Public Art Commission - Regular Meeting

I have to just say I I went in there the first time uh last week. It is amazing. So, I'm proud of Bloomfield right now. Yeah. Well, it's funny because one of the sounds that you hear when people go come in, they just go right. And they have a soundproof room. I don't know if anybody knows that. I couldn't believe. I said, "Wow, that is awesome." Yeah. I went to the soundproof room upstairs. Yeah. I didn't realize that. We got it going on over here. We It's weird because the pandemic happened at a time that we were able to make changes to reflect some of the new norms. And

in a weird way, that really helped um prepare us to build a building that was really, you know, of the future. Oh, here's Bob. Yeah, Bob's trying to get on. Yeah, that's nice. There he goes. Did you all get noticed that we were live streaming? Uh, yes, I I did. Okay, I see. I'm just going to check that that actually happened. Yes. Yeah. Oh, there we are. Okay. I'm curious about the uh home downsizing event. That's tomorrow. Yes. What time? Two o'clock.

I need to check that one out. [laughter] my future. [laughter] And actually, since we're waiting to start, I I will show you. I'm here. It It took a little bit to sign in. I don't know why. People see me. Hey, Bob. I see you. Hi, Bob. Hi, everyone. Hello. Sorry that I'm running late for a change. We're just showing everybody the home downsizing program that starts tomorrow. Oh, really? Yes. Okay. Can it be done by Zoom or do you Yes.

Yeah. Oh, yes. Okay. I'm curious about that. So, anyways, um, welcome to our chair. I confirmed with the town that until the new announcements are made about boards and commissions, we can proceed as we always have. So, chair, I'll hand it over to you.

Okay. Thank you. Thank you. And thank you all for being here. Obviously, uh we we have a quorum. I don't think we need to take attendance. Uh and uh let let's just proceed. U I think again a simple meeting today. I've been trying to u reach the uh artist about the bear, but I have no uh uh no reason to believe that he is not available. It's just uh start of the new year. Um I'm waiting for a call back. So uh but that's going to proceed. And uh other than that uh I don't think we have any old business to discuss unless uh anyone else has u has a topic uh that they want to cover uh in the category uh that we've previously discussed and then we can u open for discussion of some of the other topics. We're carrying on from one uh from one month to the other. So, I open it up to all of you any uh items that we were discussing previously. Uh I uh can uh fill you in on what's new with uh the Grandby Street uh process. It's moving a little uh in the usual fashion, but uh I throw it out to all of you. Uh any uh any old business besides the uh the bear?

Uh is there any is there any followup to the photo contest that we should talk about? Uh Robin, do you want to cover that?

Yeah, sure. And and Sheena certainly jump in. It was a really really nice event and and our Sheena was was terrific as our spokesperson. And so she was able to talk a little bit about the public art commission's past projects. Uh so that was terrific and and it just and Neil, as you probably all recall, was one of the judges. Oh, and our very own uh Andrea uh won uh in two categories. Uh what I forgot to do was to get into town to get the printed uh versions of the messenger to see the write up which was probably already several weeks ago. So I don't know if any I don't suppose you picked up a copy of the messenger.

Yeah. I was going to say I've seen the messenger showing pictures of the uh showing the winning pictures. Oh, you did? It was this week. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. And I have a digital version. I'll see if I can get the digital version as well. And I've suggested to our selection committee that when we're looking for photographers to have a show, look at that. So,

that's a great idea, Lee. Yeah. we could pull together a show of just photography, which would be relatively easier to mount than u than uh and I don't mean the pun, mount the show, not the photographs. Uh uh than uh pulling together paintings and that kind of thing. Uh but uh let's get that on our list of u of projects we would like to do in the future. Yeah. I was thinking of a show at Duncaster, but I also agree with you. We could have a show uh as we done at Los.

Oh, absolutely. Yeah. Oh, there you go. Oh, there it is. Yeah. Thank you. Yeah. And I would also add uh that I know Paula is still interested in continuing our discussion in the coming year about how to figure out a way to involve younger students. um whether it be doing a poster painting or you know it doesn't necessarily have to be photography, but you know, she's wide open to suggestions that we may have.

