So it's five o'clock.

Let me get the meeting started.

The uh May 20th, 2026.

City of Juliet Arts Commission meeting.

Start out with roll call.

Commissioner Falato?

Commissioner Frank Stapley?

Commissioner Romano?

Here.

Uh Commissioner Rosati?

Here.

Uh Commissioner Simpson?

Here.

Commissioner Summers.

Commissioner Voling is not coming.

And then Stoiber.

I'm here.

Yes, I know.

Stoiber.

Storber, yes.

Peg.

Okay.

Commissioner Storber.

Here.

And then Commission uh Chairperson Kurtowski.

Here.

Um approval of meeting minutes from 218.

We don't have uh an attachment here.

Can it be pulled up on the screen?

On this screen here.

I don't have an iPad.

Does anybody have the attachment?

No.

I reviewed them.

I mean, I'd move to be approved.

Unless you need to see him.

I mean I I don't need to see him, but in case anybody else did, you want to have the opportunity.

I looked ahead of time.

It's fine.

Okay, I'll second that.

Okay.

Citizens be heard on agenda items.

We have nobody here.

We need to vote on that.

What's that?

We don't need to vote.

Oh, need your approval.

You need a vote.

We need to vote on approval of a minutes.

Sorry about that.

It's been a while since we've had a meeting.

Commissioner Falato?

Yes.

Commissioner Frank Stapley?

Yes.

Commissioner Romano?

Yes.

Romero, sorry.

It's okay.

Commissioner Simpson?

Yes.

I should put my glasses on.

Commissioner Strober?

Yes.

Commissioner Summers?

She's not here.

Oh, she's not here.

Okay.

Commissioner Bowling?

She's not here.

She's not here.

And then uh Chairperson Gotroski.

Yes.

Okay, we can move on now.

So election of the Arts Commissioner Chair.

Um we have anybody that wants to take that position over?

I'm not here often.

Yes, maybe.

You want it?

Okay.

John?

No, thanks.

Ron?

No, nobody wants it.

Um I will stay on.

Uh there's no objections to it.

For another year.

What do we have to do with this?

I was looking through the the bylaws here.

I saw an old bylaws that said you can run for two uh runs, but the one that's on the website for the city says that you could do it year after year year, so I don't know what our interpretation is.

Um I suppose the other thing we could do is can we ratify that if we have a two-thirds vote?

So that if we all decide Tom's uh the guy we have done it twice?

Yeah.

No, you've had two?

No.

One.

So they're good.

Yeah.

Never mind.

All good.

I'll make a motion.

I'll move the floor though with you.

The long way to a motion.

Sorry about that.

Okay, so you need to vote on it.

Katie.

Commissioner Falato?

Yes.

All right.

Commissioner Frank Staple.

Commissioner Romero.

What's your year name for the first time?

Four times tonight.

Call me Ron.

Commissioner Simpson?

Yes.

Commissioner Stryber?

Yes.

So that passes.

Correct?

Yep.

Because we have five voting members here.

Correct.

Yeah.

Congratulations, Tom.

Hopefully I'll be able to get more involved because I won't have as much hectic of a schedule this year as I've had in the past.

So I'd like to see the growth here.

So we need a vice chair also.

Right now it's uh it's Donna, correct?

Yeah.

So does anybody want that position?

You want to keep it?

Yeah.

I'll fine.

You're fine with that?

Good.

I'll make a motion to uh motion by the way.

Ron, seconded by I'll second.

Heg.

Okay.

Let's get a vote on that.

Move nominations be closed.

Commissioner Falado?

Yes.

Commissioner Frank Chapley.

Commissioner Ron.

Yes.

Commissioner Simpson?

Yes.

Commissioner Strober.

Yes.

Okay.

Staff comments.

Discussion of new arts commission members.

And is that going to go to Luke or Luke?

Do you want to introduce yourself first?

I don't know if you've talked to everybody yet.

I know we had a meeting.

Almost.

Okay.

I believe Peg.

I haven't had a chance to have a meeting with you yet individually.

So that's too bad.

This is my last meeting.

That's probably why I haven't had a chance to.

This is your opportunity right now.

Yep.

On the record.

So as Tom said, I was making my rounds trying to have a meeting with uh each of you individually.

Um mainly just to go over my you know who I am, introduction and stuff like that.

But very quickly, I uh I am the new special events coordinator uh for the city of Joliet.

Um I started uh April 13th.

Um I'm just over a month now uh in the new position.

Um and that's that's essentially the introduction portion, but um what we can do is uh for the staff comments um I do have a presentation that I'll go through and it'll touch on uh the points that we have under here for the um uh the discussion for the new arts uh commission members, the murals, and then uh discussion of the new art uh submission guidelines.

It's all kind of in my presentation for this, so if you guys don't mind, I'll just kind of run through uh the presentation that I have here prepared.

Um it does touch on a lot of other things as well.

Um just kind of giving some updates to the city square uh initiatives that we've been pushing forward and and kind of giving some more uh details of where we're at with that, um dates of some upcoming events um uh and things like that.

Um and then uh just kind of reiterating some of the uh the 2026 um art commission uh priorities.

Um so I'll just kind of dive right in here.

And uh we have Ann here.

Um so she can feel free to cut me off any time she wants.

Uh if I say something wrong or she wants to add some more details to some of the initiatives and stuff that we're doing here.

So City Square activation.

Um City Square uh as Juliet's central gathering place for downtown uh Juliet.

Uh we are you'll as you'll see uh in the presentation, we are building um some great event series weekly, bi-monthly, um, and then some marquee events to help uh activate the downtown space.

Um we continue to deepen the relationships of with the downtown businesses, um, and then some of the cultural partners and stuff uh that are uh helping us with some of the uh events and programs that we have down there.

Um go over some of the weekly programming.

Um so we have uh workouts in the square.

Um those are starting up here soon.

June 2nd being our first um event, and it's gonna run weekly.

Um it's gonna run weekly all the way until August 25th.

We're gonna have a different kind of workout going on in the square at uh at the stage area and utilizing the uh the turf grass there.

Uh dancing in the square, uh, that's an evening dance instruction.

Um that is actually next uh or two weeks from now, I should say.

I keep thinking it's next week.

Uh June 3rd, and then that runs from June 3rd to August 26th.

Um and then we also have the Chicago Street Farmers Market.

Um that event is actually starting this Friday.

Uh this Friday from 10 to 2.

Um that'll run weekly as well from May 22nd uh through September 18th.

Then we have our sounds on 66, which is our uh music series.

Uh it's a free outdoor concert featuring local and regional talent.

Um so that will be starting on June 5th, um, running through August 28th.

Um as you can see, the first week in June is pretty busy here in the in the city square.

Um then we also uh have some family story time, uh, which is our partnership with a July uh Joliet Public Library.

Um that'll run on Wednesdays, uh June, July, and August from 10:30 to 11.

Uh, and that'll be in the um the secondary side stage uh at the city square.

Some of our monthly and bi-monthly programming that we are doing at City Square is uh we have uh movies in the square.

Um we will be doing a movie night.

Uh this is uh a monthly uh feature that we're gonna be doing.

Um the dates we have listed for this right now is uh June 23rd, July 14th, and August 4th uh for the movies in the square.

