This study session featured annual updates from six city boards and committees: the Arts Committee, Equity Steering Committee, Library Board, Parks and Recreation Board, Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC)/SPOT program, and Tree Board. The council asked clarifying questions and provided direction on several items. Note: The transcript begins by stating "March 10th, 2026 study session," but the official timestamp indicates the meeting took place on March 11, 2026.
Hopefully Ed will join us shortly, but we have our arts committee team ready to get started. So we have uh seed succession. Okay. I saw the terrority of Cherokee. Okay, so we're on the record. Okay. It's our March 10th, uh 2026 uh study session, and it's our annual update where we go meet with a bunch of our committees to hear what they've been doing and what they're planning for the year ahead. And uh nicely arranged alphabetically. So we're gonna start with the arts committee. Thanks. Thanks for having us. And he is Jeanette Owen, but the arts committee. Um so I'll just go through uh some of the recent work the committee's done, uh talk about the goals that were recently set by the committee and we'll preview what's what's the um next year. Uh so first off, uh we have two new sculptures in the sculpture garden. Um we only have two this rotation because the big cherry is permanent. So usually it's three off. We don't have every year, but um the three. Uh this block was by an artist that's uh shown in the garden several times before, but um the other one Buffalo by Crabice on that's a new artist, and um we were happy to have some new entries. We actually had several entries this round, but uh this is selected. Um, I guess we have a lot of passive sculptures like this too, but that one fits in the card at least. So uh maybe was also instrumental in getting a couple sculptures installed recently, uh a couple committee members, uh Samantha Swinder, who was a former chair and then Amy were on the selection committee for uh I have those popcords, sorry. The other one is the peculiar pod, the other one is the art sphere. Sorry, I don't know how I switched up. But um year pod is in Scott Park, they run the selection committee for that, and then that was recently installed a few months ago. Uh with the the trail and all the things were finished up. And a sign that says don't climb on it, but obviously it's quite because it looks like um and then yeah, the arts committee made the decision to purchase uh sphere of spheres, which is also by Tyler for Claw Creations. Um that has shown in the sculpture garden. And like last time we were here, we mentioned that he was interested in purchasing it. And um, yeah, we did it this year. So it's great. Um we also had another successful year of Porch Fest. Uh and that's one of the committee members actually right there, Ben Dewey, um at his house. Uh yeah, like like it's up. There are 115 performances across every neighborhood in Milwaukee. Um we had six meeting sponsors, and we had a new kind sponsor too. That's made in Milwaukee. They helped with the printing and offset all the costs for that. So um, yeah, it's great to find these partnerships. And it's a make it's a really good model, I think, for sponsorships, like especially for these events because it's a low entry point, it's only $300 to get in, but you know, really help us businesses and really helps the people their work too. Uh new this year was uh library art shows. The the Friends of the Library installed uh art rails in the community room and um Sarah McCoy on the arts committee has been uh leading the effort to get new art shows in every couple months, and along with that we've had some artist receptions. Uh a couple of them have been along with First Friday, and then um we also had an artist panel, and that was featuring some of the arts committee members, which was a really big success. Um really great attendance. Um, there was a QA which was hosted by the Clackamas County Arts Alliance uh representative. And from that, we actually had a lot of interest, like renewed interest in things the arts committees doing and a lot of people wanting to get involved and see what other things the arts committee is doing. It was also just a really nice time to talk about art and how it's made and like different ways of getting involved and you know what is art and how can you participate and contribute. Uh and the committee was helping being in the new year again. Um keeps getting bigger and better, and you know, more people we had great weather this year, which also helped. Uh yeah, more than 30 vendors, then includes food and drink, um, and 800 wishing tag wishing tree tags, and they went through 600 alcohol bracelets, which is also a good like measure of like attendance too. So um, all in all, great success.