an
informal
[47:20] um conceptual plan. Um and if you go to
the project web page you'll you'll be
[47:25] able to see a little more information
about what that is and what's comprised.
[47:29] But at this point, we haven't received
um what we would deem a formal proposal
[47:33] that could be submitted to the public
art review. So, at this point, it's
[47:38] really with the Canal Arts and their
project stakeholders. Um they're
[47:43] continuing, my understanding is they're
continuing to refine the project scope.
[47:47] They're continuing to um engage the
community and we're encouraging them to
[47:53] um really consider community feedback so
that they can develop a proposal
[47:58] proposal that's in alignment with our
public art board guidelines. And we're
[48:02] not sure when we'll receive a proposal
and at what point it would then come to
[48:08] the board to continue in that formal
review process. As a follow-up question
[48:12] then I am curious to know how how are we
defining public art and how did this
[48:17] project
fall under the public art umbrella
[48:21] versus the historical society or parks
and wreck.
[48:24] » Yeah. And I think this is where we're
kind of getting into the the um
[48:28] potential where this becomes more of a
discussion about something that's not on
[48:31] the agenda. And so I think I'm going to
pause it at that point with the
[48:34] understanding that
>> clearly there's a lot of community
[48:38] interest in this topic. there's some
questions and this hasn't been formally
[48:42] brought to you to really you know advise
or clarify on any of those kind of
[48:47] questions but uh it is something I think
at a staff level we've been tracking
[48:51] since 2022 is a proposal that we've been
aware of um and we've been really just
[48:58] advising the the project stakeholders on
what our review process would look like.
[49:02] So, I'd be happy to share additional
information with the board and make sure
[49:06] that you feel well informed um so that
you can be prepared for if and when this
[49:10] proposal will come your way.
>> Just to follow up on that person's
[49:14] question,
when it does come to us, is there going
[49:17] to be maybe invited to come in here and
have a dialogue? That feels like that's
[49:21] not that's not a thing, right?
>> So, we would follow our standard
[49:25] process. Um, so if if a topic comes to
the public art read board, anyone from
[49:30] the public is welcome to come and
participate as part of the meeting
[49:35] format. Now, prior to that, I'd
encourage we've encouraged the canal
[49:39] arts to engage the community in a
variety of ways. again that there's
[49:42] information on the website about that,
but I I do know that um they have um
[49:48] they've been they've convened I think
several community meetings and
[49:53] gatherings to really hear from
interested individuals and uh but yeah,
[49:57] there would be a process that we would
have in our meeting format to allow any
[50:02] anyone to speak on agenda item um very
similar to what we heard tonight. There
[50:06] would be an opportunity for people to to
speak. There'll be an opportunity for
[50:10] you as board members to ask questions,
to have dialogue with staff and the the
[50:14] project stakeholders and then an
opportunity to really discuss uh and
[50:20] then ultimately make a decision for any
topic that comes forward to the board.
[50:24] That's true for you know for any topic
involve that process
[50:29] » and I'm assuming any other questions
after the meeting's been adjourned
[50:32] related to this specifically. I'm happy
to share additional information and if
[50:36] you have follow-up questions, you'd like
more information, happy to answer.
[50:40] » Okay. Yeah.
>> Um, moving on.
[50:47] » Uh, we're going to review the Centerfell
uh big utility box art program, the
[50:53] proposal to paint five utility box art
murals downtown
[50:59] » images. I'm gonna do a quick little
intro just to make sure Bo is is with us
[51:04] » and yeah, I think that's okay.
>> Um, we're hearing noise outside the
[51:09] room, so we're just gonna rearrange the
room very quick.
[51:13] » But Bo, thank you for joining us. Hey
guys,
[51:16] » I'll let you introduce yourself, but
just for a quick introduction, um, this
[51:21] is a proposal from the Sanfeld Business
Improvement District by the Santafeld
[51:26] Chamber of Commerce to paint by the
utility boxes in downtown San Rafll with
[51:32] art murals. And uh, so I'm going to turn
it over to you, Bo, but I'm also happy
[51:37] to share my screen with the um, proposal
at any point if you want to walk through
[51:43] that. um just let me know.
>> Yeah, thank you. Um [clears throat] so I
[51:48] am the board chair of the Sanfell
Chamber of Commerce and of course with
[51:53] uh the U CEO recently departing um part
of the reason why I'm in this meeting
[52:00] and representing the B as well. Um but
basically the discussion yeah is about
[52:05] the utility boxes and one in particular
with the mission. Uh there's one right
[52:10] in front there um that we were
considering as one of the locations and
[52:16] uh just upon the timing review and uh
just out of respect for wanting to get
[52:22] feedback before uh proposing that that
box in particular because of just the
[52:28] location and the sensibilities of the
visual with the mission right there. uh
[52:33] that we at this time would would propose
or would um suggest looking at a
[52:38] different location for that specific box
to be uh painted. And um you know and
[52:44] circle back uh at a time if you know we
do get to the point of painting more of
[52:49] the boxes to um you know approach the
mission and get feedback as to um you
[52:57] know their thoughts on both that and if
so what kind of um you know what kind of
[53:04] uh look and feel that they would you
know prefer or just have their input on
[53:09] and get their thoughts. um given that it
is a rather you know uh important part
[53:16] of both the mission city and the mission
itself. So um that's that's really the
[53:22] the kind of one note I think coming off
of that. Uh Craig feel free to kind of
[53:26] jump in with any um you know additional
details or if you're I'm sorry too. I'm
[53:32] on my phone so I'm kind of on a trail
right now trying to chime in but um
[53:36] that's uh that's the gist.
Yeah, I I appreciate that, Bo. And I
[53:41] might just share um a couple things just
to kind of frame up the decision in
[53:44] front of the review board right now.
This is um uh this is a as an overview
[53:49] of the project. Um the the downtown
business Improvement District is
[53:54] proposing a a partnership using um it's
the California Art Council grant funds
[54:00] that were received by the Sanfell Arts
District um which just recently
[54:04] rebranded. I see that um member
Schoffler is here and has some
[54:08] information about some of the rebranding
for that district. But this would be um
[54:13] a proposal to utilize around $10,000 of
those funds to support painting five of
[54:18] the utility boxes in downtown. The the
bid's long-term goal is to create a
[54:22] sustainable annual program where they
would like to um use bid fundraising or
[54:28] local sponsorship dollars to install at
least one additional painted utility box
[54:33] annually. Um this would be building upon
the utility box painting project that
[54:38] happened in 2024 through the Sanfell um
Chamber of Commerce's leadership
[54:44] institute. Um you may recall that year
they proposed to paint I believe fix
[54:49] boxes that were painted around downtown
and so this would be building upon
[54:53] really that um kind of that portfolio
that the city has of public art in a
[54:58] utility box program. So the the bid
launched an open call for artists in
[55:03] spring 2026. They received 20
submissions from artists. Um those were
[55:09] then um reviewed by a committee um of
the Sanfell Arts District key
[55:15] stakeholders that really took a look at
the artistic quality, the originality,
[55:20] public appropriateness, alignment with
the city's review guidelines. And
[55:25] ultimately they selected five artists
and designs that they felt really spoke
[55:29] to the theme of the call which was
Sanfell the the heart of Marin um was
[55:36] the theme. Uh and so we attached as as
part of the agenda um an overview of the
[55:43] program as well as the bids um there the
guidelines um for that call for artists.
