Aaron Seagraves, the city’s outgoing public art administrator.

One aspect of that transition is the departure of the part-time public art administrator, Aaron Seagraves. His current contract ends on June 30 – the final day of the current fiscal year. Seagraves has been working as the public art administrator on a contract basis since May of 2011.

In addition, one of the art commissioners – Ashlee Arder, who was appointed in March of 2013 – has resigned because of a move to Detroit. She did not attend the June 18 meeting.

Six of the nine commissioners who were present at the meeting approved a resolution about AAPAC’s near-term future. It states that the commission “will not initiate any new public arts projects, nor take any action to seek public or private funds for new projects, until it receives: direction on implementing a transition, a plan to support the Public Art Commission in the furtherance of public art, and guidelines for the funding and management of public art projects…” The resolution also states that AAPAC won’t meet until feedback is needed on the transition plan or for ongoing projects.

AAPAC chair Bob Miller, who introduced the resolution, described it as a way “to tie things up in a neat package for us, until the city has a clear direction for us to move forward.”

In other action, the commission authorized using $10,981 for a project called “PowerArt,” to be administered by the nonprofit Arts Alliance in response to a request by the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority. The DDA is contributing $20,000 to the first phase of the project, which involves wrapping eight traffic signal boxes in the DDA district with vinyl printed replicas of artwork. The expenditure from the city is not from Percent for Art funds, but rather from money donated to the city for public art, and held by the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation.

Discussion among commissioners focused on the fact that the Arts Alliance is proposing a roughly 40% project management fee for the first cycle – $9,100 on top of the $23,000 budget for the project expenses. The fee, as a percentage of the project’s later cycles, is expected to decrease in subsequent cycles. If the entire project is completed, an additional 34 boxes would be wrapped.

Commissioners also were updated on several ongoing projects that have been previously undertaken by AAPAC: (1) the Coleman Jewett memorial; (2) sculptures at a rain garden at Kingsley & First; (3) artwork for East Stadium bridges; and (4) Canoe Imagine Art.

Another effort that’s being developed by commissioner KT Tomey – maps for walking, cycling or running self-guided tours of public art – is also moving ahead, though it’s not an official city project. Commissioners intend to continue work on these projects to some degree, despite their decision to hold off on meetings and new initiatives.

Future of Art Commission

AAPAC chair Bob Miller added a resolution at the start of the June 18 meeting regarding the commission’s future. [.pdf of resolution] The item included these three resolved clauses:

RESOLVED, That the public art projects now in progress will be carried through to completion under the oversight of the Public Art Commission working in conjunction with the City of Ann Arbor staff and appointed personnel;

RESOLVED, That the Public Art Commission will not initiate any new public arts projects, nor take any action to seek public or private funds for new projects, until it receives: direction on implementing a transition, a plan to support the Public Art Commission in the furtherance of public art, and guidelines for the funding and management of public art projects; and,

RESOLVED, That the Public Art Commission will not meet until feedback on the transition plan is needed, unless there is required oversight on ongoing public art projects.

By way of background, the former Percent for Art funding mechanism required 1% of all capital fund project budgets to be set aside for public art. A new approach to public art was established last year on June 3, 2013, when the council eliminated the Percent for Art mechanism from the city’s public art ordinance. The new approach entails including city-funded art when it’s designed with council approval as an integral part of a capital project. Art projects also could be funded through a combination of private and public money.

Bob Miller, AAPAC’s chair.

This approach was part of a set of recommendations made by a council committee more than a year ago. [.pdf of council committee's public art findings and recommendations] The five councilmembers serving on that committee included Margie Teall (Ward 4), as well as all of those who subsequently declared their candidacy for mayor in the 2014 Democratic primary: Sabra Briere (Ward 1), Sally Petersen (Ward 2), Christopher Taylor (Ward 3) and Stephen Kunselman (Ward 3). That committee work came in the wake of a failed public art millage that was on the ballot in November 2012 – which would have provided an alternative to the Percent for Art funding mechanism. The millage had been put forward by Taylor, over objections from leaders of the arts community, who wanted more time to prepare for a public vote.

More recently, on March 3, 2014 the city council took three actions: (1) directed the city administrator to establish a budget for public art administration for the next two years; (2) transferred $943,005 out of the public art fund; and (3) extended the contract for the city’s part-time public art administrator through June 30, 2014. The direction in (1) is reflected in the budget that was approved by the city council for FY 2015 – in the form of an $80,000 one-time expense for art administration.

Craig Hupy, the city’s public services area administrator who oversees the public art program, has been tasked with delivering a public art transition plan to the council in October.

Uncertainty about the public art program has already affected AAPAC’s work. During the current fiscal year – from July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014 – AAPAC has canceled five of its monthly meetings: in July, November and December of 2013, and in February and May of 2014.

At AAPAC’s June 18 meeting, Miller noted that the issue of a transition is something he’d spoken to commissioners about in the past. He described the resolution as a way “to tie things up in a neat package for us, until the city has a clear direction for us to move forward.” The city staff is working on a transition plan, he said. And although AAPAC isn’t the entity that will be creating a new plan, he added, they can give advice.

Future of Art Commission: Discussion

KT Tomey asked about the final resolved clause: “That the Public Art commission will not meet until feedback on the transition plan is needed, unless there is required oversight on ongoing public art projects.” She wondered how that might play out in practice.

AAPAC member Connie Brown.

Bob Miller said the intent is to indicate that AAPAC would meet only when requested. The idea is that the city would come to AAPAC if any initiative needed input from the commission.

Connie Brown supported the resolution, but wanted to know what will happen to projects that commissioners are working on now. For example: Who will be publicizing projects like the East Stadium bridges artwork, or the sculptures at the Kingsley and First rain garden?

Craig Hupy, the city’s public services area administrator, said that project management staff have been assigned to these ongoing projects. The communications staff will also be a resource, he said. Specifically, Robert Keller of the communications staff will be helping to publicize these projects and handle the dedication events.

For the rain garden, Jerry Hancock will be handling project management. For East Stadium bridges, the point person is Mike Nearing, the engineer who oversaw the bridge reconstruction. Staff will be identified for other projects as they move forward, including the Coleman Jewett memorial and Canoe Imagine Art.