Uh there'll be more information and stuff on what the uh showings and stuff soon uh on that.

Uh cars and guitars.

Um this is classic cars and live music.

Um this is in partnership with the Illinois Rock and Roll Museum.

Uh our first one is uh June 4th in uh on Thursday, June 4th, and then the next one is uh uh June 18th, uh then it's July 2nd, July 16th, and then the last one is August 6th.

This is more of a bi-weekly programming that we have uh down in our city square.

Um I mentioned some of the uh family uh performances from uh the library.

Um we have some uh we have uh musician uh magician, not musician, magician coming in and doing a performance, um, as well as uh uh some other programming uh with the library as well.

There's I forget the name of it, there's a silly uh musician guy who comes in and we'll do something with them as well.

Um and then some marquee events that we have that are coming up.

Um I still have the uh the Route 66 May 1st through May 3rd.

Um that that passed, but we did a uh music night and then on May 3rd we coordinated with the uh Rialto and we did a uh uh mini golf and um DJ in the square uh as the uh Rialto was doing their event um across the street.

Um we have some evaluation and annual events that'll be taking place.

Uh we have Star Wars Days, uh Star Wars Days will be on June 6th this year, um, and then and that's in partnership with the library, um, and then we have uh kids fest, which is August 1st.

Um then we will still have the light up the holidays uh parade.

Uh the one coming up we have Race Fan Rally.

Uh Race Fan Rally will be uh July 2nd.

Um that'll also be on the same day that we have cars and guitars as well.

Um we actually just did our Memorial Day uh celebration today.

It went very well.

Um a great turnout.

Uh great turnout for an afternoon, especially.

Um great speeches, um, a great uh great event for the community, especially in the downtown.

We have our uh official City Square dedication.

Um that'll be on June 18th at noon.

Uh, and we are inviting all of our arts commissioners to please join us because we will be having um uh the artist, and I am really bad at saying names, and this is recording, so uh Cizia Chen.

Thank you.

She will be on uh we'll be on site for uh the June 18th event.

So we'd really uh appreciate if all the arts commissioners can show up and help uh make that event success and show your support.

Um then we have the uh the city square opening weekend celebration.

Um that'll take place uh June 26th and 27th.

Um and we will be having um uh a drone show and a part part of that as well as uh multiple different events that'll be going out throughout uh both days.

Um we'll get a schedule and more information out that uh about that soon.

Uh a quick update.

Uh if you haven't been out there, uh the project is complete.

Uh the dome is up.

Um we took some great pictures today uh during the Memorials Day celebration with the uh flowered wreath that we have out there um just for today um as part of that celebration.

So there was a uh it was it was great to showcase the uh the Unity Dome, um especially at one of our first events that we have uh from Memorial Day.

So discussion of new arts commissioner members.

Uh so what we're asking is we are uh and I mentioned it to you uh each and each of you in our individual meetings.

Um we're continuing to recruit for new commissioners and encourage local residents with interest in arts to apply uh and participate in our commission.

Um so I put a picture up of just how to do it on the boards and commission page.

Uh there is an apply section.

Um just all they would have to need to do is apply through there if you know somebody who would be interested.

Um that is a good question.

I had not got a chance, but residency.

So it's usually for boards and commissions within Juliet, it's either resident or you're working or involved in some way, shape or form with the city of Joliet.

Is usually how it works.

So if you work within the city of Juliet, if you're um you know around the area, like that's usually how you know Tom doesn't live in the city of Juliet either.

You know, I mean it's that's you know it's that's name true.

Yeah, that's the artist, and I can't.

Right.

As long as you're involved with the city of Joliet, you know.

You have a vested interest within the city of Juliet.

Okay.

That's usually how boards and commissions work.

How many positions are open?

So we have nine total uh seats.

Um we have how many open?

I think there's missing one or two.

I believe I believe we have five filled because some people are leaving like this as pegs, so we help we'll have five after this week.

Um so we have four open positions.

Who's leaving?

Me and Deb.

Deb Deb Deb R and okay.

Who's the other two?

Is Deb is Deb Bowling leaving?

Let me look at my email that I sent.

I thought I thought I saw that.

There was two people who were finishing, they were completing.

Um, and then there's also one person I believe it's is her name Julia, who's actually never attended.

So we're gonna work on figuring out how to uh make that position available.

Uh okay.

I'm confused, but the people whose terms expired.

I'm one of them.

Yeah.

We have to reappoint you as well.

Assuming you're interested in continuing.

I thought we had that discussion, and I thought I uh it was brought up at the last city council meeting.

That's not the case.

At the last council meeting?

Yes.

It was last last two weeks ago or whatever it is.

Okay.

I thought so.

Because they all voted on it.

I mean, I hear that's what I said.

Yeah.

You were coming back.

Yeah.

And that's reappointments.

Yeah.

And Peg, but Peggy.

But they didn't probably know that I wasn't.

Right.

But I'm just trying to find out how many positions are open.

I believe it was four.

Four.

So I'm not on it yet.

Is that is that the case?

Is that no, including you?

It would be four available positions, five currently on the board with you, assuming the other people were dropping off.

There was five, so we had four spots.

Okay.

So that Julia Rosati is not.

No.

No.

Okay.

We're we we need to work through, I don't know what the right word is legally.

We need to work through the process to off board her because she's never attended a meeting.

Um, but we are anticipating that position become available.

I think it's three meetings.

If you missed three meetings, unexcused.

Yes.

Um I think there's just a notification process that we need to make sure we follow to do that.

And then is that the case with Deb Bowling too?

I'm just trying to look at this list and see where those four openings are.

Yeah.

Who's on?

Give me a second to look up my email then.

I thought Zeb Bowling.

Luke, I sent this one.

This is the one that you and I were working off of.

Yes.

So I thought what I have is.

Um Deborah Summers has expired.

It looks like in uh 5-3.

Uh uh Peg.

Uh yours expires, and you're not returning.

Correct.

Correct?

Um, I found the email, Luke, if you want me to read through it.

Sure.

Okay.

So what I have, based on what I have for current terms, Ron Romero is still continued.

Um Donna Frank Stapley expires February of 26th, so still on the commission.

Um John May 26th.

That's passed.

Excuse me, reappointed.

Thank you.

I'm looking at the wrong date.

Um expired as of May 3rd and will be reappointed.

Deb Follato.

I need to find out your date.

Because did you get extended after December?

Yours expires um December of 26th.

So you're good for a while.

Um Deborah Voling is actually expires uh May of 27.

So I currently have her on here.

And then Tom uh June of 27.

Three, four or five.

So six, including Deborah, assuming she wants to continue.

Because I had Peg coming off as well.

And Don uh Dub Deb Summers is off.

Correct.

Okay.

So there's three openings, right?

Yes.

So there's three except for possibly Deb Volan.

And what's the timeline for uh I you know I see that you know this here for applying and stuff, what's the deadline?

Is there a deadline?

I I believe it's a rolling application.

I see.

All right.

Yeah.

So we'll we can encourage you and others to apply because it does need to go through council, so that's not uh a two-day process, it's probably a two-month process.

I believe uh I thought in the beginning there was three appoint or four appointments, or excuse me.

Five appointments by um our mayor and four by the governor.

