Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Minutes - Arts Commission - Meeting Date: 2/12/2015 MINUTES CITY OF GLENDALE ARTS COMMISSION MEETING GLENDALE ADULT CENTER—ROOM 108 5970 WEST BROWN STREET GLENDALE, AZ 85302 THURSDAY,FEBRUARY 12, 2015 6:00PM The meeting was called to order at approximately 6:10pm by Chairperson Carol Ladd. Vice Chairperson Jessica Koory, Commissioners, Joan Graham, Anne Owens,Nadine Yuhasz and Carrie Richards were in attendance. Representing city staff was Mojgan Vahabzadeh, Public Arts Coordinator, Erik Strunk, Director, Community Services Department and Mike Beck, Chief Librarian. BUSINESS FROM THE FLOOR If citizens wish to speak on a matter concerning the Arts Commission that is not on the printed agenda, please complete a"Citizen Comment Card" located at the entrance of the room and provide it to the designated staff person prior to the beginning of the meeting. Once your name is called by the Board Chairperson,please proceed to the podium, state your name and address for the record, and limit your comments to a period of five minutes or less. There were no comments. APPROVAL OF THE MEETING MINUTES Chairperson Ladd asked for a motion to approve the minutes. A MOTION was MADE by Commissioner Yuhasz to APPROVE the Arts Commission meeting minutes of December 18,2014 as corrected. Commissioner Graham SECONDED the MOTION,which carried unanimously. A MOTION was MADE by Commissioner Koory to APPROVE the Arts Commission meeting minutes of January 6,2015. Commissioner Owens SECONDED the MOTION, which carried unanimously. POSSIBLE RELOCATION OF THE FOOTHILLS BRANCH LIBRARY AND EXPANSION OF LIBRARYSERVICES Erik Strunk, Director, Community Services Department and Mike Beck, Chief Librarian provided a detailed presentation on this item. Mr. Strunk stated this was the 3rd meeting they've had on this agenda item. He said the first two public meetings were with the Library Advisory Board and the Parks and Recreation Commission. The presentations were conducted in a public 1 hearing forum to discuss and gather citizen feedback on the potential partnership opportunity that has been presented to the City by Midwestern University. He said the opportunities discussed were the possible relocation and transformation of the Foothills Branch Library into a high-tech "Library and Technology Center" at the Foothills Recreation and Aquatics Center. Also discussed were the three major pieces of public art at the Foothills Branch Library which would be affected: The Sun and the Moon, 24-Hours in the Sonoran Desert and the Magic Doors. Mr. Strunk explained that with the advent of new technological innovations and the increased use of personal electronic devices to access digital media, traditional library services continue to evolve and undergo significant change in concept, design and meeting the needs of library patrons. He noted that throughout the nation there are examples of digital libraries, creative spaces to allow 3-D printing and interaction with electronic media, Wi-Fi access to the Internet. via personal tablets, stand-alone computers, and smart phones. Therefore, staff believed this opportunity should be brought up for discussion. He said this review will include a power point of statistical analysis of library use patterns, the identification of library trends and the type of library media used by library patrons. He stated that one of the opportunities staff will discuss was the possible relocation and transformation of the Foothills Branch Library into a high-tech "Library and Technology Center" as well as, partnership opportunities that enhance the library and community. He said there is space available at the Foothills Recreation and Aquatics Center(FRAC). He indicated that relocating and creating a new branch library here, it is possible to utilize existing city-owned space. Staff provided an overview of the following data: • Increased library hours for the public with 13 additional hours a week, going from currently 36 hours to 49 hours which is 676 hours more a year • Continue to provide patrons access to physical books, materials, technology, meeting room space, study room space, special interest classes and events, book drop and online ordering capabilities • Increase digital material collections and provide a new array of technologies (tablets, green screens, 3-D printer, new desktop computers, enhanced Wi-Fi, etc.) Relocation costs covered by transaction revenue • Reduced annual operating expenses without eliminating full-time library staff Mr. Strunk explained that patrons would still have access to group study rooms, a 24-48 hour guarantee delivery of books reserved in person or online, special children and youth literacy programming initiatives, public computers, and drop off book bins. He said this new facility and amenity would be provided at no cost to library patrons and customers. Additionally, Midwestern University, Arizona's largest non-profit medical school,has expressed partnership interest for the following. Midwestern University, Arizona's paltiiership interest include: • Continuing to allow community groups to use the meeting rooms • A new and potential partnership with an organization dedicated to helping veterans with health related issues • Additional special interest healthcare classes • Mentoring and tutoring opportunities for youth • Sponsorship of free health-related clinics • Partnering with use of medical research and health related materials Mike Beck, Chief Librarian, provided a slide presentation on the conceptual rendering drawings of the Library and Technology Center. He said that a new Library and Technology Center would offer library services for all ages, access to the digital world via an enhanced and expanded "e- library" concept, and a comfortable seating area with access to refreshments that patrons could enjoy while reading a book, periodicals, or accessing the interne via tablets. He stated that it would be designed to be an enhanced