Yeah, I was just going to say um I was really um happy with how everything turned out. It was my first time attending the photo contest. Um I saw the community involvement and people were very excited to be able to have, you know, to vote for their their different um pictures and so forth of the trees. So, it was it was nice. It was really nice. And I did pick up a copy of the messenger, too. So, I saw that article. Yeah, I picked up it was a couple in the store. I think it was over at the um Geyses. I saw it at Geysers. Okay. Yep. Articles. I have an extra one, too. Thanks so much for Sheena for doing that.

Was part of the meeting of of voting for uh did the public get a chance to vote for pick their favorite? Is that what I understand? Shea I don't u I think I think it was um pre did they vote I think previously I thought it was already people already voted beforehand if I'm not mistaken I don't know Robin is that we just had we have two judges

it's not open to the public for voting what happens is the deadline for after the deadline for photo submission which I forget I think it's in October um Paula and Sharon man the ones who originated this whole uh contest. I think they basically just gather all the photos that have been submitted then hand them off to the judges and was one of two judges. I forget who the second judge was. I think it was one of the towns people, Brian Wolf.

Yeah. Uh so yeah, it's limited to the judges themselves. uh it would just be I think too cumbersome to and complicated to invite the the public to vote on the photos. So that's why they look for people that have some background and interest in photography to be the judges for the photo contest. That's the way it's worked for the last and it's now in its this was its fifth year. Oh was the fifth year? Oh wow. The fire. Yeah, it was a nice turnout. I want to say too. I think they must have had over over 50 60 people there when

they had Sharon mentioned about 65. Yeah, roughly. I was surprised. Yeah, they filled the room. Cool. Great. Excellent. We could just get, you know, some younger people involved. That would really be be an added benefit. I think well maybe an idea would be to talk to the art teachers in the schools about having that be an assignment of photographing trees for the upcoming contest next year. Yeah,

that's it. Doesn't Oh, I guess it is a photo contest. But anyway, I think involving young people is an easy way is to involve their teachers in the school.

I think that's a good idea to uh do this ahead. We're now uh obviously just starting the second semester uh at schools and um uh speaking to them now uh in prior attempts at engagement the uh uh teachers already had their uh curricula and and um and lists of lessons already prepared. So it w was hard to insert ourselves for instance with the U Michael Border show uh coming to that. But if we spoke to them now for next year uh and as you say Lee uh got it on their uh [snorts] on their syllabus uh uh as of next September uh then students could be engaged uh in this during uh during the school year as opposed to uh our catching them off off schedule. Yeah.

Right. Right. Good.

Yes. Let's plan on following that up. Uh any other items for uh general discussion? Uh okay. I I can tell you going back to the bear by the way uh just briefly that um I did hear from uh Mark Weissman uh and the u architects and planners are uh ready to be engaged in citing the bear but they need from uh the artist some u uh dimensions uh for what we're dealing with weight and size so that they can plan accordingly. So that that's what I'm waiting to uh talk to uh to the artist about. And he was very enthusiastic. I don't see any reason that he would uh not be willing to um proceed once once the weather uh in fact turns turns for the better permanently. So um anything else uh on that prior topic? Okay, I can fill you in that. Um, uh, Bonnie Burkowitz, uh, who I'm, uh, meeting with, uh, uh, soon, uh, and we have an economic development, uh, commission meeting next week, uh, has been proceeding with, uh, trying to, uh, prepare plans for the Grandby Street area of town for an arts district. And apparently uh one of the uh owners there is quite enthusiastic about uh helping us with that with with his building. And so we're going to try to proceed. But that's a uh as you all appreciate a long uh process of engagement uh and the town

as well to um get it get it in front of them. Uh uh one of the things that they're examining initially is uh signage so that we can designate that's that's fairly easy and quick to designate the area with some signage. Um and so that that's another item that's uh old business proceeding but with no u no substantive report uh to discuss here. Where is this place? Where what are you talking about here? Oh, okay. Lee, uh uh yes. Uh you're familiar with uh Home Depot uh in Bloomfield.