That not the case.

Kate?

I know that exists with Rialto.

Yeah, okay.

I've never heard of that for our boards and commissions, Katie.

I don't believe that's the case for this commission.

I can look I can I might I might have that I might that have have that confused with the question.

I can look at the back, but I don't believe that.

No, it is a case of this commission.

All right.

I'm sorry.

So we basically need three as of right now.

Um I have mentioned uh uh what's her name?

Beverly wines.

Um I actually talked to her husband on a fluke.

We were at a we were at a different meeting, and he told me to contact her.

So I think she would be a good addition to us.

She's gone all summer.

She's gonna be in uh Montana as I talked to her Saturday.

Gotcha.

So maybe after summer she'd be interested in coming on, I don't know.

But I know that there are some other people out there that we could get involved.

Um have we had anybody apply?

Okay.

Not that I'm aware of.

Um I think maybe what we can do is um Luke, maybe you and I put together an email to the commissioners that kind of you know says we're looking for some people and the link to it for you guys to be able to send out because anyone who is interested does need to go through that application process.

Even if you recommend them, they have to go through the application process.

You know, we don't have anybody from the schools on.

Um and we have such a great art program through through our local schools.

As a matter of fact, we're gonna be talking about Hufford and Gompers here shortly, but we don't have any uh representation from from the local schools, and we have an awful lot of young artists that their teachers could be a real good asset to us.

Especially the high schools too.

Yeah, the high schools especially, yeah.

Um but uh you know, just to think about you know where we want art commissioners to come from.

Somebody that's you know, invested in the community and invested in the arts, and um, you know, where do we want to target?

So if you have some ideas between the both of you, um I think that would be a a good thing to send us some information about what you're exactly looking for.

I know we're an arts commission, we are a volunteer organization here within the city of Joliet.

So we want to take our time to help out the city, we'd like to know what you're looking for and what direction that we should head so that we're not doing things for nothing.

You know, everything's a good thing.

I think it's important that if we're gonna go after new art commissioners, just my personal opinion that um I think we need to take a hard look at what the arts commission is, because there we seem to be lost right now.

I mean we have been for a couple of years that I've been on here.

We've got no funding, we've got no projects.

We're now being, you know, our our agendas reports rather than us bringing ideas to the commission for approval.

It's uh it's kind of a nothing commission right now, and I think there's a uh as I said it before, Tom said this.

There's a lot of talent on it here, and there's a lot of people that want to do.

There's the commission supposed to be made up of business people and arts people, and there's some people in my opinion here that have been very tolerant of uh getting a uh meeting in every couple of months, coming to meetings and voting on really nothing important.

And um we see art projects going on in the city that we're not involved in, the ones we are involved in, we don't get invited to.

So I hate to be harsh with my language here, but but truth be told, if you're gonna go after anybody else, you might want to I think we need to decide what the arts commission is before other people leave or before we invite somebody on here.

Um it doesn't make sense for the people to come here every so often and vote on really nothing that's nothing.

That we haven't put ourselves into.

I I I agree.

And uh, you know the city council of Joliet, we don't have anybody associated with our arts commission from the city council.

Um they they don't know what we're doing here.

The city council has no idea that we're sitting here in limbo with no funding, no no no projects to take on, and how do we get the city council involved in our commission?

I'm assuming that every other board and commission with the city, there's somebody from the council involved with them, and that's how information gets out to other city council members.

Does that make any sense to anybody that we don't have that liaison?

Um I think that uh it's kind of an important matter.

Uh we we do need direction.

We need we need we need good direction in this because we want to see the city beautified.

You know, you go to different places, beautiful art all over.

I just spent seven weeks in the Dallas area and and there's art around Dallas that you just wouldn't believe.

And the deepest, darkest places, like a community called Deep Elum, where two people get shot in a single night at nightclubs and they have to shut down the city, the art within that little tiny community is beautiful.

Um we're third largest city in the state, and we're probably like a hundredth in arts.

Like we're not we're not even we're not getting any or artwork done.

And I think there's a lot of people to try.

Yeah, I think I'm being very generous at all.

But we don't have any budget either for it, and how do we get this I I know that um grants are out there, but we don't have any grants that have been awarded to us that I know of.

Well, what's the status of grant application?

This should be a on our I yeah, we don't we don't have any well, they're working on it, maybe I don't know.

And one of the things that we had been talking about for a very long time has been uh are we allowed to uh get sponsors do fundraising do something where we can raise money to offset the cost of we can't live on grants because I think our last grant was what $5500 or $5,000.

We've asked that question for a couple of years now.

And we we didn't we're not getting that answer what are we allowed to do uh right now we're just kind of being held at bay show up to the meetings.

I think the important term is acknowledgement.

Acknowledgement and I'm sorry to beat the dead horse that's already been beaten to death uh over and over again but that arts policy that we public arts policy that Peg and I put hours into and days into and brought to the commission and everybody voted on well on deaf ears.

I know you brought it up again the other day you you had something in your hand uh to look at but I mean that's just a prime example of putting in hard work here at the arts commission and one falling on deaf ears and two uh there's no mobility we haven't been mobilized anything that we we try to do.

So I would suggest going back to the conversation here before we start looking for other arts commissioners and if you look at the history of the arts commission there have been a lot of people that have joined and left within a very short time and I think there's a lot of people up here who are very tolerant and have been waiting and hopeful that something is going to happen but I think that's that's wearing very thin as well.

So before we go looking for somebody else I I suggest we take a good hard look at what we're doing here and um and maybe have some of the questions answered that we've been asking what are we doing for funding what are we doing can we get sponsors can we do fundraising can we go back to bringing suggestions of what we want to see from the arts community we're supposed to be in touch with the local arts community who have ideas for the city but that kind of falls on deaf ears too.

So I'd say let's take a look at at what we are and what we're doing and figure figure out what our m mission is here before we invite anybody else.

And that has to come from the city telling us what their expectations are well I would think that would come from us as a recommendation to the city to vote on.

I I do agree with that but just like in anything else um I happen to be in position where I'm looking for a job right now every place I go here's a handout of what this job entails okay we don't really have that here we don't have like anything set in stone like this if you want to become an arts commission member this is what you need to do this is what you need to know this is our policy this is what we've that what we've created as a volunteer group here for for a beautiful city a city that everybody's totally involved in most of us have been around the city of Juliet forever dub right our policies and bylaws and everything else uh do they see that when they apply I don't know if they see that on this I don't know I'm asking I didn't I haven't obviously done that but I know the founders that created the commission had l an outline of what they wanted this to be there's bylaws that do exist and um it's like that they're just completely being ignored right now.

We we have to decide if that exists if we need to to modify those bylaws or um what we're gonna do because I mean I appreciate having a meeting this would be our second meeting of the year and so far we voted on who's going to be the chairman.

So it's it's not it's not really worth our while to to do this.

I think we could all be helpful in the arts community doing other things.

Yeah we still actually doing resigners we can still we could probably get stuff done why don't why don't we give uh Ann or Luke a chance to respond to sure I'll start okay um sorry son uh thank you Ron you know I always appreciate the feedback and the comments and thank you to everyone for your patience I know with it when I met with you and came on board it's got to be close to nine months ago I was very excited about working with this group and figuring out kind of how we can strategize and move forward um it has taken longer than I would have anticipated for a variety of different reasons and a variety of different priorities and I'm very glad that Luke is on board to help with this.

