San Leandro Arts, Culture and Library Commission Meeting - February 18, 2025

The Arts, Culture and Library Commission of San Leandro met on February 18, 2025, at 6:36 PM in the Main Library Trustees Room. The meeting covered budget planning for the upcoming fiscal years, reports on grant programs and the Arts Endowment, and a public comment from a local artist. Commissioners also discussed rescheduling the March meeting to attend the Mayor's State of the City address. The meeting adjourned at 7:02 PM.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes of January 21, 2025: Approved unanimously with no discussion.

Library Services Staff Reports and Announcements

• Museum Exhibit Unveiling: The new museum exhibit, funded by the commission, will be unveiled on either Thursday, March 20 or Thursday, April 10, from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM. A flyer will be distributed once a date is confirmed.
• Budget Update: The library department has requested $75,000 per year for the commission for Fiscal Years 2026 and 2027, consistent with current funding. The city is asking all departments to cut 3-4% of their budgets; the library is cutting approximately $200,000 in operational expenses (no staff cuts) and aims to hold the commission harmless. Commissioner Stephen expressed a desire to restore funding to $150,000 per year, but staff recommended maintaining $75,000 given the city's budget constraints and projected deficit spending within five years without cuts.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Nancy Brown: A local visual artist and two-time grant recipient introduced herself, expressed interest in an arts district, and noted she has applied to join the commission.

Commission Reports and Announcements

Arts Endowment Committee

• Commissioner Stephen reported meeting with the city manager. He requested an additional $75,000 to restore funding, which the city manager said she would not support, but she was more open to adding $75,000 for new funding. Stephen also advocated for a city ordinance requiring major developers to contribute to an arts fund or build art on-site, citing a missed opportunity with a large Prologis development. He encouraged commissioners to speak with their council members to generate political will for such an ordinance.

Grants Committee

• All grant reports from the previous cycle have been received; a presentation on results will be given at the March 18 meeting. Grants for the new cycle are now open for applications. Last year, 26 applications were submitted requesting $160,000; 12 grants totaling approximately $80,000 were awarded. The Public Information Officer contributed $1,000 from his promotion budget for Google and YouTube ads to promote the grant opportunity. At least two applications have already been received. Commissioner Alvarez raised the question of translating promotional materials and applications, noting that no translations were done this year. Doing so would require budgeting for translation costs and considering how to review applications in other languages. The commission discussed the need to address this for future cycles.

Grants Mixer Committee

• The mixer was held on a rainy night, resulting in lower turnout than the previous year (estimated 20-30 attendees). However, new attendees and thoughtful questions were noted, making the event worthwhile. Commissioners suggested re-evaluating the need for the mixer in future years, possibly reallocating funds for translation services.

General Commissioner Comments & Future Meeting

• Chair Scotland noted that the Mayor's State of the City address is scheduled for March 18 at 6:30 PM, conflicting with the regular commission meeting. He proposed changing the March meeting date so commissioners can attend both events. Staff will survey commissioners for an alternative date (ideally the same week) and post a cancellation notice. The March meeting is critical because it includes elections for Chair and Vice Chair and the grant program report. Commissioner Velasquez praised the library for its multicultural atmosphere and support during challenging times.

Key Outcomes

• Minutes approved.
• Budget request: The library will continue to request $75,000 per year for the commission; no formal action was taken to increase that amount.
• Grant cycle: Applications are open; the grants committee will review and present recommendations at the April meeting.
• March meeting date: The commission will cancel the March 18 regular meeting and schedule a special meeting on an alternative date to allow attendance at the State of the City address.
• No action items were formally voted on beyond the consent calendar.