City Council Agenda Report
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT DEPARTMENT: Community Development MEETING DATE: January 16, 2017 PREPARED BY: Kerri Zessau, Program Coordinator AGENDA LOCATION: AR-3 TITLE: Allocation of Art in Public Place Funds and Agreement with Ron Husband Related to Development and Installation of a Neighborhood Treasures Landmark Post Art Piece Featuring Allen Allensworth OBJECTIVE: To authorize the expenditure of an amount not to exceed $15,000 in Art in Public Places funds and approve an agreement with Ron Husband for the development and installation of the Allen Allensworth Neighborhood Treasures Landmark Post Art Piece on Shamrock Avenue BACKGROUND: During the past year, the City’s Art in Public Places (AIPP) Committee has worked to develop a public art program that would identify and honor the contributions of significant individuals that have helped to shape the Monrovia community. Working in conjunction with Monrovia Area Partnership (MAP) Leaders and local historians, staff developed the Neighborhood Treasures public art program. The Neighborhood Treasures initiative aims to celebrate historically significant Monrovians through the installation of public art pieces in various neighborhoods throughout the community. The proposed public art pieces were envisioned to include a decorative informational plaque describing the community contributions of the individual being recognized, and that the plaque would be placed in specific neighborhoods relevant to the identified community member. After review, the AIPP Committee approved the overall Neighborhood Treasures concept and directed that staff develop a request for proposal from artists to develop specific details related to the establishment of in order to seek out a more specific design from a local artist. In addition, Allen Allensworth was identified as the initial individual to be recognized and honored through the Neighborhood Treasures art program. Mr. Allensworth was identified as a significant Monrovian given his contributions to our community. Mr. Allensworth was born into slavery in April 1842 in Kentucky. He later escaped during the American Civil War and served in the United States Army, where he became the first African American to reach the rank of lietenant colonel. After the civil war, Mr. Allensworth served as the only black delegate from Kentucky in the Republican National Conventions of 1880 and 1884. Later, Mr. Allensworth decided to dedicate his life to pursuing expanded education, economic, and political opportunities for African Americans in California, where his journey led him to AR-3 Monrovia. In 1906, he became the first pastor of Monrovia’s Second Baptist Church, where his legacy of exemplary leadership is carried on today as a prominent place of worship in Monrovia for more over 110 years. ANALYSIS: An overall request for proposals from artists for the Neighborhood Treasures program was released in November 2017. The document was distributed to numerous artists and groups, including the Monrovia Association of Fine Arts (MAFA). After reviewing the submittal received, on January 8, 2018, the AIPP Committee recommended that the City Council approve the design concept offered by Ron Husband, who submitted a proposal that features a decorative art pole on which a medallion shaped piece of art would be centered to highlight the life and community contributions of Allen Allensworth. Professionally, Mr. Husband is an American character animator known for his work at Walt Disney Feature Animation, where he has 24 animation credits associated with Walt Disney related films. Mr. Husband is also a Monrovia resident and has the distinction of serving as the first African American Disney animator. If approved, staff will work with Mr. Husband to select a fabricator for the project, which will be installed on Shamrock Avenue near Monrovia’s Second Baptist Church at 925 South Shamrock Avenue. FISCAL IMPACT: The proposed budget for the initial Neighborhood Treasures project is estimated to cost $15,000, which will cover all program costs. Funding for the initiative is available in the City’s Art in Public Places Fund. OPTIONS: The following options have been developed for City Council consideration: 1. Appropriate and authorize the expenditure of an amount not to exceed $15,000 from the City’s Art in Public Places fund and approve an agreement with Ron Husband for the establishment of the initial Neighborhood Treasures Landmark Post and Art Piece featuring Allen Allensworth 2. Do not appropriate and authorize funding for the Neighborhood Treasures Landmark Post and Art Piece, and provide staff with additional direction. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the City Council select Option 1, thereby appropriating and authorizing the expenditure of an amount not to exceed $15,000 from the City’s Art in Public Places fund to retain the services of Ron Husband for the establishment of the initial Neighborhood Treasures Landmark Post and Art Piece featuring Allen Allensworth. COUNCIL ACTION REQUIRED: If the City Council concurs, the appropriate action would be a motion to appropriate and authorize the expenditure of an amount not to exceed $15,000 from the City’s Art in Public Places fund for the establishment of the initial Neighborhood Treasures Landmark Post and Art Piece featuring Allen Allensworth and authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement with Ron Husband in a form approve by the City Attorney. Attachment A .