Sure.

Yeah. That is at the corner of uh uh Grandby Street and Bloomfield A. and going down Grandby Street, there's a whole area of uh buildings that as a sort of a a joint engagement between the town uh generally and uh the uh economic commission and ultimately the art commission. Uh they want to uh engage the owners of that area in cleaning up their properties. a lot of the properties um are in use or or have not been in use for a while and they have old parked cars there and uh in any event uh it's a prime area uh to uh turn into uh especially since it um is primarily uh actually pretty much in the middle of town. So that's not all all activity occurring around the um the center but uh and it's a proposed area over a period of years Lee and everyone uh to convert into a destination with buildings uh hosting arts events and ultimately artist spaces uh so that they can work there and uh uh the the town at least in the planning stage, planning development stage uh may be amendable to even having uh art uh residence spaces there uh so that people can live and work uh in the same uh buildings and area somewhat like uh you're probably all familiar with the Colt building in Hartford has done that for many years.

Yeah. uh and some other towns like the axe factory uh in Unionville does that. So that's sort of a model we're trying to adopt uh to uh to um activate that commission are taking this on. What's that?

We as a commission are taking this on. No, no. We have been uh we have been engaged uh to be consultants to that when they're ready to talk about art. Uh right now it's an economic uh development uh project and we're being kept in the loop. So no, we're not taking on uh anything as monumental as that. But um uh Bonnie and uh others of us on the economic commission uh are close to uh to the planning department in town and uh they're willing to um to consider it as a way to um uh mo motivate that area and activate it for uh for the whole town in including obviously the uh the uh north end of of Bloomfield. uh to engage them in um an activity closer to their area rather than just the center. Yeah. Any questions, thoughts, or or comments on that?

Oh, sorry. Uh yeah, I'm just curious. I know you brought this up before, Bob. Um so, this is going to be an art The idea is for it to be an art district. Is it going to be in existing buildings that are developed or brand new?

No, no, no new buildings, but uh uh renovating existing buildings. Uh and there's one in particular, I don't want to give too much information until we have more buy in by the owners, but they're positive about it. uh that actually has uh quite a bit of space that could be uh suitable for this. One is event space, large uh large uh full floor through uh uh spaces where events could be held uh shows, contests, even one night uh uh events uh festivals, that kind of thing. uh but they also are amendable to uh having small uh rental space for artists. So we're talking to them about that. Um, the [clears throat] property is owned by um by a gentleman from New York, but his son who is uh I would guess probably in his 40s uh uh is very interested and also involved and he lives in Austin, Texas, which is uh a very um active I would say model for this. you know, Austin is obviously

very different and uh economic uh underpinnings, but they have this kind of thing in Austin and he'd like to bring it here. So, we're sort of far down the road with uh motivation, but planning and you know, uh bricks on the ground uh will take some work. No new buildings though. Uh renovating existing ones. But are these I'm sure you've looked into these. Are these buildings stable enough to uh last and and and yeah, they are they're good solid buildings that have been um it's actually a manufacturing area. There's quite a bit going on in that area, but in small manufacturing um uh projects. um some at a very high end, but they're small buildings Lee uh uh amounting to uh maybe only two floors of a couple of thousand ft each. But we're trying to get uh this to uh motivate the owners to clean up their properties and then ultimately as people start using the area more. And by the way, I should add that um this uh actually abuts within almost uh a mile, a little over a mile, the back entrance to University of Hartford. uh and so uh University of Hartford would have access to this for students and and uh uh people who are looking for something to do. So that's the long range concept and plan.

Good. Yeah. Yeah. Toby is I'm sorry. No, go ahead, please. Sheena, I was going to ask you um is this off of Toby Road? Yes, it is. Okay. I'm kind of familiar. I'm just wondering. Yeah, that whole area Grandby and Toby Road, you've you've got it exactly. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Are the And again, as I said, I don't want to float too many things out in front of us that are very speculative at the moment, but Robin, please.