Miller said that AAPAC would be kept informed and could remain involved in these projects. Hupy told commissioners that he’d serve as the point person between the project management staff and AAPAC.

Craig Hupy, the city’s public services area administrator, who oversees the public art program.

Marsha Chamberlin suggested the possibility of meeting every-other month, as a way to keep commissioners informed.

Brown thought the intent of this resolution is to make clear that AAPAC is available for feedback, but that it’s not leading the administrative effort during this transition. Miller replied that until there’s a new plan in place for AAPAC’s work, “we’re not going to satisfy council, we’re not going to satisfy ourselves, and we’re not going to move forward in a progressive way.” It’s very difficult to keep moving forward on smaller projects in the current environment, he added. “We’re not going down a clear path right now – it’s muddy waters, and I would like to try to define our role.”

Brown said she understood the intent, but because commissioners will still be involved in ongoing projects, “we’re still in that no-man’s land.” Maybe that’s OK, she added, but unless they stopped working on everything, their role would still be a little “muddy.”

John Kotarski said he supported the intent of the resolution. He didn’t think it changed any of the projects that are underway. If a vote is needed on anything, they can reconvene.

Kotarski thought that commissioners who are working on projects should continue their efforts – like Chamberlin’s fundraising efforts for the Coleman Jewett memorial, or Tomey’s work on maps for walking or running routes that highlight public art in Ann Arbor and on the University of Michigan campus. Kotarski felt that the resolution clears the path, rather than muddies it.

Tomey noted that her mapping project is much simpler than the Coleman Jewett memorial. There’s no budget, and very little administrative demand, she said, so it would be more flexible to continue working on it compared to other projects that are underway.

Hupy observed that that Tomey’s mapping project isn’t officially a city project at this point – it hasn’t been funded or “officially sanctioned.” It was not on the list of projects that the city council had supported for FY 2015, he added. However, “we can make the mapping happen,” he said.

AAPAC member Devon Akmon.

Chamberlin clarified with Miller that this resolution in effect puts the commission’s business on hold, except for ongoing projects. Hupy added that he’ll be coming back to AAPAC for input as the city staff develops ideas for the future of the public art program.

Devon Akmon asked about the timeline for this transition. Hupy explained that the city council gave a directive to his boss, city administrator Steve Powers, to have staff develop a transition plan that would be delivered to council in October. It’s not that the transition will be complete, Hupy noted, but there will be a plan for moving forward with the city’s public art efforts. “I can’t tell you if [the transition] will be one year or two years, because we haven’t developed fully yet as to which direction we’re going and how we’ll get there,” Hupy said. “But there will be some change. That’s the only thing I can guarantee you – it will change.”

Responding to a query from Miller, Hupy said $80,000 is budgeted in fiscal 2015 for arts administration. Miller noted that the $80,000 will be allocated as Powers and Hupy see fit. Kotarski clarified with Hupy that part of the transition plan will discuss the role of AAPAC.

Hupy said he anticipates that AAPAC will have the opportunity to review the transition plan before it’s presented to city council. “It will not be a surprise,” Hupy said.

Outcome: Commissioners unanimously passed the resolution regarding future action by AAPAC.

Future of Art Commission: Other Transitions

The June 18 meeting was the last one for Aaron Seagraves, the city’s part-time public art administrator. His current contract ends on June 30 – the final day of the current fiscal year. The FY 2015 budget includes $80,000 for public art administration, starting July 1, but Seagraves’ contract is not being renewed. Seagraves has been working on a contract basis since May of 2011.

Responding to a query from The Chronicle, Craig Hupy – the city’s public services area administrator who oversees the public art program – indicated that it had not yet been determined how that $80,000 will be allocated.

After the June 18 meeting, Hupy and commissioners took Seagraves out to dinner at Grizzly Peak to say farewell.

In another transition for AAPAC, one of the commissioners – Ashlee Arder, who was appointed in March of 2013 – has resigned because of a move to Detroit. She did not attend the June 18 meeting. Another commissioner, Nick Zagar, hasn’t attended an AAPAC meeting since January – though during that time two meetings have been canceled (in February and May). Like Arder, Zagar was also appointed in March of 2013.

From the bylaws:

Section 8. Members are expected to attend regularly scheduled meetings and to notify the Chair and the Public Art Administrator or other person designated by the Public Services Area Administrator in advance if they expect to be tardy or absent. If a member misses more than three (3) regularly scheduled meetings in a twelve (12) month period, the Chair shall notify the Mayor and may recommend removal of the member.

The nine members of AAPAC are appointed to the city council and serve three-year terms, without compensation. There are no term limits. [.pdf of AAPAC bylaws]

PowerArt

The June 18 agenda included a resolution to grant $10,981 to a project called “PowerArt,” to be administered by the nonprofit Arts Alliance in response to a request by the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority. [.pdf of resolution] [.pdf of PowerArt proposal]

Allison Buck of the Arts Alliance.

These funds represent the entire amount of the balance in a special project fund managed by the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation, on behalf of the city. However, it’s significantly less than the $20,500 that was originally requested from the city when this project was presented to AAPAC on Sept. 25, 2013.

At that time, Deb Polich – the Arts Alliance’s executive director – described a proposal in which the city would partner with the Ann Arbor DDA to wrap about 40 traffic signal boxes in the DDA district with vinyl printed replicas of artwork. The city of Boise, Idaho was a case study for this project.

The initial pilot phase was originally intended to focus on 14 boxes at a total cost of $41,000, to be split between the city and the DDA. That cost included a 30% administrative fee paid to the Arts Alliance, which is based in Ann Arbor. Another $80,000 was anticipated for the final phases.

At its Oct. 2, 2013 meeting, the DDA board voted to commit $20,500 to the project. Although AAPAC also agreed on Sept. 25 to participate in the PowerArt project, that decision was contingent on the city’s legal review of potential funding sources. The city’s public art program is undergoing a transition to its approach to funding, following the city council’s decision last year to eliminate the Percent for Art funding mechanism. Ultimately, the city council did not authorize funding for this project.

So the budget and scope of the project was scaled back to $30,981 – $20,000 from the DDA, and a proposed $10,981 from the city’s account with the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation. The funds in the account had been a donation made several years ago to the city for public art.