[55:49] The overview
um that uh also included a project
[55:54] timeline. Um what the bid is proposing
is that if you know if the review board
[56:00] um uh approves this project uh you're
you would be recommending the project to
[56:05] then go to the city council for final
review. This would be deemed a long-term
[56:11] art installation greater than one year
which requires our city council to
[56:15] review uh and make that final
determination and approval. So, um, if
[56:20] tonight the the review board approves,
uh, this would then go to city council
[56:25] at, I believe it is our August, I think
it's the 17th meeting. That's when we
[56:32] would, um, plan to bring this to council
for review. Uh, if council reviewed and
[56:37] approved, then the installation, the box
would be prepped shortly thereafter.
[56:42] Installation and painting would begin
uh, as soon thereafter as possible. I
[56:46] think these will likely be installed
sometime in late August through early
[56:49] September.
Um,
[56:53] uh, from a staff perspective, you know,
we've reviewed the proposal. Um, we've,
[56:57] uh, reviewed the, you know, uh,
supplemental information and we think
[57:02] that this proposal is in alignment with
our guidelines. Um, I've, uh, connected
[57:07] with our public works department to
confirm that these utility boxes are
[57:10] appropriate to paint. uh that they're
not going to change anytime in the near
[57:14] future. And they've confirmed uh they
actually gave us a list of about 10
[57:18] utility boxes that are traffic control
boxes in the town that are owned by the
[57:22] city and we felt would be appropriate to
be part of this type of a program. Um of
[57:27] those 10 boxes, um the five that are
being proposed are ones that um the bid
[57:33] felt would be a really good fit for the
program right now. And as as Bo
[57:37] mentioned, there was one box initially
proposed at the intersection of Fifth
[57:42] and A Street, which is right in front of
the mission. And I think um wanted to
[57:47] maybe touch base more broadly, more
community engagement about that
[57:50] particular location. Um so given the
timeline, um that's been revised and
[57:55] instead of that location, um the uh the
proposal you received is accurate. It
[58:00] actually identifies I believe it is
fourth in Lutens was the alternate
[58:06] location that was selected. So you know
in the future I think there are still
[58:10] quite a few boxes that are unpainted or
potentially um boxes that have been
[58:15] painted in the past that might be fading
or coming up where it might be an
[58:19] opportunity for a refresh. So in future
cycles if this program um continues
[58:24] there'd still be plenty of opportunity
to consider that location or others
[58:28] future. So, so things that um uh we'd
ask the board really to be considering u
[58:34] project readiness. Uh it appears from a
staff level this project would be ready
[58:38] to go. Um there's available budget. Um
the um they the bid has um confirmed
[58:45] that these artists would be ready to
sign the city's art license agreement uh
[58:50] which is kind of a standard process for
us to make sure that we have an
[58:53] agreement in place.
um they would be ready for installation
[58:57] for prep of the boxes. They would also
be intending to uh apply an
[59:02] anti-graffiti coating and um hopefully
extend the lifespan of these boxes which
[59:08] would be expected to be about five
years. I think that would be the
[59:12] expected lifespan for these. Um, so I
think at this point, like I mentioned,
[59:16] I'd be happy to pull up the artwork or
to review the proposal, uh, if you'd
[59:21] like to explore that, but uh, staff's
recommendation would be to, uh, approve
[59:26] this proposal to advance to the city
council for final review.
[59:32] » I think everyone probably would like to
see them.
[59:34] » Yeah. Yeah.
Let me share my screen just a little
[59:38] bit.
[59:54] » [clears throat]
>> Okay. So, I'm going to scroll down uh
[59:59] one by one here in no particular order.
This is uh piece with artist Ricky Watts
[1:00:05] titled Horizon in Motion.
And at the bottom of this uh packet, I
[1:00:10] believe it it show identifies where
these particular boxes are proposed,
[1:00:15] where they'd be located.
[1:00:19] This is piece number one
[1:00:25] and some examples of past completed
work.
[1:00:35] See if I can zoom in one level here.
[1:00:40] This is small on this screen.
[1:00:48] Okay, this is the second piece. This is
Brandon Baker
[1:01:03] and some
additional [snorts] examples of past
[1:01:07] work
[1:01:18] and I am not going to pronounce this
last name correctly.
[1:01:22] Nicole Andrajowskus.
>> Sounds good.
[1:01:26] » I was gonna say that.
>> Sorry if you're if you're listening and
[1:01:30] I got it wrong, but [clears throat]
titled Heart in the Right Place.
[1:01:43] Some examples of past work here.
[1:01:52] » [clears throat and cough]
>> This next piece, this is Delin Escalita
[1:02:04] and an example of some past work here
[1:02:16] and Oscar Morales.
[1:02:25] some examples of past work here.
[1:02:37] So these locations here, the the first
piece would be
[1:02:43] Watts piece and that would be located at
Fourth and East Street.
[1:02:49] See kind of corresponding number one on
the map on the left. Second would be
[1:02:54] Fourth and C.
[1:02:58] Third, again, this was um originally
proposed at fifth and A. I believe this
[1:03:04] is now proposed at fourth in Newton.
[1:03:10] The fourth would be at third in Newton.
And then the um fifth box here, fourth
[1:03:17] in Heatherton.
[1:03:23] And then just for context, I really
appreciated that the bid included a a
[1:03:29] map here in the proposal that showed
locations of other currently painted
[1:03:34] utility boxes.
[1:03:39] Try to zoom out a little bit just to see
if we can see them all here. So the
[1:03:44] currently painted boxes.
[1:03:50] Okay. And uh Bo, anything else that you
would like to add here?
[1:03:55] » No, Greg, you did a great job. Um but
yeah, that's uh the one box that we were
[1:04:01] uh going to be have scheduled that we,
you know, readjusted, but that doesn't
[1:04:04] mean that we can't um you know, revisit
that in the future for additional ones.
[1:04:09] But, uh yeah, good job.
[1:04:15] » I think at this point we would turn it
over to the board for any questions.
[1:04:24] Hi Bo,
it's Jennifer talking. Um,
[1:04:28] » hey Jennifer,
>> how are you?
[1:04:30] » Oh, good.
>> Um, looks like a great project and um, I
[1:04:35] love the theme,
>> heart of Maren.
[1:04:42] » Oh, we have some background noise.
>> Yeah, sorry. There's some people
[1:04:45] talking.
>> Oh, [snorts] that's okay. Um, and I
[1:04:49] think that all the artworks have a lot
of artistic merit. I'm just wondering if
[1:04:53] you could talk about how you think they
connect to that theme, Heart of Marin.
[1:04:57] And and I also was just wondering if the
Chamber of Commerce planned to
[1:05:02] really connect that theme with the
utility boxes in any way. If there if
[1:05:06] there was sort of, you know, like a a
graphic or if you were going to actually
[1:05:10] use that as um even just part of a brand
for San Rafale. I think it just has a
[1:05:15] lot of potential. and I loved it when I
saw it. And so I'm just I'm just curious
[1:05:21] about the connection to this art and
that theme and whether that's something
[1:05:24] you're going to amplify a little more or
um you know use it on the boxes at all.
[1:05:33] » Um for the themes themselves that was
kind of the artist interpretation
[1:05:39] of the heart of Marin. So that's you
know kind of each one's source and uh
[1:05:44] inspiration. So that was the connecting
tissue. Now in terms of the you know
[1:05:49] look and feel of the art, of course
that's kind of subjective of to whether
[1:05:53] they um to that degree accomplish that.
Um as of right now um you know I don't
[1:05:59] know if we're going to put like the
actual new branding of the Sanfell Arts
[1:06:04] logo anywhere on there. Um, you know, it
is something that we just uh put
[1:06:11] together or at least rebranded and that
I think was be after this uh project had
[1:06:18] already been um you know proposed and
and and in in the works. So that wasn't
[1:06:24] a part of that. That doesn't mean it
can't happen in the future or look to
[1:06:28] see how that could be done. Um but at
the state of this uh submission right
[1:06:33] now that's this is the uh the intent
from the artist's point of view.