Well, I I think I know where you're talking about as well. Is it also where u the Hooker Brewery is? Yes, the Hooker Brewery is one of the key um uh buildings and and ultimately venues that might be involved. And we have already met with the owner of the Hooker Brewery. Um and I don't want to go into too much detail. He he sort of is u he likes the concept. He doesn't all like all the people who are around him. Not us, but but people in his neighborhood. [laughter] this could be beneficial to them.

Yeah. Yeah. But yes, Hooker Brewery would be a place that um that would be involved. And there's also uh the building that um I I believe they may have moved, but there used to be a dog rescue center uh in a building uh on that road also. And again, that has some large space that would be very suitable for this kind of thing. So, yeah.

Well, great. Um, uh, anything else? I guess we're still waiting, uh, Elizabeth, for um, for the town council and, uh, the new, uh, leadership to step into their role before we can talk about, uh, going in front of, uh, the council and speaking of some of what we're doing. Is that correct? That is correct. But you can always go and talk to them whenever you want about ideas you have to improve our community.

Okay. Thank you. And as you all know, and I don't have an update on this, I'm not privy, but uh Al uh uh the town manager was out uh for personal reasons for a period of time, apparently planning to return to his role, I think either this week or next. Oh, he is back. He is back. Yes. Oh, good. Okay. Um he's back in the office um as of I believe uh the the last week of December.

Oh, okay. I I had heard it was going to be the first of of [snorts] January, but great. Uh well, we want to give him a chance obviously to catch his breath and [clears throat] uh he was always um a supporter and advocate for us. So um uh we want to revisit that with him when we have a little more to to discuss. uh including our report on um prior activities. I think we have uh we said we have not um uh presented to the uh to the town council before uh on a a recap of what we've been doing uh ostensibly to uh justify asking for uh more support in the future. Yeah. Okay. Uh moving along, any uh new business anyone wants to bring up? Uh we said that we uh we're going to have a an internal discussion which is again somewhat free floating on um what we feel the uh the goals, purpose and activities of the art commission are and should be in the future. uh and that would go to part of the uh the plan uh to uh talk to the town council. But uh amongst ourselves uh the uh the issues and and I know before the holidays I sent everyone copies of our mission statement and our policies um to think through uh what we want to be. We've been doing this now for uh four plus years and uh have uh put on a number of [snorts] nice events but uh on the other hand we are uh not by uh definition a presenting organization as

such and we don't want to be cast in that role of always having to organize all the details and raise all the money. So um uh any thoughts on that subject? Well, we're all here to uh to talk amongst ourselves. Just to note that as I we should keep in mind what we're thinking about the public art commission also in the long term as it's also budget time. Yes. Yes. Thank you. [snorts] And Robin, you you had something. There there is a mission statement about what we are. Do we have that? I don't

I I've sent it. If you'd like, I I will send it around again. We have a short form and a long just say it. It must be short. Oh. Oh, no. We have a we have a a one paragraph uh uh three or four line mission statement and then we've got a a two-page uh discussion of uh our history and what we uh how this was conceived and set up originally. I guess I'm more interested in hearing the mission statement if we're being asked to improve on that. Maybe the mission statement is just fine. I don't know.

Well, okay. Yeah, we sent it around quite a long time ago, Lee, Bob, if I recall, and we did have everybody give input and we finalized it and approved. That was probably a couple years ago already. Yeah. No, I'm saying I recirculated that just before the holidays after our last meeting, which was in November. I'm not sure I got it. I will send it out again. Thank you. I'll [clears throat] send that out again. Sure. I got it either. Okay. I will be sure that that would be helpful. Everyone has that. Yeah. Do you do you want to uh assign us a task?