The total amount from the city and DDA will fund the wrapping of 8 traffic signal boxes.

Allison Buck of the Arts Alliance was on hand to answer questions at the June 18 AAPAC meeting.

PowerArt: Commission Discussion

Marsha Chamberlin said she thought the proposal was very thorough, and that the project was terrific. She asked how the project management fees were calculated. She confirmed with Buck that the Arts Alliance was proposing a roughly 40% project management cost for the first cycle – $9,100 on top of the $23,000 budget for the project expenses.

AAPAC member Marsha Chamberlin.

Buck said that the percentage cost would decrease in later cycles, because much of the legwork would be done initially. She also noted that the project management fee had initially been a lower percentage in the original proposal, because the overall budget had been higher. The project management fee wasn’t scaled back, she said, so the percentage is higher now.

Some of the other costs are fixed, Buck noted. Those include the artist license fee ($1,450 per box), the vinyl printing and installation ($950 per box), box preparation ($50 per box), the “unveiling celebration” ($500 per cycle) and map printing ($1,000 per cycle).

Chamberlin asked about the “jury hosting” line item, which is listed twice, at $300 each. Buck explained that there will be two juries – a jury panel, and a community jury. The panel will be a group of seven individuals who’ll select artwork for six of the boxes. Artwork for the remaining two boxes will be selected by a public vote (the community jury).

After the first pilot cycle of 8 boxes, additional cycles could cover another 34 boxes. If the additional 34 boxes are completed in these later cycles, the estimated cost for those would be $91,000-$94,000 with an additional management fee of between $16,200-$24,300.

Chamberlin said a 40% management fee is “very high.” Bob Miller noted that this was an issue AAPAC had addressed with the original proposal. Part of the issue is that some of the work for the project manager is the same, no matter how many boxes are completed, he said.

John Kotarski said he appreciated that Chamberlin was “drilling into these numbers.” He thought it was a great project, and it’s admirable that the Arts Alliance stepped up and is willing to do it. It’s something new that’s never been done before in Ann Arbor, he said.

Kotarski thought the costs were reasonable, “and frankly no one else has been willing to take on the administration of this.” He was sure that the DDA board and the Arts Alliance board have “challenged these kinds of numbers” and found them to be reasonable. [At the Oct. 2, 2013 DDA board meeting when this project was approved, there was no board discussion of the management fee. Deb Polich, executive director for the Arts Alliance, is married to Russ Collins, a member of the DDA board. Collins did not attend that Oct. 2 DDA board meeting.]

Outcome: Commissioners unanimously supported funding the PowerArt project with $10,981 in funds held by the AAACF.

Public Art Maps

At AAPAC’s April 23, 2014 meeting, KT Tomey had brought forward a proposal to develop maps for walking, cycling or running self-guided tours of public art.

AAPAC member KT Tomey.

The idea is to develop routes that would be posted online or printed out and distributed through organizations like the Ann Arbor Visitors and Convention Bureau. A later phase might include developing a mobile app and eventually include clips with artists explaining their work.

As a first step, she’s developed three routes – two downtown and one on the University of Michigan’s north campus – and she’s tested them out with some running groups.

Tomey reported that the wife of AAPAC chair Bob Miller – Debbie Miller, a graphic designer – has volunteered to develop a visual presentation for the maps. When that’s finished, Tomey would bring the maps to AAPAC for feedback.

Tomey said she’s met with city staff members to discuss this project and how it might use the city’s GIS system. She’s also met with Deb Polich and Allison Buck of the Arts Alliance, trying to understand how their existing map resources might be helpful. Both the city staff and Arts Alliance have agreed to incorporate these guided-tour maps into existing mapping resources, Tomey said.

Fellow commissioner John Kotarski had connected Tomey with Anna Ercoli Schnitzer, a disability issues and outreach librarian at the Taubman Health Sciences Library. In turn, Schnitzer connected Tomey to a professor at UM’s School of Information, who might take on the mobile app portion of this effort as a student project in the fall, Tomey said.

Tomey reported that she’s been compiling a database of public and private art in the city and on the UM campus, using internet resources. She hopes to use it as these various materials are developed. [.pdf of updated public/private art database]

Other commissioners recommended existing resources that might help. Miller noted that the university has a database of its public art. Marsha Chamberlin reported that several years ago, an intern for the city put together a list of artwork that the city owns. Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public art administrator, added that the database is part of the city’s GIS system.

Chamberlin also offered to loan Tomey a book by Martha Keller: “Public art in Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County.”

Connie Brown noted that the local chapter of the American Institute of Architects has developed videos that describe some of the architecture and public art around Ann Arbor. Brown also mentioned a “sound garden” tour of Nichols Arboretum that was developed by the UM Mott Children’s Hospital, narrated by children.

Tomey indicated that she had already included some of these resources in the database she’s compiled. She noted that she’d also discussed with Schnitzer how to make these tours as accessible as possible to people with disabilities.

Outcome: This was not a voting item.

Project Updates

Commissioners were updated on several projects that have been previously undertaken by AAPAC: (1) the Coleman Jewett memorial; (2) sculptures at a rain garden at Kingsley & First; and (3) artwork for East Stadium bridges. Written updates were provided for Canoe Imagine art and a possible project at Arbor Oaks Park.

Project Updates: East Stadium Bridges

AAPAC chair Bob Miller reported that he and vice chair John Kotarski had attended the city council’s June 16 meeting, when Kotarski gave a presentation about the proposed artwork at East Stadium bridges. [Kotarski's roughly 10-minute presentation came at 11 p.m. during a six-hour meeting that lasted until 1 a.m.]

Miller said there were just a few questions from councilmembers, but the council “didn’t really bat an eye” and approved the final funding.

By way of background, a selection panel, and then AAPAC itself, had recommended choosing a proposal from Massachusetts artist Catherine Widgery for artwork at East Stadium bridges. At its June 16 meeting, the council was being asked to approve a contract with Widgery Studio LLC to fabricate and install public art at the East Stadium Boulevard bridges. The city had already contracted with Widgery on May 20, 2014 for $8,248 to finalize the structural design of the artwork with an engineer. On June 16, councilmembers were asked to amend the contract, adding art fabrication and installation services to the existing agreement, bringing the total compensation to $353,552 for all services.