[1:06:39] » Yeah too I think if you go into the
proposal um four I think at least four
[1:06:44] of the artists have kind of added a
little narrative about how their artwork
[1:06:48] how they feel it ties in with that theme
heart of Marin. So I think it speaks a
[1:06:53] little bit to that. And then um we have
seen in some of these um the public art
[1:06:58] installations that have recent rec
recently been installed um supplemental
[1:07:03] signage or branding or an opportunity to
link back to a project web page. And so
[1:07:08] I think that is definitely an
opportunity and I think that um u prior
[1:07:13] to bringing it to city council um if
that's something that the bid would like
[1:07:17] to add, we probably just want to include
that to make sure it's really clear that
[1:07:20] that would be attached, right? What that
branding would look like. But um I I
[1:07:24] think on a staff level we're supportive
of that. We want to make sure people
[1:07:26] really understand how these types of
projects came to be, how they can get
[1:07:31] involved and how they can get more
information about the type of public art
[1:07:34] in our community.
Yeah. And I also just wanted to add that
[1:07:38] given that this was um a project through
the through the formerly uh DSRAD now
[1:07:46] Marin arts uh group centerfell arts
group that you know it was uh first you
[1:07:53] know sourced there and vetted through
that group before going through with the
[1:07:58] B as well. though um there would be
input beyond just uh the B's um you know
[1:08:06] additions to it but I do think that on
an overall you know scope that branding
[1:08:13] and continue to brand and mark and show
all the different the breadth of ways in
[1:08:19] which the San Rafale Arts is going to be
you know implemented around town that it
[1:08:26] is smart to be able to to have it be
recognized in that way.
[1:08:31] » Yeah, I think it's I think it adds a lot
to have it feel connected because the
[1:08:36] art is so individual and different for
each utility box. There isn't for
[1:08:42] someone just passing by an understanding
of how it is connected or or you know
[1:08:47] without without super visible heart
graphics.
[1:08:51] um either it's the theme that you might
want to connect it to or maybe you do
[1:08:55] want to connect it to San Rafale Arts
and have that emblem on every utility
[1:08:59] box so that
>> it's supposed to be on there. [laughter]
[1:09:01] » Okay. Yeah. I I mean I just think that
just makes it more powerful and
[1:09:04] understandable for everyone
>> than just kind of a oneoff why is that
[1:09:09] there and why is that one there and I
mean just to show that it's a program.
[1:09:14] » Yeah. Um,
and I love the theme. And so if Heart of
[1:09:18] Marin is a theme and it's going to be
played out in other places,
[1:09:23] I I I mean, I'm just thinking this is
this is there's an opportunity to maybe
[1:09:26] just strengthen that communication.
[clears throat]
[1:09:30] I'll just say Heart of Marine is already
a pre-existing thing. This is the heart
[1:09:34] of San Rafale. So, we'd have to um and
so um that's like its own I keep saying
[1:09:40] that, but I like Heart of Marine is like
a whole awards thing that's tied to
[1:09:45] Yeah, the the heart of Marin is actually
an CV and L awards day.
[1:09:51] » So this is, you know, the heart of San
Rafll.
[1:09:54] » Yeah.
>> Yeah. But no, your your point is well
[1:09:57] made, Jennifer, and I think that they're
some are more like I would say clearly
[1:10:01] tied to the theme than others, but I do
think that the um the artist statements
[1:10:06] help illuminate. Um the one that I think
was the probably the most like
[1:10:09] » why is this here? The owie one. Yeah.
>> So, that actually that person has done
[1:10:15] boxes throughout the Bay Area.
>> Um, and they get a lot of attention and
[1:10:19] people kind of like seek them out almost
like an Instagrammable thing.
[1:10:23] » So, I think that was more of why people
were excited. I mean, they had a nice
[1:10:27] artist statement, but I think that was
more based on like it's a little bit of
[1:10:31] a big deal to have one in your town.
>> Yeah. So, but yeah, everything that is
[1:10:36] funded by the Sanfell Arts is supposed
to have and will have um like some sort
[1:10:42] of logo and then we all all of them are
supposed to say somewhere and I think
[1:10:46] all the ones that were done before do
say California Arts Council somewhere on
[1:10:49] them if that's also a requirement of the
grant.
[1:10:51] » Just just a thought on the owl design.
Um, and this just just occurred to me,
[1:10:57] but just with wildcare here in San
Rafale, that to me is maybe a connection
[1:11:02] to that emblem. And I don't know if
there's a way to pull that in or whether
[1:11:06] the I'm sure the artist didn't mean it
that way, but um maybe there's a way to
[1:11:11] connect it back to Wildcare. Um,
and I don't know if you're looking for
[1:11:16] sponsors for the boxes, but I'm just
>> Yeah, it's an idea.
[1:11:21] » Yeah.
So the the but the to that end the
[1:11:26] budget like this is all the $10,000 we
we can go I mean I don't know if we do
[1:11:32] that it covers the artist fees the
supplies all of that
[1:11:37] » that's um at our staff level that's my
understanding is that yes that the bid
[1:11:43] has developed the budget um I I'm trying
to pull it up just to verify
[1:11:49] um but I believe um I believe that
they've allocated ated um $1,300 would
[1:11:56] be the artist tip. Um that would include
their time and materials. So that would
[1:12:00] be a total of 6,500. Um they have
included a budget for some box prep, the
[1:12:06] cleaning, sanding, priming, the paint
associated with that, that anti-graffiti
[1:12:10] coating. Um and at the end some
photography, so some marketing and
[1:12:16] promotion that would help support that.
uh as well as some um some admin costs
[1:12:20] just to to help administer the program.
So
[1:12:26] » yeah, the the sponsorship is an
interesting idea. Um but these are
[1:12:31] funded all you know in terms of budgeted
already. So, um yeah, but it is an
[1:12:36] interesting idea.
>> And Bo, my my understanding is that um
[1:12:41] as I mentioned that the um the B is
interested in, you know, doing this on
[1:12:45] an annual basis and would be interested
in looking for sponsors for future
[1:12:50] cycles. I think what I saw in the um
call for artists and the program
[1:12:55] description was the possibility of um
businesses, community members,
[1:13:00] organizations potentially sponsoring a
box in the future for around $2,000,
[1:13:04] which would on a you know box bybox
basis help support some of those
[1:13:08] operational costs. Is that a fairly
accurate description?
[1:13:12] » That is. It's just not part of this the
exact proposal. But yeah, it is, you
[1:13:16] know, because right now the the grant is
coming to a close uh soon. So the money
[1:13:23] that has been allocated is allocated
already for this specific proposal. But
[1:13:27] we do, like I mentioned, you know, want
to leave the door open for, you know,
[1:13:32] the additional boxes to be covered.
>> No.
[1:13:36] [laughter]
>> Sound like someone just said no.
[1:13:38] » Yeah. I have another question if there's
time. Um, just curious how the locations
[1:13:44] were chosen for the various artworks.
>> Um, I
[1:13:50] » I mean like how did you choose to have
the owl box in its spot versus the
[1:13:54] hummingbirds in its spot? You know, was
there a reason for that?
[1:13:57] » Can't chime in on that one. I I am not
was not part of that process.
[1:14:02] » B, do you have any insight into that?
