Auburn Arts Commission Meeting Summary - July 13, 2017

Note: The provided date for this meeting is July 13, 2017, but the agenda and minutes indicate the meeting occurred on July 7, 2025. This summary uses the provided date but notes the discrepancy. The commission met at 5:30 PM in Room 10 of Auburn City Hall, with a quorum present. Commissioners reviewed several ongoing projects, debriefed recent events, and discussed new business including commissioner applications, the FY25/26 budget, and a California Cultural District application.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of June 2025 Minutes: Motion by Brian Fries, seconded by Susan Dupre, approved unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

• None.

Discussion Items

• Auburn Art Walk June '25 Debrief: Mary reported strong attendance Downtown but poor attendance in Old Town. The commission decided that the August/September Art Walk will be held Downtown only, and the June–July 2026 Art Walk will be limited to Old Town.
• Make Music Day June 21 Debrief: Doreen reported the event went well, with approximately 14 performances at three Downtown locations.
• Leadership Auburn June 25 Debrief: The event at the Carnegie Library was successful, featuring a walking tour and hands-on activities. A $1,000 donation from the prior Leadership Auburn class covered rent and supplies.
• Artist Resources and Training Workshop June 26 Debrief: Of eight attendees, seven left the workshop with a completed website through the FASO platform.
• RFP for Public Art at Caltrans Roundabout: The evaluation panel unanimously selected the proposal by artist Deanna Marsh and her team. Discussions with the artist will occur before a public input hearing.
• School Park Preserve Summer Series Concerts: The four-concert series ended July 6 with attendance over 1,300 people, many new to the venue. Concert donations exceeded $4,000, plus $1,700 in sponsorships.
• OT/High Street Underpass Path Project: Mary, Oscar Merida, and April will meet to plan before the August meeting.
• Conversations with the Wind/Windphone: Dan reported he now wants to install the phone booth in the pergola garden area behind the Police Department and City Hall. Commissioner Brian Fries concurred with the location. Dan will contact the garden manager to confirm no objections, and Steve Lint will help develop a clear proposal and budget for commission approval and City Council recommendation.
• City Hall Gallery: A new show by Eric Peach will be installed by August.
• State Theatre Wall: Discussion concluded that the location (not visible from the street) would not attract artists; a minimum payment of $500 was suggested, along with printing photos or posters for the plywood.
• Mandatory Reporting Forms: Confirmed that overdue mandatory forms have been submitted.
• New Business:
  • Commissioner Applications: Oscar Merida attended; the other two applicants could not attend and will be invited to the August meeting.
  • FY25/26 Budget Discussion: Ryan provided FY24/25 expenditure and revenue details. Council deferred approval of all commission budgets in June. The commission will discuss the work plan and fund allocation at the August meeting. April emphasized the need to raise funds for each project and reminded that fundraising must be approved by staff or council in advance.
  • CA Cultural District Application: Julia volunteered to take questions to the Auburn Civic Park Committee (ACPC) and identify grant features to consider. Commissioner Mike Holmes expressed support for applying, and April Maynard offered to seek staff assistance from the City Manager.

Key Outcomes

• Unanimously approved the June 2025 minutes.
• Decided to limit the August/September Art Walk to Downtown and future June/July Art Walk to Old Town.
• Selected Deanna Marsh’s proposal for the Caltrans Roundabout public art, pending further discussions and a public hearing.
• Determined the Windphone location to be the pergola garden area, contingent on garden manager approval and a formal proposal and budget.
• Agreed to invite two absent commissioner applicants to the August meeting.
• Postponed FY25/26 work plan and budget decisions to the August meeting.
• Initiated exploration of a California Cultural District application with staff support.