The design for the bridge features stand-alone, louvered glass columns that are etched with images of trees. The same type of louvered glass panels are also used under the bridge along South State, affixed to the wall of the underpass. The panels are lit, so that the etchings stand out at night.

An image of proposed artwork by Catherine Widgery along the north side of East Stadium bridge.

An image of proposed artwork by Catherine Widgery below East Stadium bridge, along South State Street.

Fabrication will begin later this year, but installation will likely occur in the spring of 2015.

Project Updates: Kingsley & First Rain Garden

The foundations for sculptures in a rain garden at the southeast corner of Kingsley & First were installed in early June. The rain garden itself is already in place, with the sculptures to be installed in late July.

At their Aug. 28, 2013 meeting, commissioners had approved Joshua Wiener‘s schematic design for public art at a planned rain garden. [.pdf of staff memo, including itemized budget] The Denver artist has been working with landscapers to incorporate public art into the new rain garden, which is in a floodplain. The project has a $27,000 budget, though the artist’s contract would be for $23,380.

Wiener’s sculptures show the outlines of five fish. They’re small mouth bass, in different sizes, made of white epoxy-painted steel and pointed toward the Huron River. “Pretty soon, there’s going to be a lot of big fish on the site,” Connie Brown told commissioners. She’s spearheading communications about this installation, including an event tied to the completed project, with the artist attending.

Project Updates: Coleman Jewett Memorial

A bronze replica of an Adirondack chair made by Coleman Jewett will be located at the Ann Arbor farmers market. Jewett was a long-time local educator who died in January of 2013. After he retired, he made furniture that he sold at the Ann Arbor farmers market. AAPAC has committed $5,000 in city funds to the project, which has a total project budget of $36,000. Other funds will be raised from private donations, including a contribution from the Old West Side Association.

Logo for the Coleman Jewett memorial.

Marsha Chamberlin reported that as of June 18, the project had raised $26,972 in contributions, including the $5,000 that has been committed by the city. Estimates from three foundries came in at about $25,000, so there’s enough money at this point for the project to move ahead, she said. To raise additional funds, a party was being planned later this month at Bill’s Beer Garden for alums from Tappan Middle School, where Jewett was assistant principal.

Chamberlin and Bob Miller also attended the Juneteenth event at Wheeler Park on June 14, and talked to people there about the project. Solicitations for the project will also be made outside of Kerrytown Market & Shops, next to the farmers market. And Chamberlin is planning to do a spot on Community Television Network to promote the memorial.

The city issued an RFP (request for proposals) on June 11 to select the artist or art foundry that will cast the memorial. Bids are due on Aug. 7. [.pdf of RFP]

Chamberlin said the goal is to raise about $40,000 to cover the cost of the fabrication and installation. There’s been one major gift of $10,000, but most of the contributions have been in the $100 range. “This is not like the money’s just rolling in, in big numbers,” she said. “But we’re diligently working away at it.”

Project Updates: Canoe Imagine Art

Canoe Imagine Art, a community art project, is intended as a temporary art display in downtown Ann Arbor using old canoes from the city that would be repurposed as public art. The installation of an estimated 25-30 canoes was expected to take place in fiscal 2015 or 2016, depending on funding. The project has received a $21,000 grant from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, and organizers plan to raise additional funds from private donors.

AAPAC originally approved $10,000 in funding for the project, at its Sept. 25, 2013 meeting. It was to be used as a portion of matching funds for the state grant, with the remaining $11,000 in matching funds to be raised through donations. However, the city council voted to allocate the entire $21,000 in city funds to match the state grant. That action came at the council’s March 3, 2014 meeting.

A written report – part of the June 18 meeting packet – gave an update. The city has asked the Arts Alliance to administer this project. The Arts Alliance plans to seek an extension of the MCACA grant, to redefine the scope of the project.

The project was not discussed by commissioners on June 18.

Project Updates: Arbor Oaks Park

This project is being undertaken in partnership with Bryant Neighborhood Association and the nonprofit Community Action Network, which is under contract with the city to run the Bryant Community Center. It will involve participation of the neighborhood in the design and creation of artwork. The scope of the work will depend on the availability of funds.

The city applied for a grant from the Southeast Michigan Community Foundation, but it was not awarded to the project. Another grant application was submitted by the Community Action Network to the NEA Challenge America Fast-Track program, but those grants won’t be announced until December. No city public art funds have been allocated.

AAPAC member Nick Zagar is working with the project’s task force, but he has not attended an AAPAC meeting since January.

Donation of Public Art

At AAPAC’s April 23, 2014 meeting, John Kotarski had proposed that the city accept three pieces of donated art from Jim Pallas, an established Michigan artist and friend of Kotarski’s.

AAPAC vice chair John Kotarski.

The pieces were proposed to be located in the lobby of the Justice Center, in the atrium of city hall, and outside of city hall. Other commissioners had seemed supportive of the idea, but some expressed concern that the proposal wasn’t following AAPAC’s guidelines for accepting gifts of art, which include setting up a review committee.

Kotarski had reported that the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority has offered a $500 honorarium to Pallas for each donated piece. Kotarski said the three pieces have a total estimated value of $100,000. He also mentioned that Pallas’ daughter, a law professor, knows city attorney Stephen Postema and that they had “made arrangement to resolve any legal issues necessary to facilitate this donation.”

After discussing it at length on April 23, commissioners had agreed that AAPAC chair Bob Miller would work with Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public art administrator, to set up a gift selection committee to review this proposal and make a recommendation to AAPAC. Commissioners did not officially vote on the item, however.

The May meeting for AAPAC was subsequently canceled. There was no mention of the donation at the June 18 meeting.

Responding to a query from The Chronicle, Craig Hupy – the city’s public services area administrator – indicated that no further action would be taken regarding the proposal.

Public Commentary

The only speaker during both opportunities for public commentary was Changming Fan, who in recent months has been attending meetings of many city boards and commissions. He spoke about his company, TiniLite World Inc., which is based in Ann Arbor. The firm is the innovator, producer and supplier of new technology called TiniLite, he said. It’s a lighting display using LED lights, cell phones, and wireless Internet. He called it the light of art, and the art of light, and hoped that the city would use the technology for the public’s benefit. He encouraged the city to pursue the strategy of funding public art through public, private and crowdfunding sources.