Um, all I do know there is that we, you
[1:14:07] know, worked with the city to identify
which boxes would be available or which
[1:14:11] ones were eligible for this. Um, the
rhyme or reason behind that, um, I
[1:14:17] cannot talk speak to off the top of my
head here. Um, I can find out. Um but I
[1:14:24] do know that there was um you know some
thought given to each one given the
[1:14:30] artist I believe and you know and then
that was a result of what their artwork
[1:14:35] was uh that they ended up presenting. So
um it wasn't you know from what I know
[1:14:41] I'd have to find out exactly what the
what the logic was in terms of the
[1:14:45] actual placement of each one.
>> Okay. Yeah. I mean, you just mentioned
[1:14:50] that one being more Instagrammable. Is
that a place where I I I'm having a hard
[1:14:55] time following the map on my tiny little
phone, but um yeah, you wouldn't want
[1:15:00] that on a super busy street where it
would be hard for people to stop if that
[1:15:03] was a goal, you know, to have that be
something that you wanted people to stop
[1:15:08] and be able to look at and gather
around.
[1:15:11] » I'm just I'm going to try to pull it
where that one was now. Was it on third
[1:15:15] or fourth?
Um, I'm pulling it. I'm trying to pull
[1:15:19] it up. It's
>> You can pull it up.
[1:15:22] » That one is Third and Luton,
I [clears throat] think.
[1:15:28] » Is that where you would you know, have
you?
[1:15:32] » So, Third and Luton. Yeah.
>> Is that Is that a location where people
[1:15:38] would stop and hang out and maybe take
pictures with the owl? And
[1:15:41] » No, you're right. Like Fourth Street
would make more sense. It's more like
[1:15:44] walking. Is that what you're thinking?
Yeah,
[1:15:48] » to be honest, I mean, she Sarah
uh Tipple, who is really the person that
[1:15:53] put this all forward, the director of
the B, she um she put out all the boxes
[1:15:59] and then had people just like in on the
B board at like say who which where they
[1:16:05] thought they should go. But I I mean
like which ones they wanted to see
[1:16:08] painted, I should say. Okay. But
>> but I think she might have just assigned
[1:16:11] them.
>> You know what I mean? Like I I think
[1:16:14] there was some thought into where people
feel like it really would be great to
[1:16:18] have some color and all that, but I
don't know that there was um
[1:16:23] a real planning around it. It's a good
point.
[1:16:26] » Is is there still time to think about
placement of the art where it might make
[1:16:31] most sense?
>> I'd say from the sa city staff level,
[1:16:36] yes. You know, I think as I mentioned,
we've identified 10 boxes um that could
[1:16:41] be eligible for this. You know, this
would be five of them. So, I think what
[1:16:45] I would um recommend if you did want to,
you know, explore that or ask the bid to
[1:16:49] explore that, we just come circle back
around, take a look at which boxes are
[1:16:54] available and um consider best fit. I do
think with a couple of these proposals,
[1:16:59] um, you know, the art, the content that
would be painted, some of these boxes
[1:17:03] are square. Some of the other boxes that
weren't selected have like other, you
[1:17:09] know, geometric shape to them. And so,
you know, like I said, I wasn't involved
[1:17:13] in the decision-m, but when I did um,
speak with Sarah when she originally
[1:17:17] submitted this, I know they had put some
thought into that. And so, there could
[1:17:21] be other factors involved that led them
to pick these boxes. So, I'd really have
[1:17:25] to defer to them making sure that it
aligns with the program goals. But,
[1:17:29] » like I said, from the city's
perspective, there are other boxes that
[1:17:32] could be considered. So,
>> well, I don't and I don't think I'm
[1:17:35] saying you should consider other boxes.
I was just asking of this set because
[1:17:39] you're ready to go and they've been
designed for these shapes.
[1:17:42] » Does the bid maybe want to revisit
>> which art exactly goes where?
[1:17:49] » That would be my comment. So, and Bo,
you're a part of that, right?
[1:17:56] » Oh, yeah. [laughter]
>> Okay. Well, I want to be able to take an
[1:18:00] Instagram picture with the owl. I don't
want to get hit by a car.
[1:18:05] » Hold on one second.
>> Sarah, unfortunately, is on maternity
[1:18:08] leave,
>> right?
[1:18:10] » So, um, but
>> where?
[1:18:15] » Yeah. And I can I mean, I I don't know
how
[1:18:18] » Oh, that is more walkable. Yeah.
>> Yeah.
[1:18:22] » I I
>> buy the Walgreens.
[1:18:25] » I don't like that.
>> Right there.
[1:18:29] » Yeah. I don't know.
>> I also think I don't I don't know how
[1:18:33] many changes can be made.
>> Go like right there.
[1:18:39] » I um I have like a tangential thought
that isn't really sure. Um, for in the
[1:18:45] one at uh fifth and a in front of the
mission,
[1:18:49] » I've like thought about how it's kind of
like a blight. Yeah. You know,
[1:18:54] » is it possible to maybe not with this,
but just in the future maybe just paint
[1:18:58] it the same as the mission?
>> Like just to so that it's not that stark
[1:19:06] difference and like it's such a specific
color. It's kind of like it's here. It's
[1:19:11] part of this. I don't know.
>> [clears throat]
[1:19:13] » like something very simple because I
feel like if you put a mural on it that
[1:19:17] act I mean it's such it's just so
gorgeous to look at the mission you know
[1:19:22] I don't know something to like
>> and that was kind of the
[1:19:27] » yeah that just a that that's a great
point because what we were wanting to
[1:19:31] avoid was you know putting some artwork
on that box that would either stand out
[1:19:37] or conflict in some visual way with the
mission especially especially with the
[1:19:43] visual looking up the hill toward the
toward the mission.
[1:19:47] » So, um you know, it's that's kind of why
we were wanting to be careful of getting
[1:19:52] their input on that part of it and also,
you know, potentially what kind of look
[1:19:58] and feel that they would suggest from
their point of view. Um it would
[1:20:03] probably still be within the heart of
San Rafale theme. um but you know would
[1:20:08] accent appropriately the mission in
terms of you know the color and the art
[1:20:14] design and those kinds of things. So uh
we just wanted to be more mindful of
[1:20:18] that uh which is why we you know kind of
switched off of that one in particular
[1:20:22] for now.
>> Yeah, I would say I think you know the
[1:20:26] city's perspective is that that is a
really um important critical view
[1:20:30] corridor. The aesthetic look there is
important. And so I I echo what B said
[1:20:35] that that there's probably an
opportunity for us to talk with our
[1:20:38] public works team about making sure that
box is painted in a way that it kind of
[1:20:41] just blends in and disappears into the
environment. Yes.
[1:20:44] » Doesn't disrupt from that.
>> Okay.
[1:20:46] » Yeah. And and also just lastly, it could
it could be that that one is not chosen
[1:20:51] as a as a muralish art work box just
because of that. Um and maybe it is
[1:20:57] painted to just blend together more, you
know. So, um, that, you know, we of
[1:21:03] course defer to the city and to the
mission in terms of whe whether that
[1:21:06] would work.
>> Yeah, I think any kind of treatment that
[1:21:10] just like makes it less jarring would be
really nice. Like a mural I love murals,
[1:21:16] don't get me wrong. It's just I don't
know if you wanted to fill in the other
[1:21:20] five. Yeah. Other four boxes or what? I
don't know. I don't necessarily feel
[1:21:24] like it has to be a mural, but I think
it would be beautiful to have it be
[1:21:29] gentle gentle against the backdrop.
Um, but that's for another day because
[1:21:34] we're not talking about that right now
and we've we are
[1:21:38] » Yeah.
>> Anything else?
[1:21:43] » Uh, I'll just chime in with a comment
and say I agree with Jennifer's a lot of
[1:21:48] Jennifer's comments on this and I think
this is a great program.