library experience through the use of technology, one which would embrace the concept of a true digital library,while still providing traditional library services. He noted that relocation would also provide a cross-benefit for use of the Foothills Recreation and Aquatic Center by library patrons. Mr. Strunk stated that city staff had been approached by Midwestern University regarding this opportunity. He noted staff did its due diligence and appraisals were conducted. He stated that Midwestern University presented the city with a$5 million cash offer. • Appraisal #1 = $3,400,000 • Appraisal #2 = $4,700,000 Immediate Financial Benefits: • One-time sale proceeds to cover cost of relocation/transfoiniation and "net"the city $4.1 million • $2.7 million in budgeted Capital Improvement Fund savings • $380,000 in annual savings to city • No full-time staff reductions Immediate City/Midwestern University Benefits: • MWU Main Campus Library open for public use: M-F, 9 a.m. —5 p.m. • Residents can use the new MWU Foothills site: M-F, 9 a.m. —5 p.m. • MWU to offer science enrichment programs for high school students • Community meeting rooms to be made available for use for public purposes • Health awareness programs will continue to be offered • Continued access to dog park from parking lot • Will reinvest significant capital in the property and building • Enhanced partnerships with veterans services Mr. Strunk stated staffs direction was to engage the relevant Boards and Commissions, assemble comments, observe and report their findings and activate a special website for feedback. Staff will report the findings to Council in spring 2015. He emphasized that this item was only for review, discussion and to receive direction and input. He added that no action was being requested tonight and stated he will be happy to answer any questions the Commission may have. 3 Commissioner Richards inquired as to having sufficient parking at the facility especially in the Summer time. Mr. Strunk explained the parking analysis and added that it should be sufficient. However, it would be something they will be monitoring. Vice Chair Koory stated she actually had several comments to make rather than ask questions on this issue. She actually came prepared to provide her take on this proposal rather than just ask questions. She remarked she was not sure why the city would want to sell the Foothills Library and keep the hours the same at the other two libraries while not having a library in the West Valley. She said they should be availing themselves with the technology the Maricopa County Library District had if they want technical things. She noted they should concentrate on the things the community really needs. In regards to the numbers showing low attendance at the library, she believes the low attendance was due to the confusion in hours and when the library was open. She was also concerned about the three art pieces being moved or relocated. She explained that since the library and the artwork were commissioned at the same time,they should stay together. She noted all the art pieces will be very difficult to move and relocate. Additionally, Vice Chair Koory was not in favor of children coming into the library after swimming since books,technology and water do not mix. She added that having a concession stand with drinks also does not mix. She apologized for not asking any questions but felt her comments had to be heard. She thanked them for their attention. Commissioner Owens asked to see the conceptual drawings of the Library and Technology Center again. Commissioner Graham stated she would first like to express her disbelief in the proposal. She said she would like them to explain why they were doing this. Mr. Strunk stated that the reason they were here was that a year ago they received a letter from Midwestern University on their offer to acquire the library. He explained that they had received direction from City Council to take this concept public and to have discussions with the community and get comments and opinions from the public and the Boards and Commissions. Commissioner Graham stated she realized that $5 million dollars cash sounds very appealing, however, some things are worth more than money and the Foothills Library was one of those things. She said the library is more than numbers, it is an experience. Commissioner Graham asked if the library was designed to accommodate future technology. Mr. Beck explained the expansion with the addition of computers, brand new technology and the expansion of hours. He said that every 18 months there was new technology that they have to keep up with. Commissioner Graham asked if the community was asking for this new greater technology. Mr. Beck replied that they had received requests and comments from the public. Commissioner Graham stated that in 1987 the residents approved a bond of$7.8 million dollars to build the library and now the city was asking the residents to accept $5 million in 2015. She said that she sees a problem with that. Mr. Strunk noted that appraisers use a variety of methods to determine the value of any property and the library came in at $4.7 million. Commissioner Graham stated that the Foothills Library was not just a library. its memories. its families. its art and a beautiful place that should not be sold. 4 Chairperson Ladd inquired as to the library hours. She asked what was the year they had to cut library hours. Mr. Beck stated that the first time was on July 1, 2009 and the second was on July 1, 2010. Chairperson Ladd asked what were the hours prior to the cuts. Mr. Beck replied it was 69 hours and currently its 36 hours. He stated that with this proposal it would go up another 13 hours to make it 49 hours. Since there was no further questions from the Commission, Chairperson Ladd opened the public hearing. Sean Lee, speaker, stated he was not in support of the proposal. He asked if the library was debt free. Mr. Strunk stated the city owned the