Commissioners present: Devon Akmon, Connie Brown, Marsha Chamberlin, John Kotarski, Bob Miller, Kristin “KT” Tomey. Also: Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public art administrator and Craig Hupy, public services area administrator.

Absent: Jim Simpson, Nick Zagar.

Next regular meeting: No additional meetings are scheduled at this time.

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Al McWilliams, newest member of the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority board. (Photos by the writer.)

Called PowerArt, the project is proposed as a way to beautify downtown as well as deter graffiti. The proposal was developed by the DDA – working with the Ann Arbor-based Arts Alliance and the Ann Arbor public art commission. The art commission had voted at its Sept. 25, 2013 meeting to support this first phase of the project with the same amount as the DDA – $20,500. While the first phase of the project would wrap 14 traffic signal boxes, the Arts Alliance is proposing two more phases, for a total of 42 wrapped boxes, and a total cost of $121,000.

The Arts Alliance will administer the project, taking an administrative fee of 30% for the first phase and 25% for the second two phases, if the first phase is judged to be successful. The $41,000 cost of the pilot includes the 30% administrative fee for the Arts Alliance. [.pdf of PowerArt proposal]

The relatively brief board meeting featured an introduction of new board member Al McWilliams as he participated in his first meeting after winning confirmation for service from the city council on a 6-5 vote.

The board also heard various updates from its two standing committees on topics that included the bike share program, the streetscape framework planning project, the connector study, parking structure repairs, and National Hockey League-related events on New Years Eve and New Year’s Day.

PowerArt

The board considered a funding proposal to wrap downtown Ann Arbor traffic signal electrical boxes with vinyl imprinted with artwork. The grant considered by the board was for $20,500.

Corrected after initial publication: Not an example of a vinyl-wrapped traffic box with artwork by David Spear. This image was included in the Arts Alliance proposal for the PowerArt project. This image was actually hand-painted by Spear.

The proposal was developed by the DDA, working with the Ann Arbor-based Arts Alliance and the Ann Arbor public art commission.

The art commission, at its Sept. 25, 2013 meeting, had voted unanimously to support this first phase of the project with the same amount as the DDA – $20,500.

While the first phase of the project would wrap 14 traffic signal boxes, the Arts Alliance is proposing two more phases, for a total of 42 wrapped boxes, and a total cost of $121,000.

The Arts Alliance will administer the project, taking an administrative fee of 30% for the first phase and 25% for the second two phases, if the first phase is deemed a success. The $41,000 cost of the pilot includes the 30% administrative fee for the Arts Alliance. [.pdf of PowerArt proposal]

Deb Polich, executive director for the Arts Alliance, is married to Russ Collins, a member of the DDA board. Collins did not attend the Oct. 2 DDA board meeting.

The PowerArt proposal from the Arts Alliance indicates that the program was modeled on one that has been implemented in Boise, Idaho, where city officials there contend that vinyl art wraps have helped deter graffiti, even on traffic signal boxes that are not wrapped with art.

PowerArt: Public Commentary

During public commentary reserved time at the start of the meeting, Kathy Griswold led off her remarks by characterizing the project as a “transfer of taxpayer money to an art project.” She felt the project would be “extremely dangerous” and called it ill-conceived, as well as posing a conflict of interest. [That was an allusion to the fact that DDA board member Russ Collins is married to Deb Polich, executive director for the Arts Alliance. Collins did not participate in the vote on the resolution, because he was absent from the meeting.]

Griswold pointed out that the number of pedestrian-vehicle crashes in Ann Arbor had increased during the past two years – 60 in 2012 and 63 in 2011, compared to 45 in 2010 and 42 in 2009. She called that increase extremely troubling, but would not say why it was happening – because she felt the reason is not known. But she said the last thing that we should do is to decorate utility boxes, which are in the sight lines for intersections. She contended that it would violate the city’s own ordinances. In Boulder, Colorado, she said, a very aggressive local ordinance does not allow any utility boxes or vegetation taller than 30 inches.

Griswold characterized the PowerArt program as using utility boxes within the sight lines of intersections to “camouflage” pedestrians. She had seen one example that looked to her like the artwork depicted body parts. She could not think of anything worse than a utility box depicting body parts with a pedestrian standing behind it. She allowed that Ann Arbor has a very vibrant downtown, but a lot of people on weekends are downtown “under the influence” and the last thing we want, she said, is more pedestrian crashes.

Deb Polich also addressed the DDA board on the topic of the PowerArt program. She told board members that she was a resident of Ann Arbor’s Ward 5. She introduced herself as director of the Artrain and the Arts Alliance. She described the Arts Alliance’s mission as representing the creative industries, creative individuals and creative organizations in Washtenaw County – to ensure that the county remains a great place to live, work, play and visit. The Arts Alliance represents thousands of creative individuals, she said. Instead of a public art project, she said, she preferred to think of PowerArt as city beautification, and an investment in the downtown area.

The idea of wrapping traffic signal utility boxes with vinyl wraps is not new, she allowed. It had been done in lots of other cities, she said – cities to which Ann Arbor would compare itself or would like to be like. She compared the traffic signal utility boxes to a “canvas.” The project provides an opportunity for community engagement, and would be attractive to visitors. In connection to a similar project that had been implemented in Boise, Idaho, she continued, graffiti had decreased on the utility boxes that had been wrapped with art – as well as other boxes in the vicinity. She noted that the project cost is meant to be shared between the Ann Arbor DDA and the Ann Arbor public art commission. The Arts Alliance, she said, would be administering the project.

Reporting out from the downtown area citizens advisory council, Ray Detter conveyed the CAC’s strong support for the Arts Alliance PowerArt proposal. He called it “local art on urban canvases.” He called it a very carefully developed plan, using local artists, that would result eventually in the wrapping of 42 traffic signal utility boxes with art. He allowed that the concept was not anything new – saying that everyone remembered Bob Dascola’s efforts in connection with fire hydrant and traffic signal utility boxes. Right now that previous work was “a little bit down,” Detter said, and he suggested it needed to be “pepped up” a little bit. Detter reported that at the previous day’s meeting of the downtown marketing task force, Ann Arbor police Sgt. Tom Hickey had described a new police-community engagement program, which involves using convicted taggers who remove graffiti as part of their required public service.