[1:21:53] Um, and I'm looking forward to
eventually all of these being painted.
[1:22:03] » Um, okay. So,
uh, we are recommending approval. Is
[1:22:10] that Yes. No. Uh, and advancing the
proposal to city council for final
[1:22:15] review. [clears throat]
>> Well, just make a motion
[1:22:18] » just Okay. So,
so just to I I would I approve the
[1:22:24] artwork and the program, but I would
like to invite the bid to go back and
[1:22:28] review the locations,
>> the various artworks and and see if they
[1:22:33] make sense for those locations.
>> Am I [clears throat] able to do that?
[1:22:38] » Yeah, it's at the board's discretion how
you would like to propose the advances
[1:22:42] forward. I might just recommend like if
you have specific boxes you think should
[1:22:47] be either flip-flopped or changed, maybe
that would be easier to just advise the
[1:22:52] bid on that. But um yeah, really at your
discretion and I think there's
[1:22:56] » always opportunity in between this
review and city council for revision,
[1:23:00] right? I think um prior to it going to
city council if they wanted to make
[1:23:04] changes ultimately it would be city
councils but what we would do is then
[1:23:08] just be reflecting your comments in the
city council staff report so they were
[1:23:11] aware of what what you're recommending
>> so is [clears throat] that included in
[1:23:15] when we uh put forward the motion is
that included like does she
[1:23:21] » I might recommend have you know just
continue if you want to have that
[1:23:23] discussion right now just continue that
discussion if you think that you have a
[1:23:26] recommendation you want to make if you
want to leave it up to the bid and just
[1:23:29] make that broad then ultim imately it's
going to be up to them to make that
[1:23:32] determination. You know, they could
leave it as is. They could um choose to,
[1:23:37] you know, flip-flop two boxes or shuffle
things around, but unless you give some
[1:23:42] kind of a specific direction that you'd
really advise them on, I think it might
[1:23:45] be difficult for them to make that call
to get a call.
[1:23:48] » Okay. Well, so I mean just just a couple
comments right now, unless I'm you're
[1:23:52] saying right now is the time instead of
following up separately. Um I would I
[1:23:56] would put the owl boxes in a different
location. Maybe number two, which is
[1:24:00] right on Fourth Street in a pretty
highly trafficked area where we want to
[1:24:03] draw people to businesses. There's the
Fox and Kit coffee shop. I forget what
[1:24:08] else is there, but um then you've got
the the third and Luton's location is
[1:24:14] really everybody. That's a very busy
street. There will be a lot of people
[1:24:19] walking to Ritter House along that road,
I think, with the new location. Um, but
[1:24:25] otherwise people don't really walk along
Third Street, Third and Lutens. It's
[1:24:30] it's it's a it's a traffic. It's an
artery. So, I would consider that for
[1:24:37] whatever you might swap that with.
Um,
[1:24:43] and then I just think the branding
opportunity, which I've already
[1:24:45] mentioned, would be worth um,
considering how to how to implement the
[1:24:50] brand of the Sanfal Arts.
[1:24:55] » Can I ask then if do you think that any
of these designs would lend themselves
[1:25:01] better to maybe the the vehicle traffic
visibility as opposed to the the
[1:25:06] pedestrian walking? Well, I mean,
honestly, that's probably why they chose
[1:25:09] the owl there because it's so graphic.
>> Most readable when you're driving by.
[1:25:14] » The Dia de los Muertos like that is
highly graphic
[1:25:20] » and really because of all the, you know,
the contrast. It's like really easy to
[1:25:24] see idea.
>> Where where's that one?
[1:25:28] » Up by the mission.
>> No, they they changed that.
[1:25:30] » Yeah, that's the fourth and Luton, I
think. There you go. That's easy to swap
[1:25:36] then. One for the other.
[1:25:39] Yeah, and that actually does make a lot
of sense given the, you know, kind of
[1:25:43] entry point to Sanfell that that artery
is.
[1:25:47] » And then location five, Heatherton,
is that at [clears throat] the transit
[1:25:51] center?
>> Because that could be a good one, too.
[1:25:54] » And that's the hummingbird.
[1:26:03] Um,
and then the Mount Tam one is up by
[1:26:09] Kane's Tire
and the West End.
[1:26:16] » Literally closer to Mount Tam. Yeah,
>> you can probably see Mount Tam still
[1:26:21] until the building is built. How is it
going to relate to the building that's
[1:26:25] going to get torn down? And
[1:26:29] » I I just want to say I don't know that
it's our
[1:26:32] job to like completely redesign it, but
if like we want to swap out a couple
[1:26:36] that feels good. I just I also want to
honor that like you know this was
[1:26:41] Sarah's proposal and she put it together
in a certain way.
[1:26:46] » Right.
>> Okay. So I definitely think I I hear you
[1:26:49] what you're saying and especially with
regard to I mean she literally Sarah
[1:26:54] brought this person this owl person to
the table and said like these are things
[1:26:59] people come to see and your point is
very well made that like coming to that
[1:27:04] corner is not ideal for a multitude of
reasons. [laughter]
[1:27:09] » Um
>> so I wonder
[1:27:13] where do you think is the best spot for
it then?
[1:27:17] I think that number two location for the
owls,
[1:27:22] but I encourage anyone else to chime in
[1:27:27] because it's really in the business
corridor and it's it could be a draw to
[1:27:32] some of the businesses.
>> Sorry, which one's
[1:27:34] » that or?
>> Sorry, the number two location is my
[1:27:41] um
>> Fourth and Sea Street, I believe.
[1:27:44] » Yeah, thanks Craig. That's near.
>> No, sorry. I meant which which uh mural
[1:27:48] is is set for there.
>> She's uh it's the really the cool one
[1:27:52] with the the anatomical hearts.
>> Surreal.
[1:27:56] » I like that.
>> I would like
[1:28:00] um
Well, where on Fourth and Luton is it?
[1:28:05] Which side is it on? Because there's
just a newly completed mural right
[1:28:08] across the street from Fraam on the
Encore building.
[1:28:12] » It's very bright.
I'm gonna share on Google Maps. I had
[1:28:18] just pulled up um for reference.
>> So, I wouldn't want something to get
[1:28:22] lost,
>> right?
[1:28:23] » It's not it's not exactly on the corner
of fourth and C.
[1:28:27] » Um so, this is this is Luton's Yeah.
>> Here.
[1:28:33] And this is looking down Fourth Street.
>> Where's the box? So, the box I'm gonna
[1:28:41] go up is really more on Luton's.
>> Oh, it's up by the record store.
[1:28:48] » Is that where we are?
>> Yes. Okay.
[1:28:50] » Well, that's where Bose's offices. What
does Bo want to look at every day?
[1:28:54] » Yeah, exactly. That's I mean, it's right
in front of like the Mason building um
[1:29:00] » or the free whatever the you know. Uh
yeah, it's right across from our office.
[1:29:05] And you know it it is um obviously a
little tucked away there um just having
[1:29:13] our office there it's not
>> you know people do
[1:29:17] » go on there but usually it's it's not
that's not one of the main drag
[1:29:21] » most visual ones for what it's worth.
>> Where's the one on Sea Street then? I
[1:29:26] couldn't tell from that photo. So,
>> I would even put the owls there over the
[1:29:31] location right now just because that is
kind of a fun treasure hunt kind of
[1:29:35] place if you think about connecting
public art. You've got the big mural
[1:29:38] that just went in and then you got the
owl and then that could lead you to
[1:29:42] something else.
>> Um, that is Sarah's goal. She wants to
[1:29:47] have like a little
>> connectedness. Yeah.