I agree with you I do think we need to take a very hard look at this go through the bylaws figure out a strategy moving forward.

But I'll make sure the arts commission, um, Luke, we'll make sure that we've got a report back from Becky moving forward for every meeting to see just to tell you what she's working on, if there's anything she's applied for in the status of things.

Um then for the arts policy and guidelines.

Um I know that um you know Jane and Ray had kind of provided some um updates a couple of meetings ago, and Luke and I did meet with them and talk to them about it.

Um those all that hard work did not go unnoticed.

I believe that what um Jane and what we're looking to do is in order to actually create that public out public art policy, we need to have kind of guidelines and kind of figure out where it fits within the ordinance for the city of Joliet is the feedback that I've received that we need to do.

So it's kind of a combination of both, and it's on us for the city to figure out um what that part is.

And I think now that Luke is aware of it, we're gonna be, and I I'm assuming he talked to you about it, kind of taking offline a group of people to help revisit that and get that across the finish line.

That's definitely one of the priorities that we had.

Um I am hoping that with the opening of City Square, we now have spaces for artists to actually be at.

Um I know in you know, previous iterations of this talked about an artist registry so that we can choose from people and allow people to be able to participate in that too.

So I hear you.

I know that there's a lot of ideas.

Um I think creating a I say, I mean, Tom, a position description isn't a bad idea.

People do need to know what they're getting into.

And the founders of this probably had a different idea than what was um ultimately we've been working with today.

So Luke and I will take a look at that as well and give it to you guys for um feedback.

Well, I appreciate that myself because I think the communication is really, really important to all of us here.

Because we hear like even taking down that mural that was on the parking deck, you know, we heard about it or we heard about it the day that it started.

Yeah, so did I.

It was September, then it was June, and then it was Tuesday.

So apologies for that.

I was actually planning on updating you with this meeting.

Um, but it we found out right before it happened that it had been bumped up.

So, but I did want to make sure you knew about it, so sorry for that.

Yeah, and I just mean that as a general thing.

That's the closest thing that's happened, but you know, communication between all of us as arts commissioners.

There's there's a nice beautiful great beautiful list of all the things that are happening in City Square.

Are art is art a part of any of them?

I'm looking to incorporate artists as part of them.

Um we do also have I know music is I didn't mean that.

I mean visual arts, yes.

And just anything like you know, even the the days they were constructing the dome or the dedication, you know.

I know you get and I and I get it on social media and stuff, but if it's anything to do with art, if we could somebody can send a blast out to the commission.

I don't know if everybody looks at the stuff.

It's nice if something we're involved in if we just get notice uh and not to give you one more thing to do, but uh just so you know we know about it uh as a group as opposed to everybody just whenever they get a chance to looking at the you know the new uh events page be nice, you know.

Uh if it applies to us, that's all.

But John Anne has reached out to me on the opening weekend, the Friday, Saturday to have artists down there.

So if you don't know of anybody who wants to participate, I'm kind of trying to set up the schedule and get it to end.

All right.

Well, and I didn't know that.

Well, no, it just happened.

Okay, all right, good.

Just happened in the last few days.

So if I can comment really quickly on City Square.

So I think um, you know, I have cr I've been saying from the beginning, I've created basic programming.

So I've got the Tuesday workouts, Wednesday dance, Friday concerts, and that's kind of the base.

Anything, and then it's almost all programmed.

We're getting there.

Anything on top of that, I'm looking to kind of start filling in now.

Um one of the other conversations I've had with City Center Partnership, and I think I kind of had with Deb a little bit offhand is you know, I'm I'm having challenges figuring out how to activate that smaller stage.

Um I've been work trying to work with City Center Partnership to work with like their um the members to maybe activate it, or I knew I threw out a one point dab like having somebody come in do an art class, something like that.

Um unfortunately City Center Partnership was short staffed, so Manuel didn't re get it off um as quickly as I would have liked as well.

But there's there is an opportunity there, and I am very open to ideas on how we can incorporate art into City Square.

And I guess and another thing, and uh it's probably before you were here, Ann, but I think the city what for the first time had a comprehensive you know, several, you know, six months worth of comprehensive meetings on all kinds of different stuff.

We went to them.

I know art was a big part of that.

They hired, you know, an advisor or whatever you call it to comment on it.

I I'd like to see what some of the results of some of that was, some what some of the ideas there was a lot of artists there at different times, you know, and uh uh I think this is in particular the downtown comprehensive plan, but um, you know, it'd be nice to see what the results of that was and you know what the city's thoughts about incorporating some of that.

Um I guess I think it was we might have been here for part of it, but anyway, it it's uh just wondering where where that status was.

Yeah, the comprehensive plan, um Jane is providing updates that are open to the public.

But what I can ask her to do is maybe either attend a meeting or kind of pull out specific elements that might be more appropriate.

But I definitely encourage you to go like there's there's a very in-depth comprehensive plan kind of website and some of that report back is in there and they have some summaries, I believe, that might have some of the information you're talking about.

But we can we can ask Jane to kind of pull specifically what might be relevant for this committee.

Yeah, it'd be nice if if we could get an update as a commission as opposed to each individual uh finding time to look at it, that's all.

I mean, yeah.

Yeah, John.

So you know I'm also looking for providing the names and information on the artists that I know of.

And just so if anybody knows an artist that would like to be on this registry would be included in some of these things, you know, get it to me, I'll go on my list.

All right.

Um it is very difficult to come here as Brown said with an idea for the Arts Commission when we can all have a million ideas if you throw it up.

But we got zero money.

So what is the point for us?

How many of you have to do that?

We get zero money and and no support.

Uh and I just want to be clear that it's uh you know, my brutal comments are not aimed at anybody here.

This is frustration that goes on way before you guys got here.

And our our first hope was when you got here and and we were like, ah, fresh, you know, fresh blood, somebody who's gonna do something for us.

And the city immediately pulled you into ten million pieces, different directions.

And and we I think I recognize it.

I'm sure we all recognize that you were doing that.

Um now you've got some help here to do this.

But going back to my original comments, uh I hear a lot over and over again we have to wait for the city or Jane or whoever it is to make decisions and we have to see what they're doing.

My understanding when I came on with this was we were gonna give our ideas, we were gonna meet with the public, we were gonna try to bring some artists uh in to do projects.

We wanted to talk about funding and making things happen on the how many years I've been here and m people here that have been here longer than me.

How much has actually been accomplished since the arts commission was actually put into play?

That's that's the thing.

If uh going back to my statement, I don't think we can ask anybody to come on until we know what we are and what we're doing.

What we're allowed to do.

Um I see uh cities when when Peg and I wrote up that public arts policy, we did a lot of research on other cities.

It wasn't you know we used a lot of boiler plates of public arts policies.

Wasn't done b blindly it wasn't done like let's throw some things together here.

But what a and we talked to people and we called people commissioners from other cities who told you we talked to city administrators, arts commissioners, we did a lot of research beyond um just writing up a piece of paper.

That's not what we did.