PowerArt: Board Deliberations

The resolution making a grant award to the Arts Alliance PowerArt program was introduced by Roger Hewitt. He noted that the resolution would fund the first of potentially three rounds of the program. He described the other half of the funding as deriving from “other arts organizations.” [The other half of the funding has been identified as coming from Ann Arbor's public art commission.] Each round of the program would wrap 14 traffic signal utility boxes, he said – if the project progressed beyond the first-year pilot. He referred board members to the informational packet, which he said contained a great deal of detail.

Mayor John Hieftje, who sits on the DDA board, offered some comments on the PowerArt program. He said a couple of years ago the city has seen a “plague” of graffiti. A comprehensive response had been called for, he said. He reported that he visited with young people who’d been working with Mary Thiefels at the Neutral Zone, painting the railroad underpass – between First and Second streets on West Washington. He’d also visited with the AAPD’s Tom Hickey and the youth under his supervision working on graffiti cleanup. That had resulted from police detective follow-through, tracking down the perpetrators who had caused tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage, Hieftje said. The PowerArt project continues with that comprehensive approach, he said, adding that the project would provide a creative outlet for people who would otherwise possibly be damaging property. [According to the PowerArt proposal, the intent of the project is to enlist artists, but not necessarily people who might otherwise engage in graffiti tagging.]

“Goddess of Traffic Signals” on this traffic signal control box is signed by Sophie Grillet on the reverse side. It was part of a previous beautification effort mentioned at the Oct. 2, 2013 DDA board meeting. The box is located near the northwest corner of the intersection at State and Liberty streets in downtown Ann Arbor.

Hieftje felt that the program would enhance the walking experience in the downtown. Referring to Kathy Griswold’s public commentary, Hieftje said it was hard for him to see how the PowerArt project would aggravate safety concerns. If the traffic signal utility boxes need to be moved and a better place needs to be found for them, that’s something that the city’s signs and signals staff could look into. About the value of such improvements, Hieftje contended, “If it’s quirky, if it’s artistic, people love it.”

Hewitt echoed Hieftje’s comments. He again mentioned Bob Dascola’s efforts a few years ago, to decorate traffic signal boxes as well as fire hydrants. He called the PowerArt program “picking up where [Dascola] left off.”

As far as safety, Hewitt said, he did not see how artwork could be more dangerous than graffiti on a utility box. So Hewitt said he would support the first-year pilot project and see what kind of results they get.

John Mouat said he was impressed by the thoughtfulness of the selection process described in the information packet. He thought it would be very positive for the downtown and he would support the resolution.

Outcome: The resolution was approved unanimously. Russ Collins was not in attendance.

PowerArt: Additional Background – Art, Graffiti

When Roger Hewitt described Bob Dascola’s efforts in the past, he was referring in part to a project that the Michigan Daily reported on back in 2004 as originating from the International Downtown Association’s conference that year. From the Daily’s “Firing Up Downtown“:

It all began when members of several of Ann Arbor’s downtown associations attended an International Downtown Association conference in Cleveland, Ohio, last year. Bob Dascola, an Ann Arbor native and University alum, tells of the project’s origin: “We brought this project down from Cleveland. They had professional paint (work) there.

“We discussed it over three hours on the way back and had all the details worked out by the time we got to Ann Arbor.”

[The Ann Arbor DDA is sending some members to this year's IDA conference in New York City, which runs from Oct. 6-9, 2013.]

Ann Arbor News coverage of that previous signal box painting project describes some of the locations and artists who painted them.

The box by city hall at North Fifth Avenue and Ann Street suddenly boasts eye­-popping red poppies painted on a light green background by local artists Stephanie Staley and Carla Thompson. Artist Tomoko Ogawa covered the box at the Diag entrance at South State Street and North University Avenue in eye-catching abstract designs and bold colors. Dascola, a State Street barber shop owner and longtime downtown booster, led the project, in which local artists are painting designs on some nine traffic control boxes downtown. (Other box artists include Mary Thiefels, Joyce Tinkham, Barb Goodsitt, Sophie Grillet, Connie McKinney, Vickie Elmer, Mike Hahn and Tim Douthit.) [July 3, 2006 Ann Arbor News article "Signal boxes now traffic in public art"]

About five years ago, on Jan. 20, 2009, the Ann Arbor city council also enacted changes to the city’s graffiti ordinance. Those changes established a framework under which property owners would be required to remove graffiti on their property within a specific timeframe, with the city empowered to charge removal costs to the property owner if the owner does not remove the graffiti.

PowerArt: Follow-up Questions

Although Deb Polich, the executive director of the Arts Alliance, attended the Oct. 2 DDA board meeting and indicated to board members that she was available to answer questions, board members did not ask any questions at that time.

The Chronicle followed up with Polich by email with some questions. Questions are in bold, with responses from Polich in italics.