[1:29:50] » Yeah. That's I think that's smart. What
are they called? Public art utility
[1:29:54] book.
>> I think that's super smart. come back to
[1:29:57] this is the third Newton's which we were
discussing more the traffic corridor
[1:30:05] » yeah that's that's obviously right a
much that for that one is going to be
[1:30:10] more for people driving by not walking
um being able to see it at you know
[1:30:16] higher speeds and on the way through
into Santafelt
[1:30:24] » I mean or the or the Mount Tam one
there. Everyone's going to see that one.
[1:30:29] The most people will see that box.
Either the
[1:30:34] » Yeah, that'll
>> the the the skull or the Mount Tam maybe
[1:30:39] feels more bold and graphic.
[1:30:45] » Was there a different intersection that
you wanted?
[1:30:47] » Yeah, it was the I was curious where you
were talking about on Fourth and C.
[1:30:53] I couldn't tell what building that was.
which is weird cuz I walk down the
[1:30:57] street every day.
[1:31:10] » Intersection of fourth and C.
>> And there are no boxes
[1:31:14] » and
try and re see where this one is.
[1:31:19] » I think it might be up the hill.
[1:31:27] It's right here.
Ah,
[1:31:31] » so it's more on Sea Street
>> just up the hill from
[1:31:36] » And on that block is Fox and Kit and
some other things.
[1:31:41] » Yeah, if you go just up store Fox and
Kit, the parking garage soon to be the
[1:31:46] 12th Women's Sports Bar.
>> Yes.
[1:31:56] Okay.
>> Yeah. So, so again, that one, you know,
[1:31:59] is is not going to get quite the high
traffic that the uh the other one is.
[1:32:11] » But I think it's a draw. I I just I just
think you Yeah. And I'm repeating
[1:32:16] myself.
[1:32:22] Yeah. Um I mean I think to the earlier
point I think it is worth considering
[1:32:27] you know swapping based on those
suggestions. I think that changing any
[1:32:32] of the artwork at this point is would
send things you know to a a new a re
[1:32:38] revisited level. But um
yeah, I think is if there's an
[1:32:42] opportunity, I guess, to to re reassign
those before the August board meeting um
[1:32:53] to be able to approve it. Um but in
terms of the process, unless we're
[1:32:58] actually doing that tonight right now,
um there could be I don't know, is there
[1:33:02] an opportunity for a follow-up offline?
Yeah, I think there is. It's really at,
[1:33:10] you know, at the board's discretion and
Bo, I think at your discretion if you
[1:33:14] feel like you'd like to make any changes
um uh before you bring it to city
[1:33:18] council. So, you could definitely just
continue the conversation offline after
[1:33:22] the fact to try to refine that. Um but
the the key thing from our perspective
[1:33:27] as city staff is going to be u making
sure we understand which specific
[1:33:32] utility boxes are being proposed and
what the final proposed artwork will be.
[1:33:37] I think the the specific configuration
of those and flip-flopping them really
[1:33:41] isn't going to impact our staff level
recommendation that the project move
[1:33:45] forward at this point.
>> Yeah. Perfect.
[1:33:51] » Yeah. It's actually kind of a fun game.
>> [laughter]
[1:33:57] » Uh so can I make a motion to approve?
Okay, great. Uh I would recommend
[1:34:03] approval. Can I would like to request a
motion and a second uh for approval in
[1:34:08] advancement of this proposal to city
council for final review. Can I get a
[1:34:13] motion and a second?
>> One motion.
[1:34:17] » A second. Great.
Uh
[1:34:22] did you get that, Becky? Yes, I did. Um,
acting chair merit.
[1:34:29] » Oh. Um, yay. [laughter]
>> Members,
[1:34:34] » yes.
>> Member Skinner,
[1:34:36] » yes.
>> And member Schoffler,
[1:34:39] » yes.
>> Motion approved. Thank you.
[1:34:43] » Thank you guys. And um just in that
followup um please uh provide any
[1:34:48] thoughts, suggestions
uh reasoning or you know whatever uh
[1:34:55] those ideas are because I think that
there was some good ideas there and and
[1:35:00] makes a lot of sense to maximize both
the visual uh look and feel of them but
[1:35:05] also there is that unique opportunity
here to have like you know these uh
[1:35:10] these communities of of social media
communities for artists that have, you
[1:35:15] know, people who have followings and
people who will show up for different
[1:35:19] art installations, both um both murals,
boxes, and u you know, the other kind of
[1:35:25] arts that we've been proposing. So, um
if you could send those to me, um that
[1:35:30] would be really helpful.
>> Um okay. And and appreciate it.
[1:35:37] » We'll do. Thank you, Bo.
>> Thank you, guys. Thanks.
[1:35:46] » Uh, next agenda item is uh, appointing a
vice chair for the remainder of 2026
[1:35:52] calendar year,
>> which will not be for that many meetings
[1:35:57] really. It would likely be for one more
meeting, the October meeting. You know,
[1:36:00] I just as a reminder, this was um a
decision that um was part of the January
[1:36:07] agenda, but it was delayed because I
think there were only three members
[1:36:09] here. And so the members over here said,
"Hey, let's just wait." We had, you
[1:36:13] know, canceled the April meeting because
there was, um, no action to be taken.
[1:36:17] And so here we are. And so, um, I, you
know, I think we did consider whether
[1:36:21] this should just be like a year
appointment, but we'd like to stay on
[1:36:23] the same schedule. And so we would
expect that in October, we're going to
[1:36:27] bring another agenda item to select the
chair and the vice chair for 2027. And
[1:36:33] so what I would say is it's probably a
low stakes assignment for one meeting.
[1:36:37] Um but you know as we saw you know with
with um chair Jiao out tonight we do
[1:36:42] need someone that can step in and assume
those duties as so happy to share any
[1:36:47] more information about what that role
entails. Um but I turn over to the board
[1:36:50] to make that decision.
[1:36:54] » Well I think that you did a wonderful
job tonight.
[1:36:59] » Thank you.
>> I don't know how does it work with me
[1:37:01] coming off of chair. Um I think at this
point um trying to refresh my memory. So
[1:37:07] you were chair last year. Yes. Right.
Yeah.
[1:37:10] » And who was vice chair last year? I
think it was it was
[1:37:16] vice chair.
>> Um you have also I believe served as
[1:37:19] chair and then I was vice chair
>> and you were vice chair previously. So
[1:37:31] » well I think for the one remaining
meeting I would just suggest we stick
[1:37:36] with someone who already knows the
process.
[1:37:38] » I think what Craig is trying to say is
usually somebody who's been vice chair
[1:37:42] then becomes chair. Like if you're
interested in being chair
[1:37:44] » I think it's it's really at the
discretion of the board for this
[1:37:47] appointment. I think it would not and
this decision wouldn't impact next year
[1:37:51] either. I think that anyone could serve
in any of those roles next year.
[1:37:55] Typically we roll whoever the vice chair
is would then typically become the
[1:38:00] chair, but since this is really such a
short um appointment, I think that could
[1:38:05] be open for discussion for the board.
But uh I think keeping that in mind, you
[1:38:09] know, I think the natural progression
would be someone does serve as vice
[1:38:12] chair rolls into the chair position next
year. So
[1:38:16] » yeah, so whoever's interested. I mean,
I'm h I'm happy to do it for a meeting,
[1:38:21] you know. It's no skin off my back, but
Emil, if anyone is like dying to have
[1:38:26] that on their um professional website,
you let me know. I don't it it's
[1:38:32] [laughter]
[1:38:37] » I would say if someone wants to be chair
next time that hasn't been chair that
[1:38:41] they should probably take it.
>> Yeah.