Uh well uh the task is uh personal for each of us. What you envision the uh art commission doing in the future. Uh, as I said, I I I'm sort of loading the dice a little bit uh with my personal view and uh I'll let Robin speak for herself, but she and I speak frequently about this. We kind of uh fell into as it were uh being designated a presenting organization. In other words, we come up not only with the ideas, but we have to get all the the players and the furniture and the money. Uh, and uh it's a lot of work and it's not really what we were uh

we were not uh constituted to do that. And so I'd like each of you as an assignment. Yes, Neil. to think about what what we can and should do in the future to um come up with ideas such as getting students more involved or uh integrating with other groups in town like the um like the trees or the or the um uh uh parks uh and beautifification committee uh to help them uh and be uh what we are all basically um on on the art commission for with multiple backgrounds in the arts to be advisors to help formulate judge all those things. The kinds of things actually you all did with the um with the trees for Bloomfield. It's a perfect example of how the art commission can be involved with relatively not heavy lifting on our part. So yes, think think about what you'd like us to be doing in the future, short and long term.

Okay. Okay, that's that's good. I I need a kind of task oriented, you know. Yeah, absolutely. And happy to do that. [clears throat] Yeah. And the the bearer when it gets done and it will will be uh correct me Rob and I always lose track either the the fourth or the fifth major uh production that we have uh uh established in in the last uh in the last even just couple of years. Yeah. I think I mean the biggies were our two uh festivals if you will at the

house and then we did the smaller drum uh circle event and the trees for Bloomfield uh event and I don't know if I'm missing anything but well and the bear so yeah right and the bear is going to be a biggie for this year hopefully so I'm pretty good for a small public art commission that

Absolutely. Absolutely. Uh a and uh I I might add that uh um we we have all come up with some great ideas but uh there's a lot of uh heavy lifting I'll say again uh to to produce these things

which uh is is difficult because we don't really have unlimited financial support. Uh I will mention by the way speaking of finance uh and you're all welcome to attend Bonnie and I are are attending an economic uh review at the end of January put on by the chamber of commerce uh and uh anyone is welcome to attend. There will be u state uh um legislators as well as local uh people who will be giving a preview of what they think is going to happen in this year. And the the chamber is a a potentially good partner for us in the future if we have a project where we can motivate them to help support it.

Okay, sounds good. I have a thought. Yes, please. Isn't it important that we get more people on this commission, more diversity, more people who bring new ideas and can be helpful in this heavy lifting you're talking about? Yes. I don't know how we get more people, but there are people in Bloomfield that are very interested in the arts and uh I think that should be one of our big missions to get include more people.

I I agree with you and I think we all do, Lee. And we do have one who is waiting in the wings to be uh uh designated by by the town uh for that matter. I think Neil officially uh there's been a lot of confusion around that, but still needs to be uh appointed and I guess we're all coming up for a reappointment uh with this uh new council.

Suggest something else. Let's start with the bottom line. Let's get rid of all of this issue about how hard it is to become a commissioner. If you volunteer and you want to and you're willing, don't tempt me here. But anyway, get out of my way. Please take please take this to the town council and scream in their face about it. Honestly, you really should. Um,

well, I don't want to advocate for screaming in their faces, but I do think that if you have a strong opinion about the process that you absolutely should share it with them. Yeah. Drive. And I don't generally go out at night and I'm older than the rest of you. Would somebody else please do the screaming? I'll give you the script. [laughter] Yes. It's a getting appointed in this town is and I will just I'll say this even on the record is Byzantine. It has to go through a committee and and there be an appointment and then you have to you know it's absurd.

Go right to the top. Go to the mayor and say this is unacceptable. Okay. Don't fool around with whoever the underlings are. go to the top guy.

I I agree with you. Uh unfortunately, there are some underlings in town that um have their thumb on on the uh on the scales in the butcher shop. Uh and uh it makes it difficult to get past the bureaucracy, but um we will keep trying. A and we have in the past had a couple of other uh individuals who expressed interest but they didn't want to and couldn't uh go through the um the long and arduous process. Neil is what is so terrible about it. I agree. Um I was going to shift gears a little bit

um in talking about our mission and talking about the function of our commission. I I remember that when we were uh uh over in Torington, I think it was looking at uh that borders exhibit that was Yes. displayed over Halloween. Um you had said you were having some discussions with the town of Torington, uh their arts commission to kind of pick their brains about uh their function, their mission, their you know the way they operated. Um, did you ever have any have any feedback from from that kind of uh perspective?