facility free and clear. Mr. Lee believed the city paid the debt with another bond therefore, the city still owes a debt on the library or has paid on a debt in the amount of about$15 million. He questioned selling the library for $5 million. Mr. Strunk stated he will follow up on the question. Lynn Pinda, speaker, stated she was not in support of this proposal. She said she had attended the City Council meeting when this item was presented. She was very confused since at that meeting she heard Mr. Beck say that the Foothills Library was built with the future in mind. However, at this presentation he did not mention that fact. She said this was not the first time she has sat through this presentation and every time she becomes angrier and angrier. She believes this was a big disservice to the Glendale residents. She mentioned the art pieces are very meaningful to the community. She does not feel she should have to travel outside her city to enjoy beautiful art. She has become very skeptical and questions the appraisals provided for the art pieces. She was a very angry Glendale citizen and was just getting angrier at each meeting. She said this was not a good thing or solution for Glendale. Andrea Alvarado (little girl), speaker, read from her notes stating how much she loved the library. She said that libraries were for children not for computers. Aiva Alvarado (girl), speaker, read from her notes stating how much the library means to her. She said she did not want it to change and go away. She said that most people use the library to bring their children and grandchildren. Gordon Pinda, speaker, stated he had been a Glendale resident for 22 years and uses the library and the Aquatic Center a lot. He stated that this proposal was very unfair to the public since it was essentially making the space smaller. He commented on the $3 million dollars spent on the bridge recently completed to make the library and park area more accessible. He believes this proposal looks like it will greatly benefit Midwestern University but not Glendale and its residents. Debbie Shoop, stated she had been a resident of Glendale for 40 years and has used the library for many years. She said that the presentation scares her since it is presented as a storefront property. She stated the library was not there to provide childcare which really made her angry when it was one of the selling points. She said the purpose of the library was to involve the children, not put them in a room. She discussed the many different programs the library has for the children including teens. She hopes the public does not take the statistics that are being 5 quoted seriously since they can be skewed and were unfair, in her opinion. She noted she was very proud of MWU, however,they do not pay taxes and she believes they will keep expanding. Andrew Marwick, speaker, stated he had been discussing Glendale's issues for several years now. He said Glendale was terribly mismanaged and puts a burden on Phoenix. He noted several projects the city has neglected to accomplish. He reiterated that this will put a burden on Phoenix since Glendale residents will be going over there. He said that MWU was getting a deal with this since it would cost them over $15 million for a new building and they are getting this one for $5 million. He wonders why they don't buy the vacant land next to the library. He said the reason is that they would be getting a building at a very low rate and saving a lot of money. He believes the Council decided to entertain this proposal because they need money for hockey. He said it was time for the city to support the things that the citizens of Glendale need. Jen Deines, speaker, HOA President of Hidden Manor, stated she was representing the HOA and expressing their support for the library. She said the library was a wonderful treasure and resource. She was concerned that there was no drive-thru on the new concept since it is currently used by the elderly and handicapped. She noted that staffs concept of expansion was going from 38 computers to 60 computers and paying $5million dollars for essentially 22 computers. She encouraged everyone to send their comments to City Council since they are the ones who will ultimately make the decision. Jack Shoop, speaker, stated this was the third meeting he attended on this issue. He said that at every meeting he learns something new. He said that in his opinion this was a very biased presentation since it only covers all the pros of the proposal and no cons. He stated this was simply a sales pitch not a presentation that will help make an informed decision. He explained that it was easy to upgrade technology on computers. He ended by stating that they have a real jewel in the Foothills Library. He noted they should not give away the crown jewels to a non- profit organization. Annabel Childers, speaker, stated that she does not understand the design provided. She talked about the many memories she has had with her family at the library. She noted that people have plenty of computers at home. She expressed her concern that the city will continue to sell other city assets such as the ball fields and skate park to pay off debt. Carl Watson, speaker, stated that his first thought when hearing about this was "what are they thinking?" He believes the city is trying to sell things to pay debt, however, this would be one of the last things they should sell. He said this was not a good idea and they should let the City Council know how they feel. He noted that if he was sitting on the Council and he saw this presentation, he would be thinking "are you kidding me?" He said that if the Council did not feel the same way,he will be looking for a new Council. Sandra Burr, speaker, stated she was a library advocate who had moved from Peoria. She said this was an outstanding library and if they sell it they will be the laughing stock of Arizona. She said they will be giving a jewel for a joke and a pearl for a pen. She