But I think what's frustrating is to see these small towns have that piece of paper that we can't even get in front of the city to sign, look at, review, do anything with the small towns are already doing it.

They're they're well beyond us.

What is the issue with the I think your mic's up so what's actually the issue with getting the paper approved or getting the the policy approved so that we can move forward.

And and I also want to say and we keep talking about artists I am a working artist here in Joliet and across the city of Chicago I've been volunteering and been on this commission for a while.

I've not been asked to do anything.

I could volunteer my studio space uh which is right outside of City Square.

I can volunteer my time I'm a teacher I'll be off work tomorrow.

It's my last day officially but use me.

You know I'm here I volunte you know I volunteer to be here to make things happen.

And so if it's connecting with other artists or representing myself as an artist and being in those spaces and creating opportunity where there is programming that actually functions and you need a body you know I'm here.

I will donate resources.

I have a small stockpile of paint and cabinetes and wood pieces things that I can do with children if necessary so I just think one way to get started is to get started.

And if we have to apologize because we didn't do something out of you know because we didn't do it in order then let's find out what that order is but sometimes you just have to do and apologize versus waiting for approval and um I'm I'm there can I get um I love that idea and I'm gonna so we can have what up to two commissioners more than two is considered an open meeting is that correct too.

So if I can get down at you and Deb to meet at City Square with Luke and I to talk about how we can get artists down there and especially activating that smaller stage I'd love to do that.

I have some ideas down that kids programming that I need some how to help run with.

No problem.

Yeah thank you for the so one of the simple questions that we asked a long time ago is we know five thousand dollars isn't going to buy us a couple of stamps on an envelope to do something here.

It doesn't go very far and we know that so I'll I'll ask again um whoever is that we're asking at the city because we do get a lot of we're waiting for the city's approval or the city this who do we need to ask if it's okay to go ahead and start fundraising.

Ask for sponsors we had conversations of one of the conversations was doing something like the Joliet sign or mural that's coming down now was who do we get to pay for that?

Well there's a lot of sponsors here locally that could possibly pay to do that and would love to see their name at the bottom of that to say that we're part of the community and we we've sponsored this that got shot down where's the answer we've been waiting for that for since I've been on here and that's been well before the you know uh Anne or anybody here really I mean we why can't we get a simple answer to say activate us let's get out there in the community and say hey we need to raise I think five thousand dollars we could probably get from a sponsor with a phone call in my opinion five thousand dollars is what we're living on for a grant right now and we there's nothing we can do with it.

Yeah um Luke isn't going to be happy with me with this but I'm gonna give him two weeks to come up with that answer and give it back to this group and you know I I just want to go back to that you can sorry I was talking about communications earlier it's so important.

Now you four will meet at City Center and discuss what's going on how does that come back to us how does that come back to the commission so we know what's really going on how do we get that on the agenda and then I have an artist friend of mine that did some some work for the Realtos Grand Opening and I had a conversation with her two nights ago and she said I didn't I didn't know that there were going to be other artists here and we could sell our art at this event well as a commission member I didn't know she was going to be there as a friend I knew she was going to be there.

I knew she was gonna be there.

Uh that was that was I was approached by the Rhino to Deb, do you mind turning your mic on?

I I want to stop you real quick on that because I I don't want this to be a Rialto discussion.

I know I want this to be a communication discussion.

So we as the arts commission, um, we should know what they're doing at the Rialto, what has to do with art and displaying art and selling art at a at a uh public event.

We don't have to know everything that the Rialto is doing.

But I think that we need that communication so that we know where we're at as an arts commission.

We're we're not doing anything at all.

And if uh and if Deb and uh uh Donna meet, we don't know anything else about that.

And communication, communication, communication is so important to everybody.

And it's gonna be it's gonna it's what's gonna bind us, not separate us.

It's gonna bind us together, and that's why I just want to keep saying that.

I think communication between the arts commission and what's going on in the arts world within the city is so important.

And that's why I even talked about you know, with having somebody from the city council being involved with us so that they know what's going on, what's what our feelings are, what our hearts are as visitors to this, as people that are doing this for nothing, taking time out of our evenings and afternoons for dinner with our families and everything else.

What are we doing this for?

I mean, there's it just doesn't make any sense that we don't have that communication.

We should be the commission that when something's happening like that at the Rialto, which was a problem, and yes, uh, they were all told they could sell because I was the one who told them.

Um so that was somebody that did just didn't hear it.

But um I think that they should want to come to us to get the word out, and that's not it.

They don't even know, you know, they don't they don't even know we exist, and they should be like, oh, let's get that to the arts commission because they'll blast it out.

We've talked about having social media so we can put out that the arts commission, hey, by the way, there's an art gonna be artists live at the Rialto.

There's gonna be artists at this.

We've been told we're not sure you can even have a social media page.

You can do it through the city, which it's buried.

Nobody's gonna go to the city and look for what's happening.

We we did have that conversation, and and if I may put that on your list to find out about too.

We asked a long time ago about having some kind of social media presence, uh, a separate website.

Um because uh the City of Joliet website has lots and lots of information about everything in Joliet.

Artists don't find the possible grants that are out for there for them personally.

We a lot of the a lot of us put that on our own websites or our own social medias to let people know about.

Um there's no place, no central place for the local artist to get information without having to wade through how to pay your parking tickets, how to pay your gas bill or your electric bill or water bill or whatever bill it is, or it's just too convoluted.

We have to have something where people can get direct information from.

I mean, personally, I don't go to websites if I'm looking for some, especially a city website, too much stuff on it, too much time, too many times getting lost and having to go back to where you were and then coming back to when you still haven't found what you're looking for.

And that's really unfortunate.

You're much better to go to a local organization.

Um just a chamber of commerce, for instance.

If I go to a town, I'm looking for some, I'll go to their chamber of commerce, ask them what they recommend for a restaurant and arts uh an art program, uh uh an art gallery, whatever.

I was just down in Texas and I I explored the art down there quite a bit.

There was there's so much to do down in that part of Texas in the arts, but I didn't go to the city of Plano or the City of Dallas website one bit because I know that if I went in there to try to find the stuff, I'm never gonna find it.

And that's why it's so important for us to have some way of being out in the public and keeping communications open with everybody around the city here, knowing what we're doing.

And right now we're not doing anything, so I can't say nothing to communicate.

Can I ask a clarifying question about the website when that question was asked?

Um was it to be a like private, I say private, but like a separate complete website, not part of the city of Joliet, but you were talking about like because municipalities websites are not easy to navigate, like you said, any of them.

So was the recommendation to actually have like a separate and almost like privately funded, but that was arts commissioned?

No, not necessarily.

It was supposed to be it was just supposed to be you know, we're uh a recommending body to the city of Joliet.

So if we're gonna leave and start our own organization, we're not gonna ask the city to create a website for us.

The the I think the idea was just to separate that portion of the the city website could be a media easy or yeah, social media page.

Simple as that to say the Joliet uh City uh arts commission um is announcing that the Illinois Arts Council has grants available for uh artists doing this or that, or here's uh a project we're working on, or how do we keep in communication directly with the artists?

And I I can tell you when I came out I I asked a lot of the board members or the commissioners that were on here before, why did you leave so soon?

Nothing was getting done.

Second part of that is what how is the arts commission view well, how do people view it?