Uh, yes and no, Neil. Uh, uh, as you recall, and I'll bring everyone else back up to speed, there is an arts organization in Torington uh, called Five Points. Uh, and they actually, uh, started out, and I have met with the woman who runs that a number of times. uh when the weather improves uh I would propose that we uh all take a field trip out there because it's exceptionally impressive what they've accomplished. But they as an arts organization helped reconstitute the center of downtown Torington. Uh and uh so they're tied in with the Turington Art Commission, but they actually are a uh a private organization. Five Points uh gallery and uh and they have a whole a former University of Connecticut building which is devoted to the arts uh there with uh maker space and and classes and all of that. So, it's a wonderful model and the woman uh who runs it uh said she'd be very happy to advise and help us. Oh,

and they also had the Michael Border Show. They have lots of big artists come there. Yes, they do. In Torington, I'm not saying anything bad about Torington. Who would think they could be so successful? And they are. Yeah. Absolutely.

Yes. Yes. And you know, I uh I spoke to u this woman. This goes all the way back to last summer. Uh oh, even before, wasn't it Robin? Yeah. Before the summer. Uh and um said, "Well, obviously Torington itself is not wealthy, but you're surrounded uh by wealthy uh suburbs like Lechfield and and uh those." She said actually it's not those that supported them. They were able to get support uh at a corporate level. And she said you know you have more big corporations in your area that could support the arts than we do here in Torington because Torington of course has not had industry in decades. Um she said uh you should really be going around to your companies and um getting them to donate money and support the arts and become underwriters. And so that's a long range

uh project for all of us to get involved with as well. Yeah. Well, I I brought it up because [snorts] um I just remember that there was you were trying to gather some ideas from outside of our sphere and um that's always helpful. I mean's experience

uh can teach us a lot. I I agree, Neil, and for everyone's benefit, I I previously reported on this, but um uh I've met uh I think three times with the chair of the West Hartford um art commission. Now, interestingly, and not telling tales out of school, this is all public public information. Uh he advises me that their art commission actually receives no financial support from the town. Uh however, uh the town of West Hartford has a very active uh merchants association. uh and all those events and banners and and things that you see going on as you drive into West Hartford. We're having a a show. We're having a festival. We're having dancing in the street. We're having uh a art art show that's all done by their merchants association

to uh promote business. And unfortunately Bloomfield does not have enough merchants or or that kind of organization yet. Um but um we're working at it. So uh but he said and their merchants association by the way charges dues to be uh involved and active in it. And I don't mean a couple hundred dollars. They charge thousands of dollars a year to the merchants to to belong to their association and this is how they put on their events. So there are different models. Yeah. Yeah. Anyone else? I have a question.

Sheena, is there um a key person that can be designated to write grants in our behalf for the arts? Do we have anyone in Bloomville or anyone that um could possibly do that for us? Because we know we're talking about raising more money. What about grants? Uh we do not. And that's another one that has uh I I'll be honest has fallen to Robin and me to u to pursue and uh have run into as we've previously reported difficulties with the town about their participating and are applying for grants because uh nothing gets done

in this town without uh passing through the entire bureaucracy. Uh and it's holding us back. It really honestly is. No, we do not. Uh I have met with a woman who is a professional grant writer. She has uh advised us uh on uh on some strategies. We've been pursued actually by the state of Connecticut to uh apply for a grant, but when we tried doing it, the town uh would not back us and participate because they said they were afraid of uh if we applied for a grant, what their obligation as a town would be, if you can believe that.