1. Is there a contract between the DDA and the Arts Alliance related to the PowerArt grant funding? The approval of the DDA sets in motion further discussions on project development and protocols for all details pertaining to the PowerArt! program. At this moment there is not a contract between the DDA and the Arts Alliance.
2. Will payment by the DDA to the Arts Alliance be made to reimburse documented actual costs up to $20,500, or will the grant simply be provided to the Arts Alliance as a lump sum? Per #1 above, we are working out the details – for example: what items on the full estimated budget are covered by the AADDA and what are covered by other funders is still be determined.
3. The Arts Alliance proposal indicates that the maintenance estimate of $50 per installation is included as a precautionary measure. What happens to the DDA’s portion ($350) of that if no maintenance is required? The budget estimates on the costs of installation and maintenance are based on inquiries to three vendors. Further negotiations, including a final vendor and average cost per box (boxes are different sizes) will be determined in the coming months. In regards to maintenance, the Arts Alliance recommends that a vendor or the City of Ann Arbor be responsible for general cleaning and maintenance. Per #2 above, the cost share between funders is still to be determined.
4. The Arts Alliance presentation includes a calculation of a 30% administrative fee that totals $9,100. However, 30% of 31,900 – which the total project cost for phase one – is $9,570, which should result in a total project cost of $41,470, which is more than the $41,000 indicated by the Arts Alliance proposal. In addition, for phase two, the 25% charged on $63,800 should result in $15,950 of administrative fees for a total project cost of $79,750, which is less than the $80,000 calculated by the Arts Alliance. It appears that the dollar amount of the administrative fee has been adjusted – in one case upwards and in one case downwards – to allow for rounding to the nearest thousand. Yes, the Arts Alliance did round the fees. Its presentation should have indicated that the fee was “about” 30% and “about” 25% respectively for the pilot cycles 1 phase and the following 2 cycles. To be more precise, its Cycle 1 fee is actually 28.52% and its Cycle 2 & 3 fee is calculated at 25.39% for a combined fee on the whole project calculating to 26.437% of project costs.
   Question 4.1: Given the rounding tolerances evident in the proposal – which suggest that the Arts Alliance may not conceive of the administrative fee amount as related to covering actual costs – why is the administrative fee so high, relative to the 8% the city of Ann Arbor used for its Percent for Art program? I encourage you to contact the AAPAC administrator to research how the Percent for Art the administrative fee is calculated and what is included. The Arts Alliance is an independent nonprofit responsible for earning or raising every dollar necessary to further its mission, operate and manage its projects. The Arts Alliance must pay direct in-house and overhead costs such as rent, insurance, legal counsel, finance, telephone, audits, printers, computers, IT, staff compensation, licensing etc. plus much more. Perhaps a more apt comparison is the fee the Michigan Council for Arts & Cultural Affairs pays the Arts Alliance to administer the Region 4 Regranting program. MCACA pays the Arts Alliance $9,720 or 29.28% of the $33,200 allocation.
   Question 4.2: What, if any, documentable cash or in-kind contribution will the Arts Alliance itself be making to this project? At a fee averaging $8,433.33 per year, the Arts Alliance expects that it will accumulate a reasonable amount of in-kind expenses to contribute to this project. The Arts Alliance will do its best to manage its resources effectively and efficiently.
   Question 4.3: Beyond a potential Arts Alliance contribution to the project, is there any private investment associated with support for PowerArt? Not at this time but the possibility does exist.

Communications, Committee Reports

The DDA board’s Oct. 2 meeting included the usual range of reports from its standing committees and the downtown area citizens advisory council.

Comm/Comm: New Board Member – Al McWilliams

Ann Arbor DDA board chair Sandi Smith led off her communications time by inviting the newest appointee to the board, Al McWilliams, to introduce himself. McWilliams responded by saying that he runs Quack!Media, describing it as an advertising agency on Main Street, located right above Conor O’Neill’s. Quack!Media also does a lot of television development, he said, and is currently writing a television show for Disney Channel primetime.

Comm/Comm: Support for DDA

Reporting out from the downtown area citizens advisory council, Ray Detter stated that the CAC highly values the DDA’s mission – strong leadership and strategic planning in shaping the vision of downtown. That creative vision requires a focus, he said, that goes beyond political control. The downtown requires special attention, he said. Only the DDA is uniquely equipped with a creative focus and economic tools necessary for the strategic planning that would help to realize long-term community goals for the downtown area. At its meeting held the previous evening, the CAC had reviewed the draft five-year project plan of the DDA, Detter said. He indicated the citizens advisory council’s strong support of that proposed draft five-year plan and a willingness to participate in the public process that would implement the plan.

Comm/Comm: Bike Share

Keith Orr reported out on the bike share project. [The Ann Arbor city council voted on Aug. 8, 2013 to support the bike share program with $150,000.] He said there had been some personnel changes associated with the bike share program over the last several months. However, the project was still on track, he said. He described the DDA as “out of the loop” for a couple of months but the DDA is now back in the loop. He described the funding as coming from the University of Michigan and the city of Ann Arbor, plus federal CMAQ (congestion mitigation and air quality) grant money. He identified the Clean Energy Coalition as the group that is pushing the project forward. The coalition had approached the DDA in the past to talk about an in-kind donation, he said. The specifics are still being worked out, he reported.

Orr reported that there would be a walk-around on Oct. 15 and Oct. 16 with the people who will actually be installing the bike stations. That would allow the fine-tuning of the CEC’s request for the use of parking spaces. Not all of the bike stations will fit in off-street locations, he said. Orr ventured that four or five parking spaces would be requested. They would only be used from the spring through the fall, he said – and the equipment would be stored in the wintertime. That specific request would come to the DDA’s operations committee at the end of the month, with a proposal for the full board at the November board meeting.

Another request associated with the program, Orr continued, has been on-again-off-again: storage during the off-season. The request was now “on again,” he said. The challenge, Orr continued, is that it’s not just the bikes that need to be stored, but also the equipment. The current estimate is about 1,700 square feet – which the DDA does not have available on its own. He said that initially it was thought that the lower levels of the new Library Lane underground parking structure might be available for that purpose – but the demand for use of that structure had exceeded initial expectations, which precluded that as an option.

The bike share program is on target to launch in April 2014, Orr said, with 12-14 stations. One of the stations would be located on the University of Michigan north campus. The rest would be centered around central campus and as far west as Ashley Street.

Responding to a question from board member John Mouat, Orr indicated that the mid-October walk-around would not include installation of any stations, but simply would be the final site analysis. He also explained that some storage would be needed between February and April of next year. Mouat wondered if an advertising program had been developed to make people aware of what is happening. Orr indicated that a recent meeting had covered that topic – which had included discussion of branding. The bikes would be blue, he said, which lent itself to slogans like “Go Blue Bike” or “Go Bike,” but apparently there are trademark issues related to several of those kinds of phrases, he said.

Comm/Comm: Abandoned Bikes

Related to bikes, Keith Orr mentioned that the DDA had been in discussions with the city about the removal of abandoned bikes. There had been some concern about what constitutes a “junk bike” – as opposed to a bike of value that would need to be held for certain claim period. The city is finally getting some answers to those kind of questions, Orr reported. So some bikes that have been sitting for years at a single location will likely be removed sometime soon, he said.

Comm/Comm: Streetscape Framework

The streetscape framework plan, Keith Orr reported, is still moving forward. A request for qualifications (RFQ) process has resulted in four responses. [At its July 3, 2013 meeting, the DDA board authorized $200,000 over the next two years for consultants and other costs associated with developing a plan for future streetscape work.]