And I by that I mean the arts community.

A lot of the arts community is kind of ticked off at the arts uh council commission because we're not doing anything.

Okay.

So how do we how do we get the that communications out to people?

Easy.

Here's where you find grants, here's where you find the things that we're doing, engage them without we're not looking to become our own entity under the city.

The three of us were the only original members.

The first time that that was suggested here, we were told, well, we'll just have it put on the city page.

Yeah, it'll be a little you'll be a little button.

And there was an actual start um to do it, and then all of a sudden it was like no, no.

And no re no reasoning, just no.

We we get that a lot.

We get the no come from.

Well, it came from our liaison from the city council.

Right?

Right.

Yeah, well, it wasn't Ray at the time.

Um more thing, can I ask?

A question that maybe goes to you, Ann?

Sure.

Since all right.

I'm looking at something uh and I'm just looking for uh this a communication thing.

Uh this this is on uh I believe on the city's website.

Uh day of issue, March 12th.

The City of Joliet and the Joliet Latino Economic Development Association are ecstatic to announce a request for proposals to local professional artists to design original public art for Route 616 benches in Joliet.

The focus of this RFP is for the celebration of the hundredth anniversary, Route 66.

Due date March 18th.

We uh artists will get two thousand dollar stipend.

Why didn't we hear this about this?

Um so I did actually provide an update at the last meeting that we were going to be doing that.

Okay.

That we were going to be working to identify two benches, one in City Square and one um at a different location.

But it was it was in my report back.

It wasn't sent out.

It was a um and I had mentioned it because it was a very quick turnaround.

We found out that we had received grant money to do that and had only a couple of weeks to identify um who those artists might be.

So I believe that I brought it up um in the meeting as this is an opportunity that we have, but I didn't have an op.

I didn't have the ability to have it go through the arts commission to actually select the artist.

Two questions I think could have been you know, we're just uh you're hearing what you're hearing what we're asking.

Absolutely.

Need to keep pounding on the dead horse.

But uh, it's because we're not visible.

It's just we're not visible.

So who do we talk to about this website so we can just do it?

You know, uh we've just sat quiet and let people say no or come up with ideas that go nowhere.

So now we have to be more bold.

Do I need to go into a meeting and a city like because I haven't been to a council city council meeting?

Do I need to go to a meeting and say words?

I'm sorry, I'm just not afraid.

I'm just at the point where it's like with Ron, like we're we're just kind of spinning.

So let's stop spinning and be bold.

Maybe we should have a uh I know on used to have the Joliet arts movement or something that used to be a nonprofit that you know maybe they can if we I don't know if you can partner with them somehow.

I mean most of the those members didn't care for us, but uh you know, if they're a nonprofit, then you know they come up with an idea.

They're artists, so they talk a lot, and then they come up with something, they can get a sponsor and we can just help get the word out and and work with them.

It'd be nice.

I don't know if that's the solution.

Um but there's there's a lot of artists locally and they're very vocal about having local artists you know, be involved.

Uh you know, uh maybe we can do something like that.

The plain plain field has an arts group.

Yeah.

And their next meeting and they are inviting anybody who wants to attend is June fourth at um what's the brewery?

Something works.

Um brewery in Plainfield at like seven PM.

And I did join it and I hadn't gone to a meeting because I've been gone, but I do intend on trying to go if anybody wants to go, because they're getting stuff done.

Yeah.

And if we can't get it done, I'm gonna try I'm gonna move to the next town.

Are they on advisory board to Plainfield City Council?

Or are they separate?

Because I think it's the connection to the city that's timing this.

I guess I think well, and their mayor is very much pro art.

Well, and there's another point, you know, yeah.

Ours is too, but there's we're much we got much more going on.

But I think there seems to be a big worry about, and it came out right now, we'd like to have some kind of presence on social media.

Well, is it gonna be separate or are we still gonna have control?

Is the city gonna have control over that?

And I think that's what we keep running into.

So I think we're asking questions and we keep getting, well, the city has to approve it, the city has to do this, and we're kind of in what I call an analysis paralysis.

We're not moving.

Um the other part of that is when you own a business, you hire people that can do the job and let them do their job.

And we're those people.

And and we're not allowed to do any of this stuff.

That's that's the biggest part is every time we come up with something, it either gets forgotten, overlooked, uh, we'll get to it.

It's gotta go through channels, and then it's just gone.

So why are we?

I'd rather meet with you guys for doing it.

So I appreciate I mean, and I'm I'm trying to let the conversation go because I like everything coming out of it.

But if any of you know me, you know that I want to take from what you're saying and make actionable items off of it.

So going back to what you were saying, let's we will set up a meeting with our communications director and talk to her about what we can do to get that to happen.

And we'll set that up.

So I I and I'm trying to kind of interject without um, you know not keeping the it going, but I I do want actionable items to come out of this.

Some of these things, yes, I know you have told me in the past, but some of them I'm finding out for for the first time.

So please let's continue this conversation.

If there are other things that we want to do, I'm making a list, I'm sending an email to Luke as we're talking, and I'm sure he's taking notes too.

Let's set up this meeting.

Let's do this.

Um, so that we can actually do some action items from now.

Can Ron be involved in that meeting?

Absolutely.

Well, I was gonna ask if anyone else for website, if anyone else wanted to be part of that.

Yeah.

Well, you definitely.

Ron?

I'm in.

Okay.

All right.

I think you know, I think from from what I remember about the social media was almost more important than than the website.

Um but we were told by Ray that anything that we would uh have to do would have to go through the city and then be approved before it could be put on to a social media site, which is understandable because then anybody could get on and do or say whatever they want.

So from what my recollection is that was the hurdle that we had come to, but we never were able to jump.

What I remember is we were told that we couldn't do it because like sanitation doesn't have their own social media page, you know, and neither does the pol you know, but the police do, you know.

Um it didn't make a lot of sense that we know we're fine, I think having the city approve it, putting the things out, but we need to be able to get it out there and then share it.

Yeah.

No, happy to have that conversation.

I was able to transition the bicentennial park Facebook page to the um uh the special events Facebook page um because we did there was a bicentennial park one that was kind of out there um and we did want to get things out specifically about events because I 100% agree with you.

A City of Joliet Facebook page encompasses a lot of different things and it gets lost in the middle of it.

So we did transition that over to um special events.

But I I think we're might change my mind and maybe other people's mind is we now have a list of actionable items.

When is it gonna take action?

We we've been saying this before you guys came along.

Yeah, again, not personal attack, but we've been talking about this stuff for so long that um and nothing happens.

So how soon can we get answers on on the long list of things that we just said?

Can we get an answer on two weeks, two things, three things, four things.

Literally before before the next meeting.

Before the next meeting.

Before the next meeting, and please uh understand that if the meeting gets canceled for another two months.

We still want the answers.

We still want the answers.

Yeah.

So I mean in 30 days we should be able to have an answer to uh all these questions that we've asked here.

And I think that might change some minds here, in my opinion.

Certainly would change my mind.

Thanks for listening.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Can I um I want to make sure that I have this because the priorities that that Luke and I talked about were the public art ordinance or public art policy.

That is the number one priority.

And that's and Luca of that and going to be following up with you to do that.

