DATE: June 4, 2019
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Jean M. Rousseau, County Administrative Officer
SUBJECT: Resolution Abolishing the Public Art Policy Committee
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Approve Resolution abolishing the Public Art Policy Committee.
2. Direct the Department of Public Works and Planning to work in consultation with the County department head of the specific new capital project for a County building or remodeling project of an existing County building, in excess of $3 million, for the inclusion of public art, as deemed appropriate.
REPORT
There is no Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. The Board of Supervisors created the Public Art Policy Committee (Committee) by Board action on May 15, 2007. The Committee’s purpose is to bring back to the Board recommended administration procedures concerning the Public Art Policy. The Committee has not met in the last several years. The recommended actions will abolish the Committee and direct the Department of Public Works and Planning, through the Development Services and Capital Projects Division, to ensure art is included in new projects frequented by the public and areas where staff congregates, as appropriate. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
If the recommended action is not approved, your Board has the option to maintain the Committee; however, this would require your Board to appoint two members of the public to the committee, one from east of State Route (SR) 99 and one from west of SR 99.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost associated with the recommended action.
DISCUSSION:
The Board of Supervisors created the Committee by Board action on May 15, 2007. The Committee’s membership was approved on August 14, 2007 and consisted of: a representative of the Fresno Arts Council serving as the chair, two members of the general public one from east of SR 99 and one from west of SR 99, the County department head of the specific capital project, and Fresno County Librarian representing the county’s historical needs.
The Public Art Policy established a 1% of a capital project construction budget, maximum amount of $500,000, to be included for the purchase of public art in the design and development of any new County capital project for buildings or remodeling projects of an existing County building in excess of $3 million.
The committee was created to:
• Expand the public’s experience with public art;
• Make available to County residents artwork of the highest quality;
• Integrate the design work of artists into the development of County projects regularly frequented by the general public; and,
• Help create a more visually pleasing environment.
All bid responses for public art were to be forwarded to the Committee to review for completeness, arrive on a recommendation, and present the recommendation to the Board for comment and approval.
In addition, the Board approved a 5% of the Public Art budget from eligible construction projects to be allocated and placed in a special account for the maintenance and preservation of art works funded by the Public Art Program. The Department has confirmed there are no existing funds set aside in a Public Art budget.
In the past several years, the Committee has not met. The Board appointed the two members of the public in 2009 and did not reappoint new members upon their term’s expiration in 2011. The members have been holdovers since. In 2017, the Committee was contacted regarding the Department of Behavioral Health’s Crisis Residential Treatment capital project and was not successfully convened.
Approval of the first recommended action will abolish the Committee. Approval of the second recommended action will direct the Department of Public Works and Planning, through the Development Services and Capital Projects Division to include art in new projects frequented by the public and areas where staff congregates.
County Administrative Officer’s Management Directive 1723.31, Capital Improvement Development Process, will be updated to direct that public art be included in new projects frequented by the public and areas where staff congregates, as appropriate.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #7, August 14, 2007
BAI #5, May 15, 2007
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Resolution
CAO ANALYST:
Sonia M. De La Rosa