[1:38:45] [clears throat]
or or put their ring hat in the ring if
[1:38:48] you will.
>> Either
[1:38:50] » or anyone anyone on the board can
appoint anyone and throw a name out
[1:38:55] there if they so choose.
[1:39:01] I mean, I do
feel like you've been around a very long
[1:39:06] time,
>> but I also know that you I don't know,
[1:39:10] sometimes you aren't always available,
but none of us are to be honest. So,
[1:39:17] » um I I mean, I'll do it if I if you're
not interested. Yeah, but I'm not.
[1:39:22] » I don't think I'm interested in this
year. Yeah. I think I I've only been to
[1:39:27] I haven't been to as many meetings as
the rest of you. So, I think I want to
[1:39:32] » So, maybe be a vice chair next year.
>> Well, I I I would offer my services to
[1:39:38] take a turn because you all have had
you've already done that. I'm not trying
[1:39:42] to duck out of responsibility.
[laughter]
[1:39:45] I just feel there's experience levels
that exist.
[1:39:50] So,
>> uh I'm happy to do it and then you can
[1:39:52] do it next year. The real the real year
>> be continue
[1:39:56] » the real year.
[laughter]
[1:39:59] » This is why it's kind of a fake year.
>> Yeah.
[1:40:02] » Uh so can I request a motion to um what
am I doing? Appointing Sandival as vice
[1:40:09] chair for the remainder of the 2026.
Where are you? Are you laughing because
[1:40:13] I'm saying your name wrong or
ridiculous? Appointing Sandival like
[1:40:18] [laughter]
[1:40:21] » for the remainder of the 2026 calendar
year. Can I get a uh a what am I saying?
[1:40:28] Sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm really tired.
Really tired.
[1:40:32] » Um can Yes. Motion.
>> So moved.
[1:40:37] » Second.
>> Second.
[1:40:40] » All right. Congratulations.
>> Congratulate the vice.
[1:40:46] » Let me let me take a quick roll call.
Acting chair Merritt.
[1:40:50] » Yes.
>> Member Sandival.
[1:40:54] » Yes. [laughter]
>> Member Skinner.
[1:40:57] » Yes.
>> And member Schoffler.
[1:40:59] » Yes.
>> All right. Motion approved. Thanks you
[1:41:02] guys.
>> Can you vote for yourself?
[1:41:06] » Clearly, we know a lot, Jennifer. We're
doing really well. [laughter]
[1:41:11] But yes, by the way, you did a really
good job interrupting,
[1:41:14] » you know, like having to stop people.
That's hard.
[1:41:18] » Who me?
>> Yes. I
[1:41:20] » Yeah, that is
>> I did not feel like I was doing I I was
[1:41:24] just waiting for any break or like any
breath, you know, so hard.
[1:41:27] » Anyway, okay. Um at this time, I would
like to invite Craig Ver, assistant
[1:41:33] library and recreation director to share
their stuff as report. Well, I'm going
[1:41:37] to keep it very short because I know it
has been a long meeting and just say
[1:41:40] again, thank you all for being here.
Really appreciate it. I know that was an
[1:41:43] unexpected amount of public comment for
that topic, but just want to reaffirm
[1:41:48] like I I'll try to keep you all in the
loop on when we receive more information
[1:41:52] about that project. Um, and I think it's
really so cool to see the power of
[1:41:57] public art, right? even though there's
some strong opinions, I think that's
[1:42:01] really um speaking to the importance of
the work that you're all doing in the
[1:42:05] community that art is intended to evoke
an emotional response and even the the
[1:42:11] proposal of an art project is doing that
in our community. And I hope that this
[1:42:15] silver lining is that that can lead to
some really cool conversation and
[1:42:18] dialogue and hopefully a good outcome
for our community just like we've seen
[1:42:22] with some of the other public art that's
gone in.
[1:42:25] kind of use as a segue. I know on Friday
there was a celebration at the Rafale
[1:42:29] Theater. I know Morgan, you were there,
had an opportunity to speak and I just
[1:42:34] wanted to say kudos to all of you and
your role in helping to um review the
[1:42:39] the downtown public art installation
that went in recently. If you haven't
[1:42:44] had a chance to see um you know the
statue that's out front, the mural on
[1:42:48] the sea street garage, the mural at the
civic um the courtyard plaza has gone
[1:42:54] up. Um another statue will be going in
front of city hall very soon. There's
[1:42:59] Wyatt Hersy's mural on second street
which is all this artwork I think
[1:43:03] personally is just it's so beautiful and
it's so cool to see that project come to
[1:43:07] fruition. But I don't know if you had um
a door count at the event or how many
[1:43:12] people attended. Well, we had um we had
[clears throat] 128 RSVPs. We think we
[1:43:17] had about 86 people there.
>> That's great. Yeah. Really well
[1:43:21] attended. I think a good opportunity to
celebrate the artist for the artist talk
[1:43:24] as well as the walking tour downtown.
>> Um [clears throat] and so, uh just kudos
[1:43:28] to everyone that was involved in that,
particularly from the city team. I just
[1:43:31] want to give a shout out to Stacy Lawman
and economic development for her
[1:43:34] leadership in that from our side. So, um
and you know, that was kind of the key
[1:43:39] thing I just wanted to mention this
evening. Like I mentioned, it was a long
[1:43:42] meeting, so I'm going to keep it short
of my end, but if there's any questions
[1:43:45] we can do to help support, feel free to
let me know.
[1:43:51] » Thank you.
>> Any questions from the board, for staff?
[1:43:57] » No, I would just echo Craig's comments.
I was there Friday night and Morgan and
[1:44:00] Stacy did an amazing job. It was such a
celebratory night. So well attended,
[1:44:06] really great energy, a wonderful roster
of speakers.
[1:44:10] Damon Connelly was there. Um, it felt
very important and it was beautiful
[1:44:16] weather.
>> Awesome.
[1:44:17] » And the band was really great. Um, kind
of a Santana style music. I It was just
[1:44:23] super festive. It was a really, really
fun night downtown.
[1:44:26] » Thank you for coming.
>> And thank you for coming.
[1:44:29] » I'm really sorry I was one of your RSVPs
that didn't come.
[1:44:33] » Me, too. It's all right.
>> It's okay. It's all right. I'm just
[1:44:36] kidding. [laughter] I actually didn't
see it.
[1:44:37] » The kids demanded a last minute trip to
Russian murder.
[1:44:40] » Oh, I'm sorry.
>> No, it was great. It was really nice to
[1:44:43] have everybody there. It did feel very
celebratory. It's It's been a long
[1:44:48] journey, the [clears throat] San Rafale
arts. And so, I think to have something
[1:44:52] to point at like that, something really
tangible for people to absorb and
[1:44:56] appreciate um always feels really good
because there's a lot of work that
[1:44:59] happens that's behind the scenes or like
smaller program work that I don't think
[1:45:02] is as visible. So, that was really
exciting. Um, and I have some goodies
[1:45:07] for you. And that's it.
>> Um,
[1:45:13] I don't have anyone else. Nope. Okay.
So, opening public comment and closing
[1:45:20] public comment because nobody is here at
the moment. Um, any other uh reports,
[1:45:27] meetings, conferences, seminars,
anything exciting happening?
[1:45:32] Maybe one kind of a tangentially related
plug, but um the library community
[1:45:37] center project here at Elbert Park. Uh
we is the measure P project. Um we did
[1:45:44] release a survey that the city has out.
It's published. It's on their website.