Um artist registry working with Deb, and then we can identify if there's anyone else who wants to be part of that.

Um we can figure out about uh social media presence, we'll set up a meeting with Sydney, and then we'll also make sure that we're getting report outs from um and better communication from our colleagues, like for example, from Becky for grants, Jane for comprehensive plan, and I think just making sure that we get that information and communicate it out.

I'm not sure what the and I'm gonna say policy or procedure is.

I mean I know we can probably email you as often as we can.

Um, but I think we'll just make a more conscious effort too that when we actually have things coming up to send them out.

I feel like I'm always a step behind, but I'm finally getting there with uh Luke and then with Charlene Boyd, who's our special event manager.

I now have uh staff that can help kind of get that word out too.

Am I missing priorities or also Luke, I want to give you the space to kind of say I know you and I talked about things and I know you were coming up with some priorities too.

Am I missing anything for right now?

Um I'm sorry, I also forgot about meeting at City Square to talk about activating City Square as part of kind of the artists.

Does anybody else from the commission have any anything else before we move on?

We've been on this for over 40 minutes now.

And uh I think they heard us.

Luke, do you want do you want to add anything to it before we move on?

Well, uh you know, and and made a good comment of just saying, you know, uh the you know the initiatives that we're doing and you know I just passed my month of being here.

So I definitely appreciate all these items and you know I am working towards it.

Um, you know, I wish I was a magician and come in and fix all the problems within the first month of being here, but going through the onboarding process and everything like that.

Um I do know that a lot of this stuff uh did come up in our individual meetings that I had with each of you.

Um so you know it's not necessarily new to me that you guys are saying this, so um, but I do like the idea of having you know a running task list of items that are very important to the arts commission, and then providing those updates and details.

Um I think that's where my position comes in to help kind of alleviate some of those you know concerning thoughts of just had having that lack of communication.

Um I'm here to help with uh kind of bridging that gap.

That makes sense.

It takes a good year to get used to your job, so there'll be a lot of stuff thrown.

We don't have I have a look.

All right.

And so and I hope I mean so when um when I got onboarded and I'm gonna say fought for the position that Luke now has because it was a new position, and if any of you heard city council, it so Luke's position I created specifically to do special event permitting because that needs to become a lot more navigable for us to be able to do anything here in the city of Joliet, and then be a sp uh designated liaison for the arts commission because the feedback I heard from you and that I saw for myself is we have had some really we've had really great city staff be liaisons, but it wasn't their dedicated thing to do.

So I think by making that literally when we interviewed Luke, that was part of the questions that we asked him about what he could do for that.

It's now his actual part of his responsibilities to do it as well.

So hopefully that will help moving forward.

We're encouraged.

We're encouraged.

So uh next thing on the agenda is the murals at Hufford and Gompers.

Um this is on staff comments.

Yes, so I uh real quick about it.

Uh John Simpson, you helped us with getting um some artists.

Um and we provided those to uh Dr.

Rousey uh with the District 86.

Um they have the murals for uh Gompers Junior High and Hufford Junior High.

Um she thanked us for getting those uh you know uh artists and information over.

Um I'm not sure if you have any other updates that you've no they're they're gonna handle it themselves.

Uh so I mean uh uh but for for those that that don't know there's they're building two new buildings and and there's two new gymnasiums, one's Hufford, one's gompers, and there's a gymnasium that the whole wall they they uh want murals on.

Dr.

Rouse was an original arts commission member.

She just uh reached out to me because I saw her in an event and uh they want to try to do a mural this summer at Gompers, next summer at Hufford, because they have to tear another building down to to do that.

Um my understanding is they have uh I believe it's it's l under 25 or 30,000, they don't have to go RFP.

So uh there was some discussion about us being involved in the RFP, but I think she decided you know they want to involve their kids, they want to buy the you know the community that each school is involved in.

Um so really you know, I had an initial conversation uh and uh you know uh I think I sent her down his name and a few others and I I mentioned it to Councilman uh Caesar uh since it's his district and where it's gone from that uh you know I pretty much got you know said thank you very much, we'll handle it so they're handling it.

So I'm not sure where it stands.

Uh I do think it would be a good opportunity for us to have some involvement, even if it's just to show up and pick up a paintbrush and help, or I mean I just think it would be good for us to uh to be out there and be involved.

I'll keep in contact with uh Dr.

Rousey and see if there's any opportunities for us for the arts commission to be involved.

Um try to you know give some updates as I get them uh for for that specific.

I I did for whatever it's worth, I did hear artist and uh Roho Garcia uh who's pretty you know uh he went to Gompers.

So for whatever that's worth I haven't you know had an initial com uh uh initial meeting with them, and that's really the only time I've I've had any discussion with them.

So uh I I started to want to reach out into to individually because I can't do more than one.

I mean uh about it, and then they took it over.

So uh it's gonna be happening.

Uh they're gonna want local artists to participate uh somehow how that's happening, I'm not sure.

Uh they want the kids to do it.

Um but it's a big area, you know, it's maybe 200 feet long and 20 feet high or something.

So let's put the kids at the top.

Yeah.

Right.

That's all I know about it.

Anything else on that?

No.

Okay, discussion of new art submission guidelines.

Um, you know, not to keep reiterating me just starting, but you know, we were able to go over the guidelines and information that we have.

Um so I am still in the process of looking through the public art submission guidelines, which would outline cities process for permit maybe a permitting process, um, placing and supporting of public art.

Um so we're still in the process for that.

Um I'm to continue just the staff report uh because it has more information towards the end that um I can give more details on that public art guidelines.

Um I am also conducting a uh cultural asset review.

Um this is essentially um reviewing all of the art sculptures, murals that we have in uh the city of Juliet.

Um I did have a good conversation with uh Dante Di Bartolo, um if you know who that name is.

Um he actually was able to provide me with a uh a 65-page Microsoft Word document with all of the murals, sculptures and the current condition of each of them.

Um so since it's 65 pages, I'm on page like two.

Um there's a lot to go through, but it's it's it's really interesting because what I want to do is take that and actually go to each of the murals, sculptures, and do somewhat of an evaluation myself, um, get updated pictures on it.

Um I know he mentioned he's planning on doing it again this year, going through the whole list, giving an update um to try to understand what conditions um each of the murals, each of the sculptures are in and what type of work uh would be needed uh to help get it back into you know working order.

We we put that we put that together.

That was us.

It's very extensive and it's good work.

So the people on the council went out and took the pictures and touched the murals and figured out the substrate and you don't have to do it on your own.

That's a job.

I mean, here's the lame up talking, but um that's the job that you know.

Thanks for volunteering us.

You can get you could get these.

Hey, you know what I gotta pass off some of this, huh?

Well, no, at least we would be in the community and uh doing something.

Well, yeah, we did, yeah.

So I'm I'm I'm getting adapted, I'm getting uh acclimated to all all of that uh information.

Uh so and then in in regards to uh you know the the artist registry um in my talks with Dante, he he I also mentioned to him if he has any artists or people that he knows, um, so that I can start creating an Excel list, um, you know, with emails, contact information, stuff that makes it easier for us to reach out when we do have you know that art project or whatever that's coming up.

Um that gives us that easy mode of communication that I can just send a wide email, hey, we're looking for proposals for X, Y, and Z.