Comm/Comm: Connector Study

Roger Hewitt reported on the connector study. By way of background, the Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority is currently conducting an alternatives analysis study for the corridor running from US-23 and Plymouth southward along Plymouth to State Street, then further south to I-94. The alternatives analysis phase will result in a preferred choice of transit mode (e.g., bus rapid transit, light rail, etc.) and identification of stations and stops. A previous study established the feasibility of operating some kind of high-capacity transit in that corridor.

Hewitt participates on the technical committee for that study, he said at the DDA’s Oct. 2 meeting. The committee had reviewed a preliminary draft of a video about the connector, which would try to inform people about the project. The video still needs a little bit of polishing, he said, but it should be ready within the next month. He felt it would probably be ready for presentation at the next DDA board meeting. He described it as about 4.5 minutes long. A meeting of stakeholders in the project could take place on Oct. 24, he said.

Another public meeting is also scheduled sometime in November, he said, ensuring that it would probably be scheduled sometime before Thanksgiving. The committee continues to review the multitude of possible alignments for the route, he said, noting that it measures about 8 miles from end to end. So the committee has broken the distance into segments. For some of the segments, it’s fairly clear that only a couple of different options would be feasible.

However, the downtown area is the most challenging segment, Hewitt said. After a lot of back-and-forth at the previous day’s committee meeting, he said, the committee had settled on six different alternatives of the route through the downtown. Those alternatives would be presented at a public meeting in November, he said, with the date still to be determined. About five months remain in the study period, he concluded. After the path of the route is identified, station locations would be considered, he said.

Comm/Comm: Parking Structure Repairs

Reporting out on the topic of parking structure repairs, Roger Hewitt said that over the past few years the DDA had not done much in routine maintenance of the parking structures – while the Library Lane underground structure was under construction. But this year, he said, the DDA had “come back with a vengeance.” Work is being done in almost every parking structure, he reported. Structural repairs are being done, including replacing concrete where there has been corrosion or deterioration.

A lot of sealing work is also being done, he said. He thought that the work in the Maynard structure was nearly complete and Liberty Square and Forest structures were also nearly finished, if not already done. Hewitt ventured that by the end of October all of the repair work would be done. Next year, the same level up intensity of repair work would continue, he concluded.

Comm/Comm: First & Washington Structure

Responding to a question from John Mouat, Susan Pollay – the DDA’s executive director – reported that the First and Washington parking structure, in the bottom two floors of the City Apartments residential development, was now in possession of the city. There had been some delays, she allowed. Originally it had been anticipated that when the garage was accepted into the possession of the city, at that same time the garage would be open for public parking.

Now, the opening of the garage appears to be more likely to be timed to coincide with the moving of the first tenants into the building – which is expected to be in early December. Pollay explained that until the tower crane is moved away, the sidewalk cannot be poured, and without sidewalks, parking patrons would not be able to get in and out of the structure very comfortably or safely.

Comm/Comm: NHL New Year’s Day

DDA executive director Susan Pollay gave the board an update on planning and logistics for the upcoming NHL hockey game on Jan. 1, 2014 – to be held in the University of Michigan football stadium. Typically on New Year’s Day, she said, all of the public parking structures as well as the UM parking structures are open to the public, so there is no staff on-site. The Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority buses also do not ordinarily run on New Year’s Day, she said, and neither do the UM blue buses.

But thousands of people would need to be able to find a way to get to Michigan Stadium, she said. Buses would be arriving from the east – from Ontario and the Detroit area, she said. The difference between the hockey game and a typical home football game, she explained, is that for football games, a large number of the fans are not attending their first game and are familiar with the area. In addition, she said, many of the fans could walk to the game from campus, and everyone knows where they are going. But the hockey game would include many fans who had never even been to Ann Arbor before, she said. She had wanted the operations committee to begin thinking about planning.

Pollay felt it might be necessary to charge for parking on New Year’s Day – as a way to encourage people to reserve a parking space in advance. [The DDA works with Park n Party to allow art fairs patrons to reserve parking in public spaces.] That way, the demand for parking could be spread out as broadly across the community as possible, she said. Adding to the challenge was the potential that the weather might require the postponement of the game to the following day.

Also adding to the complication, Pollay said, was a planned “hockey puck drop” at the intersection of Main and Liberty streets on New Year’s Eve. The Ann Arbor Area Convention and Visitors Bureau is coordinating that event, which Pollay felt would draw its own audience. The public parking structures typically do fill up on New Year’s Eve anyway, she said.

Comm/Comm: Joint Economic Collaborative Task Force

Joan Lowenstein give an update on a joint economic collaborative task force established by a city council resolution passed earlier this year. The group is currently focused on looking at overlap between the DDA’s work and Ann Arbor SPARK‘s five-year strategic plan.

Comm/Comm: D1 Zoning Review

The DDA’s partnerships committee had received a presentation from city of Ann Arbor planning manager Wendy Rampson, Joan Lowenstein reported.

DDA board member Joan Lowenstein.

The city planning commission had been directed by the city council to review the D 1 zoning designation on the north side of Huron, the south side of William, and the south side of Ann Street, as well as the city’s development premiums. The project consultants had conducted a number of rounds of public feedback, she said – with attendance starting to wane at some of the events. Draft recommendations are anticipated by the end of the week, she said. [.pdf of draft recommendations]

The final recommendations to the city council were anticipated later in October, Lowenstein concluded.

Comm/Comm: BTC

Joan Lowenstein gave an update on construction of the new Blake Transit Center by the Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority, saying that it was expected to open in December. She ventured there would be some kind of grand opening.

Comm/Comm: New York City IDA Conference

Joan Lowenstein reported that the next meeting of the DDA’s partnership committee would not be held the week following the board meeting, which is the typical schedule. That’s because many of the members will still be in New York City at the International Downtown Association’s conference. So the partnerships committee meeting would take place on Oct. 23, she said.

Present: Rishi Narayan, Bob Guenzel, Roger Hewitt, John Hieftje, John Splitt, Sandi Smith, Keith Orr, Joan Lowenstein, John Mouat, Al McWilliams.

Absent: Russ Collins.

Next board meeting: Noon on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2013, at the DDA offices, 150 S. Fifth Ave., Suite 301. [confirm date]

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