[1:45:48] Um we put out our summer recreation
brochure mailer. There's a QR code on
[1:45:52] the back of that. It it should have hit
all Sanderfell mailboxes. But I just
[1:45:56] encourage you to spread the word about
the opportunity to share feedback. Um,
[1:46:00] even though that is this is a capital
project and it's focused on the library
[1:46:04] and the community center, there's a
public art element to that. I think that
[1:46:07] we're really interested in the
community's feedback on the, you know,
[1:46:10] the architectural design. How does this
building fit in with the downtown and
[1:46:16] really speak to the built environment
here and what kind of programs um, does
[1:46:21] the community want to see and do we need
to plan for? And so, just encourage you
[1:46:26] to check that out. I I have copies I can
share with you of that flyer if you want
[1:46:30] to spread them around.
>> Is it on the door here?
[1:46:32] » It's on the door in all of our
facilities.
[1:46:34] » It's been out for a while.
>> It's been out.
[1:46:36] » I was like I feel like I took it
>> a couple of months. We're going to have
[1:46:38] that up through I believe midocctober.
So there's still plenty of time. I think
[1:46:43] we've received more than 700 responses
so far, but we really want to make sure
[1:46:47] that the the word has been spread that
this opportunity.
[1:46:50] » You're publicizing it more. Is that
going to go on social media?
[1:46:53] » Yep. It's been up on our city snapshot.
has been up on our social media. We'll
[1:46:57] continue to push it out. It's going to
be included in our um fall winter
[1:47:00] activity guide as well, which will get
published in uh early August here. So,
[1:47:04] » when does it start?
>> Uh that project will we're going to be
[1:47:10] um so we have a a request for proposals
for design firms out right now that
[1:47:16] closes on June 29th. Um we're hoping to
get um into an agreement with a design
[1:47:22] firm this fall and that's uh right now
we're we're doing conceptual design. Um
[1:47:27] so we'll enter more of the you know the
details design construction documents uh
[1:47:32] and then hopefully um be getting into
construction likely sometime in 2028 I
[1:47:39] think is what we're thinking right now.
So that's going to come faster than we
[1:47:43] know.
U separately on the note of social media
[1:47:47] I don't know if any of you spend much
time on ne Yeah
[1:47:51] » there I well yeah uh there has been a
massive and positive response to the
[1:47:58] mural.
>> Yeah
[1:48:00] » I mean it was like more comments. It was
like it was like kids on ebikes level
[1:48:05] commenting on
there. Yeah.
[1:48:09] » Yeah. Uh you saw me like responding to
people
[1:48:12] » and I was like I'm gonna because some
people I I try to bow out of those
[1:48:15] conversations. Um the one uh what's the
location?
[1:48:20] » The hand.
>> Yes.
[1:48:21] » Street. Okay.
>> Yeah. But it was all I mean
[1:48:24] overwhelmingly it was positive. It was
you know a couple people like a waste of
[1:48:30] our tax dollars. Like not your tax
dollars. I didn't want to I didn't want
[1:48:35] to
>> I didn't
[1:48:38] » I did I did respond to people that were
like this is just going to get graffiti
[1:48:42] and I was like listen we've got some
anti-graffiti coding on there and if you
[1:48:46] see graffiti you alert public work
cameras take care of it
[1:48:50] » anyway um but no it it was actually very
heartwarming um because it was organic
[1:48:55] and like I jumped in after like 50
comments like it was already a very
[1:48:59] positive conversation it was really nice
>> on that note that the two other garages
[1:49:04] that precede that one.
>> Um, I assume there's been a conversation
[1:49:08] about embellishment of those or paint or
I who pays for that and how does that
[1:49:16] » the city?
>> Okay.
[1:49:18] » Um, that actually interestingly the
garage on the one that's like one block
[1:49:23] earlier. What is that? The really that
has like a B on it. Yeah.
[1:49:26] » That was identified originally as being
a location for that bigger mural. And I
[1:49:31] think the feeling was it needed a lot of
work before it would even be mural
[1:49:35] ready.
>> Whereas the other one was in good enough
[1:49:37] shape that it was
>> Yeah.
[1:49:39] » Even if there wasn't a mural on that
that's just cinder block type right now.
[1:49:44] It looks just old and uninvited.
>> Just needs to be painted.
[1:49:46] » It just needs to be painted. Is that a
conversation?
[1:49:49] » Yeah. I I think that
>> somewhere
[1:49:52] » there's quite a few things that would go
into the conversation, but you know,
[1:49:55] like like you mentioned, Morgan, I know
that we evaluated quite a few different
[1:50:00] potential properties that could be part
of the program. Now, when it comes to
[1:50:03] more the routine, you know, the
painting, the maintenance, um, I'm not
[1:50:07] directly involved in like our parking
services operational budget or the DPW,
[1:50:13] the budget that would be required for
that and how that type of project would
[1:50:17] be ranked in our priority list of, you
know, use of city funds.
[1:50:21] » Okay.
>> Um, I think, yeah, I agree. It's
[1:50:23] probably not the prettiest building and
I think we've all probably agreed to
[1:50:27] that. But at this point, it just may not
fall on as like a high priority for the
[1:50:31] city.
>> That's more city council level.
[1:50:33] » That would be a city direction.
>> Yeah. Gotcha.
[1:50:36] » Now, if outside funding came in to
support efforts like that, I think we
[1:50:40] would always be taking a look at how
that aligns with our staff capacity and
[1:50:44] how we want to, you know, kind of manage
that kind of work. If it's art related,
[1:50:48] I think it would ultimately be coming to
this board.
[1:50:51] We do not right now as a city, we do not
have a public art budget. I think that's
[1:50:55] something we've kind of shared at this
point. We really don't have any funds
[1:50:58] available for those types of, you know,
beautifification projects. They're
[1:51:02] really art based, but I think we're all
interested in ways we can beautify the
[1:51:07] city and make sure that our city
facilities are clean, they're safe, and
[1:51:11] that they also really look inviting. So,
>> yeah, but that'd be a long bigger
[1:51:16] picture conversation about city funding.
the grant from the um California Arts
[1:51:20] Commission. Was that only for this year?
I'm
[1:51:23] » It's a three-year grant.
>> Oh, okay.
[1:51:25] » So, it but it's ending this year.
>> Um and
[1:51:28] » Oh,
>> have I been here that long? [laughter]
[1:51:31] » So, a lot of projects have been done
with the money. Um the public art being
[1:51:35] the largest expenditure at somewhere in
the range of $250,000
[1:51:39] including like the management of the
whole thing. Um it's all public
[1:51:42] knowledge. Um, but I would say it would
be we are looking forward to potentially
[1:51:49] having another opportunity to apply for
additional funds for the arts district.
[1:51:54] It's a California Arts Council
designated district and so that makes
[1:51:57] sense. The California Arts Council's
budget was pretty heavily slashed this
[1:52:02] year. They only had $24 million. They're
usually closer to 40. So, um I I'm I'm
[1:52:08] I'm will openly encourage any and all to
um to participate in advocacy efforts to
[1:52:14] to really try to turn that around
because that's a political matter
[1:52:17] » like at the state level. Yeah, happy to.
>> Yeah, I'm actually working with on like
[1:52:22] a North Bay advocacy um thing. So, yes,
happy to when that materializes a bit
[1:52:27] more. [laughter]
>> But yes, we all need to just use our
[1:52:30] voices and say art actually matters and
it's not just wallpaper.
[1:52:37] So exciting. Let's see what else. Is
that it?
[1:52:40] » Anything else?
I'll open and immediately close public
[1:52:45] comment as there is no one here and no
one on line. And this meeting is
[1:52:53] adjourned as of 8:00 on the dot.
>> All right.
[1:52:58] » Thank you. And these are for you. You I
saw you have yours. and say,