Yeah, if you know anybody, if you can submit something.

So that's the whole idea behind also the arts arts registry.

Um it gives us that just you know, document of you know, contact information.

Um so that's all stuff that I've been uh moving on and working on.

Um so this uh you know, I think we've already kind of went through all the priorities.

Um the public art guidelines, uh mural registry, artist registry, um, and then you know, as we talked about, uh I think you guys have that in your mind already is the the board uh governs and just uh what's strategic recruitment ideas onboarding and then engaging the you know commissioners.

So you know, all the stuff that you guys when you know we were talking in person, uh individually, uh you know I was taking good notes.

I have notes here.

Uh you know, uh my goal is to help work towards these and um make make progress.

Uh you know, move the needle as they say, right?

Speaking just this popped up here, where are we?

Uh I think our poet laureate expires at June or something, uh is it right?

July.

And did you I believe end of June, beginning of July.

I'm uh looking to figure out um identifying funding for that and a process and part of what we wanted to do was to potentially see if we could get a couple people to um help us kind of revamp that.

Um I'd love to hear feedback as well regarding the poet laureate um program and what you guys felt worked and didn't work for it with Uk Smart.

Oh I'll Ron probably knows better than me.

I guess I thought it was a huge, huge success.

I mean, especially from starting from where we started, which is you know, nothing uh you know, I thought I thought it was good, and if you uh if you've gone to any of his presentations, uh, you know, it's starting, you know, it's it's a good example of the grassroots, you know, engagement that can happen uh you know, with support.

So uh go ahead.

Yeah, I think I I think he's underpaid.

Yeah he's for all the things that he's done.

I agree.

Um you know I I know that you probably get a lot of pushback from people in the city that are what do we need that for?

We don't need that.

But he's really engaged the community.

He holds a monthly event at the museum uh for um spoken word poetry and for acoustic guitars, songwriters.

Um and he's at our place one day, Bicentennial Park the next day, and uh over in the Latino community the next day, and um he uh quick story you got my wife writing poetry.

Um she went to the first one that they did at the our rock and roll museum and she walked out of there very inspired and she came back the next few meetings and wrote stuff, had no clue that she had that in her bookworm, but I never knew she could write.

He's done ten times the number of whatever the minimum requirements are for him to do per year.

You know he's supposed to do a handful you know he's you know so it'll the next guy or girl will be gal will be you know you know he's he's uh you know they'll have to a tough act of following that's any so I I will I think it was you know and I don't know how many uh the council pay attention to it but I think it it went well so uh it seems it's like a small a small price you know the perception that the if you the perception that the city is is engaging and caring about the poet laureates or the arts you know goes a long long way for the small amount that the small stipend that he was paid you know I think it reflects well in the in the public can I ask a quick follow-up on that um because one of the ideas that I have been kind of thinking about is um because he uh is scheduled to complete in June or July um if we have the ability to do so and if I can find money in my budget would we would you what would you think about extending either six months or a year just while we identify what the mission of the art you know I think there's a lot of things that we want to redefine with the arts commission in general and I I especially hearing from you and I've heard from others and I've seen firsthand that I think ooksmar has gone above and beyond um what originally and he's been a good representation so that was one of the ideas I was thinking of as well.

I I would I would say that you could extend him I like I like the the June expiration date but uh I mean you know I would you know I would think you'd try to extend him if that's possible until you get all this other stuff figured out because June is the next meeting.

You know we should you know and in theory we should have the applications and and vote on it by next month.

So I mean if there's just a way to do it keep us informed but there's a way to extend him somehow and and if you see if he's you know up for it you know I I'd certainly hate to see it fall off but you know I'll add that to my list Luke.

And I really feel that that's a program that needs to be extended more than what it is and it's also part of why social media for us is going to be so important so that we can expand it that way because who knows where he's at right now nobody knows.

I I recommended being downtown to City Square or something.

He is going to be he so um I think we actually have a follow-up meeting with him to talk to him about being part of the um official dedication on the 18th and also the opening celebration and on that note if you have any thoughts on um you know artists, performers ideas for either the dedication or for the opening celebration, please send them to me.

I'm happy to uh you know happy to include them.

Um I will say that you know we did an open call for kind of performers and people that were interested in bicentennial park in City Square um that went over really well.

This was something I think I did what quite a few months ago um I think we have a hundred and sixty eight people that signed up for it and it was everything from um people doing workouts to people the dancing to um concerts so it's kind of an ongoing list that we have but I'm always looking for ways to have people get added to that and not just for music for theater for art other things too.

Has the programs uh have they have you released what happened in uh at the bicentennial park on uh concerts on the hills we're getting there okay so just to continue real quickly my conversation there about expanding this I don't see why we couldn't get him or someone some poet laureate to go other places than just downtown so we can have maybe something on the west side of Joliet where people wouldn't come downtown but they don't they need to find out what they're missing.

So if you could go to even a an open park um let's say because I'm familiar with the American Legion, the park across the street from there where many people go if you can do a night where you would have a poll laurie at night out on the west side for people that are too afraid to come downtown but can actually get a taste of the culture that we're trying to push.

I think there's a lot of ways that we could expand that whole program so I just wanted to finish my apologies I didn't realize you weren't finished.

Thank you.

Bring it up for a vote.

What was it you said, Donna?

Let's just do it and ask for forgiveness later.

Like the way you think.

He's gotta get compensated, right?

I need to identify in my budget and talk with him.

Um I think you know what we can do though is I you know maybe put the recommendation forward for me to pursue to see if I can do in asking.

Unless support you get a hold of somebody at the city that approves us getting sponsors, and we can get it done quicker.

So we don't need any motion.

I don't believe so because it's not an official agenda item, is that correct, Katie?

So it's on my uh it it is on my to-do list though, which is probably better.

Okay.

Uh with that, uh members' comments.

The only thing I would like to uh say is thank you, Peg.

I've truly enjoyed getting to know you on the commission here.

I respect your talents, your knowledge, your dedication to the City of Joliet, to the arts commission, everything that we have going on, and hopefully uh you may rethink and want to come back and join us again because I think losing you on a commission is gonna uh be painful for us for a while until we can find somebody to replace someone with so much knowledge.

Thank you, Tom.

Everyone's replaceable.

I did that.

But I I would like to say um I'm so proud of the work that we did on looking at the sculptures and looking at the murals and developing that document.

Um we were so excited then.

That was our first big job.

And and we just went out there and drug our cars all around town and did and did a good thing.

So I'm real proud of that.

We didn't do it.

I'm also super proud of the start we had on the policy.

Um I think we moved well together.

Um it's a it's a good start, and I'm excited that hopefully it gets settled.

Um I enjoyed doing this research and the finalization of the C10 sculpture, even though it wasn't my favorite of all the ones that were there.

I'm so glad it's there.

You know, it's just those are the things that I take with me.

You know, it's really neat.

Um life takes us in different directions, but I might not be here, but I'll be around for sure.

For sure.

Anyone else?

No public comments, so do we have a motion to adjourn?

Make the motion.

Second.

Ron, Deb.

Thank you, everybody.

Final vote.

Oh, yeah, final vote.

All in favor.

Aye.

Thank you guys.

Thank you.

Thank you.