Uh and uh would they have to report? Would there be liability? with the you know a million in one things. Uh I have spoken with a number of organizations uh the Greater Hartford Arts Council uh uh and some others uh about supporting us. But we uh we have to have our act together uh to be able to um present. I think we tell a very good story as an art commission, but we've got to be able to present that the town back backs us and that we can

get get things done in in the town. uh I if we're given grant money and the Hartford Foundation also uh has uh we've spoken with people there who um who would um well I I obtained a grant through the Hartford Foundation as you all know to uh to support the drum festival. Uh so they they are uh open and amendable but it's uh it's really a a story of telling telling our uh telling our proposal in a way that we have our act together. I'll put it that way. I see.

Anyone else? Um, I just remembered, Bob, when you and I were working on one of the grants, did we we were still waiting for that town number uh ID number? Did we Oh, no, no, no. We went We got way past that, Robin. Uh, we have the ID number and all that. No, we uh we had to get a sign off for that grant from the uh the head of the finance department of the town, right,

who I spoke with a number of times. Lovely gentleman. He's doing his job. But he said uh they would not sign off unless they had a full understanding of what the town was getting into. That's right. That's what I wanted you. And subsequent to his uh telling us that the state of Connecticut uh commission on the arts came back and said, "Won't you please apply?" Right. And I had to respond to them, "We can't do it. We don't have the town uh uh ready to sign off on it."

Right. But it sounds like whatever we do, even if we're interested in applying for another grant, whatever our idea is, we have to present it to the town council. Right. Kind of their thumbs up before we then proceed with a grant. That was my next question. Well, I don't think it needs to actually go to the council. What it needs to do is get past the finance department. Oh, because strangely enough, uh, grants, well, it's not strange. It it makes some sense. Grants are not made to the art commission. They're made to the town for the benefit of the art commission. I see.

And that's the way the Hartford Foundation grant ran. uh and uh um Elizabeth was instrumental and and wonderful about helping shepherd those uh funds through the town uh um channels. Uh but it was very clear and I had to get a letter from the Hartford Foundation that explicitly stated and and we were not alone. They said this happens in many towns. explicitly stated that they would be sending money to the town for the benefit of the art commission and that under no circumstances could it be used for any other purpose or touched by the town.

Right. It was in it was in a direct uh line uh for our uh our drum festival actually. That's right. Okay. Thank you for for clarifying all that. Yeah. Yeah, it's uh we we're u caught in a bit of a quagmire uh and uh uh it's not the art commission alone that's that's stuck in this in this problem set. Tell a finance committee that the more money we get from others, the less we will ask from you.

That was exactly the point. Yes. Uh there is a gentleman uh who has expressed an interest in giving to the art commission uh and we are uh engaged with talking to him about that a private a private businessman who wants to help support us and has made a commitment to do that but we have to get his funding in line uh and we're hoping that he may provide some of that uh to help finish the Bayer Wonderful. Yeah, that's good news. Many, many, many, many, many, many, many steps. [laughter]

There are some rich people in Blogville. Yeah. Yeah. Anything else while we're in open discussion? Okay, then. Uh, I think uh I don't believe we have any uh members of the public to speak. Elizabeth, no. Uh, I will entertain a motion to approve our minutes from uh our last was it one or two uh uh meetings from November? November. Uh a uh a motion to approve the minutes of November. I

give that motion and a second, please. I Thank you, Sheena. All those in favor? I. Any opposed? Thank you. And uh if nothing further, I think we have Oh, yes. Are we Do we have to approve our calendar? Yes. Yeah. Okay. I will entertain a motion to approve the calendar as Elizabeth circulated it to us earlier this week and we uh to repeat our meeting at the same time 5:15 on the first Wednesday of each month. So moved and a second.

Yes. Second that. Okay. And all those in favor of approval of this say I. I. I. Any opposed? Hearing none, that has been approved unanimously as well. Uh, and now lastly, a motion to adjourn the meeting. Thank you all for very fruitful discussion. Very good. A motion, please. A move to adjourn. Thank you. A second. Second. Thank you. All those in favor? I I I I will send out uh as a followup right away uh the mission statement and background material. Thank you all. Excellent.