04-20-2005 MinutesSALINA ARTS & HUMANITIES COMMISSION
April 20, 2005
The monthly meeting of the Salina Arts and Humanities Commission was held at the
Smoky Hill Museum Community Room at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 20, 2005. In
attendance were Katie Bengtson, Marilyn Benyshek, David Cooper, Trent Davis, Peggy
DeBey, James Hall, Luci Larson, Bill Medina, Linda Moore, Linda Smith, Sydney
Soderberg and Paula Wright. Staff Present: Sharon Benson, Kathy Burlew, Carrie
Carpenter, Brigid Hall, Susan Hawksworth, John Highkin, Glenda Johnson, and Karla
Prickett. Also in attendance: Carmen Wilson, League of Women Voters and April
Middleton, Salina Journal. Absent: Donnie Marrs and Cheri Parr.
Smith called the meeting to order at 4:05 p.m.
Focus Time
SURF — PART 1
Prickett presented information regarding gift certificates. The gift certificates come only
in $20 increments and can be used in the Fine Art, 4 Rivers, Demo areas. They are
available for purchase from the SAHC office until Wednesday, June 8. The gift
certificates are new for 2005. The idea came from people in the past who have asked us
to try this experiment. Gift certificates expire June 12, 2005. Burlew - Twenty-three
have been sold to date.
Prickett also presented the SURF T -Shirt. New this year ... women's t -shirts in aqua and
white. These shirts have a different trimmed neckline and are shorter in length and in the
sleeves. Regular t -shirts are available in white, stonewash blue and gray sizes S through
XXXL. RSVP volunteers will come to fold the t -shirts on Tuesday, April 26. The T-
shirt design is Priti Cox. T-shirt and buttons go on sale May 2.
Brigid — formalizing the gate times at the Festival. The barricades will help enforce gate -
opening times and will make it easier for staff, vendors and volunteers to complete the
work needed done before the Festival starts. Gates will open at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday
and 9:00 a.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The meaning of the barricades is for
safety purposes. Security is to keep all the people out of the park at night — they have a
hard time telling the good guys from the bad guys. Signs will be posted on the walk
gates. The press release mentions the gate times.
Benson — Festival Families First is a scholarship program to help families who wouldn't
otherwise be able to attend the Festival. Rachel Loersch and Debbie Neustrom helped
start the program. The Commission will be working with 4 social service agencies to
help identify the families. Bilingual brochures will be provided to the agencies.
Collection jars will be set up at Caper's and the Smoky Hill Museum — people can also
donate by contacting the office. SAHC will be working through the agencies because
they know their clientele. All money will be distributed that is collected.
Minutes
Correction to the March 16, 2005 minutes - Soderberg was absent. Moore motioned to
accept the minutes with the correction and Wright seconded. Motion passed.
Staff Reports
Smith — what is the Festival Tab? Benson — it is the publication that comes out in the
Salina Journal.
Benyshek — very uncomfortable reading the news about Dee Harris in the paper and felt
blind -sided. Highkin - stated it was a City personnel issue and he couldn't discuss these
types of issues. Smith also discussed the issues regarding the City personnel issues.
Medina — sensed their position but as a Commissioner felt they should have known about
it. No further comment.
Museum Update
Hawksworth gave an update on the progress of the Gallery Renovation. Construction is
almost complete and the General Contractor hopes to be finished by May 1. Painting
should be finished this week. Design of exhibit labels is underway with Michael
Gutierrez. The quotation packets for seven large photographic murals have gone out to
six vendors and are due back May 3rd. The X -mill has been moved in, but is not
completely hooked up yet. Due to the air-conditioning situation, opening the gallery
back up to the public will need to be postponed but no date has been set yet.
Highkin discussed the HVAC system. Meeting was held this morning regarding the air
conditioning. A temporary fix is in the works and all the issues will be completed early
June. The opening for the Museum will be postponed.
Horizons Grants
The Salina Symphony's final report for the Horizons Organizational Project Grant was
received. The project was called the "Corman Project." Cooper felt it was a well done
project - musicians were great and they had great attendance.
Other Horizons projects were announced. Robin Ginther, developing artist will
presenting a photography exhibit at The Stiefel in the Watson room, Thursday, April 21
from 5:00 — 7:00 p.m. and RoJean Loucks, developing artist will be presenting a concert
"Harmony for Hospice Sunday, April 25 at 2:00 p.m. at the Trinity United Methodist
Church.
General Impressions of Grant Process
The idea of sending packets in advance is that Commissioners read and understand the
grants. Presently, the Reader/Presenters are spending substantially too much time going
over the parts we should already have read; they need to spend more time at the crux of
application issues.
— Felt we participated in bad selection. Idea behind this — we give money with
great pride. We need to get back to saying some projects are not up to snuff and they
need to try again.
— Voting process dragged -on. Is there a way to shorten the presentation time and
emphasize longer discussions?
Medina — understand the mentoring of a grant. There were several grants that
shouldn't have been looked at. Applications need to meet the criteria and several did not
at the decision making level.
Moore — should the presenter recommend if or if not that the grant be looked at?
DeBey — don't feel that she needs to be an English teacher — feels that we turn a
lot of people down that should be given a chance. We need to be encouraging people.
We need to look at the project. We have the same agencies funded every time.
Larson - need is not the criteria. Has a problem with giving money to people who
would do the grant whether or not we give them any money.
J. Hall - needs to be right before it's reviewed.
Wright — on this level instead of state level maybe we need to be different.
Wright — understanding DeBey and Larson maybe a local agency need to help.
Grant mentor is needed.
Larson — comparing a ninth grade level to a Freshman in college.
DeBey — has a problem with receiving the final report — need background from
what happened at the beginning.
Soderberg — next year, the Organizational Advanced grant will be difficult. Need
to form a committee of Commissioners and staff She recognizes that this is also staff
issue: Lana Jordan did the staff part and when the staffing changed everything changed.
Would be good to add to one staff person's job — possibility of a volunteer?
Benyshek — might be helpful at a monthly meeting that we have a mock interview
with an old grant. Grant application need to rewritten.
Cooper — perfect of all arrangements. Streamline would be beneficial but is a
different change by getting a committee to review the process. Long term planning needs
to be thought out.
DeBey wants to know how Medina and J. Hall comes up with the percentages.
Came from discussions they had with Martha Rhea long ago.
Medina — Advancement 3 -year program is a huge leap of faith. Would like to see
one year at a time.
Smith — some kind of process will be developed.
Cooper — Perfect time for long-range planning to streamline the process, look at
the whole system.
Question to Benson: How was the reaction when the applicants were contacted regarding
the outcome of the grant review? Benson - all accepted well and even Catholic Charities
who weren't funded accepted the feedback and will be submitted an application in the
future.
Board Grid 2005-2006
Board Grid was distributed and completed by the Commissioners.
Cooper and Parr will serve on the nominating committee. Benyshek and DeBey
volunteered to also serve on the committee. Cooper was designated as the Chairperson.
Recommendations from the committee will be presented at the SAHC June board
meeting. The recommendations will be passed on to the City Commissioners and Mayor
Divine.
Highkin — thanked the Commissioners who completed his survey regarding his 8 month
check-in. Would like the Organization to look at vision of the commission and start some
planning. Strategic planning process will also be completed. Important areas that need to
take place are new visions with the new City Manager. Highkin will have a facilitator for
these discussions.
Highkin will be receiving the CA&D report from Gayle Goldman this week. Highkin
will be scheduling a meeting with the Advisory committee.
There being no further business the meeting was closed at 5:05 p.m. for the Foundation
meeting.
/kab