questioned why if they had received this offer a year ago, it had taken a year to inform the public. She said she felt betrayed by the city keeping this from them. She said she would also like to know when the appraisal was 6 made since she believes the economy has greatly improved. She questioned Mr. Strunk's and Mr. Beck's impartiality in this matter. She added she was very disappointed in Mr. Beck since he was supposed to be a library advocate. Linda Deiley, speaker, stated she was not in support of this proposal. She said this was a negative return on this investment. She noted that this was simply a lot of politics and believes this presentation was very biased. She shared some revenue ideas. Carolyn Vasko, speaker, stated her support of the library. She shared stories of how her family uses the library and how much they need it. She hopes they don't destroy this wonderful library. Cathy Fry, speaker, stated she was a Phoenix resident but she comes to the Foothills Library. She shared stories of her family using the library and how much they love coming here. She said they had a great knowledgeable staff as well as great programs. Gary Hirsch, speaker, stated he has been a Glendale resident since 1978. He noted that MWU was a great institution and was a good partner to the city. He said that having said that, he would like to know who initiated the initial contact. He has been lead to believe that the city possibly initiated this dialogue to begin with. He understands that the city has been looking at potential revenue for the city. He stated that it was interesting that some members from the Council knew of this offer a while ago and some did not. He would like to know if that was true since all members should have the same information. He encouraged everyone to send their comments to the City Council since they will be making the decision. He talked about the tax that was passed to keep Glendale whole to keep serving the public's needs. He noted this was not a good idea as the consensus has shown tonight. Joyce Clark, speaker, stated she had served as a Council member for 16 years and she has been a resident for 47 years. She thanked staff for being here and presenting as well and for taking the flak for this. She said her research had shown that the national standard of library space was approximately 1 square foot per capita. She said by using this formula, Glendale should have 239,000 square feet of library space to meet the national standard. However with the three libraries they only have 113,000 square feet of library space. She said they do not even meet the national standard now. She said that she has been calling this the "Library War". She noted the reason why is because it seems that every time there is an issue that is truly important to the residents of Glendale, they need to fight to be heard and to be listened to. She said they had all lost something in this process. She stated she was saddened by this process because this will affect their relationship with MWU for low balling their bid. Another loss was the city losing credibility for not bringing this forward when it was first mentioned. She explained that they have all been listening to a sales job. She said that finally, the citizens have lost because they have to fight for the little services they have. She stated that selling this library at this time in Glendale's history is the dumbest idea she ever heard. Sue Komernicky, speaker, stated she had been the Glendale Library Director and before that the manager and she knows every square inch of the building. She stated she was strongly against this idea and has written the Mayor and Council. She stated that staff was also well aware of how she feels. She stated that if Glendale had an established library system she could understand this 7 proposal, however, Glendale does not. She expressed her concern regarding the appraisal of the artwork and was truly astonished by it and believes it to be ridiculous. She stated she could not understand how the City of Glendale would want to give all this up and thinks its nuts. She noted that this proposal should have been dead on arrival. She said she was so outraged she could barely stand it. Kelly Purcell, speaker, stated that she moved back to Glendale for the facilities. She talked about other facilities she used living in other areas and believes the Glendale facilities were superior. She stated they were doing everyone a disservice by considering this proposal. She said libraries were very important in a community. Victoria Rogen, speaker, stated her concerns regarding the traffic impact this would cause to the area. She explained that every book was a piece of art that should not be taken away. She noted that everyone has computers these days so it should not be an issue. Ed Sharpe, speaker, Glendale Daily Planet, stated that the city has very valuable pieces of art in the library that they should be mindful of. He commented on the technology aspect regarding the concept being presented. STAFF UPDATES Gallery Glendale In February Healing at Its Best! by PSA Art Awakenings and Release the Fear. These non-profit arts,health and human services organizations promote the healing power of the arts to help youth and adults overcome fear, depression and other behavioral health issues so that they can give back to the community through the arts. FY 15/16 Grant Application This project is on track. COMMISSION COMMENTS Chairperson Ladd asked for a motion to adjourn. A MOTION was MADE by Commissioner Koory to ADJOURN the meeting. Commissioner Owens SECONDED the MOTION,which carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 8:40pm. Unless otherwise directed, the next meeting of the Glendale Arts Commission will held on Thursday, February 26, 2015 at 6 p.m., at the Large Meeting Room, first floor, Glendale Public Library, 5959 West Brown Street, Glendale, Arizona. Respectfully submitted, /moi' Mojgan V fabzadeh, Public Arts Coordinator 8