All right. I call the Arts, Culture and Library Commission meeting of December 16th, 2025 to order at 6.33 p.m.

Bill, would you take the roll call, please?

Chair of Scotland.

Present.

Vice Chair Miller.

Present.

Commissioner Acevedo.

Commissioner Alvarez.

Present.

Commissioner Guillory.

Present.

Commissioner Ridsdale.

Present.

Commissioner Smith.

Commissioner Velasquez.

We have five just enough for a forum.

All right.

Thank you.

Item number two, announcements.

We have no announcements.

Item three, consent calendar.

Can I get a motion to approve the minutes of October 21st, 2025?

So moved.

Can I get a second?

Second.

Any discussion?

All right.

All those in favor say aye, please.

Aye.

Any opposed?

All right.

Motion carries on that one.

Moving on to item four, library services staff report and announcement.

I have no staff report or announcements.

Okay.

Well.

I want to get to the meat of it.

Item five, public comments.

We have no public.

Item six, presentations.

6a arts culture and library commission project planning all right so to set some context

we don't have any money to do stuff and so we were thinking about like what would this commission

do aside from the grants and aside from the comedy stuff that we already spent all our money on

like why do we want to show up here month after month what do we want this commission to do

otherwise. So we thought, well, why don't we do a project plan? Why don't we get everyone to think

about what kinds of ideas they might want us as a commission to do? Like, why are we here? How can

we make the library better? How can we make arts better? How can we make culture better? What do

you want to do? So if you read your email, you saw that we had a project plan. That's the green thing.

You know, physical copy also.

And so what I would like is for you folks to take the next month and think of at least

one project that you would like this commission to do.

Write it up and bring it to our January meeting and then we'll talk about all the ideas.

So what I did was I wrote one so you could see an example of sort of the level of effort

and an idea of what we would do.

I did it for Game of Shrooms, which we did last year, and which I'm really hoping we'll

get to do again this year because it doesn't really require any money, and that's fantastic.

So this is just sort of an initial, hey, please think about this.

you want to do and then some homework to please come prepared next month. Bill do you want to add

anything to that? Just to indicate that we what we have in front of us is it's a variation of a

program planning tool that we started using at the library recently that past year because we

We plan a lot of programs, but we wanted to better structure them and really consider

the amount of effort and the cost to carry out a program.

And so Chair of Scotland took this document and revised it so that it fits more within

the work of the Commission.

And I just think it's a really good tool for focusing on your thinking around any proposed

either project that would be something new or joining something that's already in place

like Game of Shrooms and just participating in that.

But that still requires thought and planning, as when we did this in the last, for 2025, there was a fair amount of effort involved.

Not a lot of cost, but it did require thinking through how to communicate and then implement the way that we would participate in that program in a unique setting like the main library.

Yeah, and I filled this out this afternoon, and it really helped me think through why we would do it and what the metrics are.

How would we know we've been successful?

And those are the sort of things that we'll want to think about when we're planning, because, you know, then Bill will eventually be standing up in front of the city council going, here's what the commission is actually up to.

Here's what we're doing.

So it's good to think through those things in this way.

And so thanks for having a really good project plan that we could start with because it was

a great start.

Do any of you have questions about this or concerns about being able to complete it?

What are your thoughts on this idea?

I'm just trying to think, kind of broadly think, not only arts, but the library and

culture or whatever, you know, that we're supposed to be representing.

How can we design a project, even come up with a project that would meet one of those

three purposes. And that's it. I'm just kind of wool gathering. I'm not quite sure because

you know the not having any money to do anything with is a little bit limiting. I love the

Shrooms idea. I thought that was great last year too. I mean I know some artists that

I'm sure would make something for it you know and I'm not sure what that something would

be. I mean, it doesn't matter, right? It's just some piece of art. I could think so.

But, yeah, I'm going to have to think about it hard. I'd love to hear other people's ideas

because, yeah.

So, just to be clear, the idea about approaching it the way that we have, which is to put this

under the presentations part of the agenda was that we want to put this in front of the commission

and then give agendize it under action items for the January meeting so you have a month

to come up with those ideas and work on this and then you know it's agendized in the January

for the January meeting the public will be notified maybe we get some members of the public

here who would be interested in giving us some ideas.

And we did not only distribute this planning document to all of you, but it's up on Meeting

Central where any member of the public can see it and then participate if they want to.

We'll, of course, like I said, agendize it for the January meeting.

And that will be an opportunity to brainstorm all of these potential ideas.

Right. And the idea is that you all are different people and you have different areas of San Leandro that you live in, a different interest and different things.

You know, like, what do you do that is different that would be something?

You know, because like what I would bring would be different than what you would think to bring everyone.

So, yeah, please just sort of think about what your interests are and what areas of Sandlander you swim around in mentally.

So, for the January meeting, are you asking us to come with a fully fleshed out project plan or just ideas for project plans that we'll then vote on?

I would say, what's the assignment?

Yeah, the assignment is to come with as much of a project plan as you can put together.

I mean, it might just be an idea and like a little bit of background, and then, you know, you might need help for the rest.

But as long as you sort of thought through, you know, these things, it doesn't need to be like ready to roll.

At that point we'll brainstorm, at that point if we choose to move forward with a project

we can then put all of our collective brains to making it go.

I have a question.

Do we have on the website, I don't go to websites much, so pardon me, but where particular artists

work could be featured?

say you know you'd have artist of the month or something and you just have

pictures of the type of art they do and a bio and that kind of stuff just to

maybe give artists some recognition within the community I don't know do we

have to be some connection to the library specifically oh okay yeah I

understand the question it's just do like a poster and put it out sorry sir sorry if i may the way

the meeting works is that we have specific areas for public comments oh okay so if you if you could

just hold your comment to do we reach that point of the meetings thank you so it would just be a

matter of some connection to the city okay okay great any other commissioner questions or comments

about that all right at this time do any members of the public wish to comment on

this agenda item item 6a arts culture and library commission project planning

yeah could you like if there was an artist of the month could the library

do some sort of poster in the front I know that you know a lot of people come

in and out of the library if you could use the entrance area for featuring the artist

of the month.

I know with the Art Commission or the Art Association, I think at one point they were

trying to get the San Leandro Times to feature an artist of the month, but they didn't have

much luck.

but like I say there's a lot of traffic in and out of the library

and it might be a good place to have a way to feature policy

great thank you very much

all right any last commissioner questions or comments

sorry I went to the opposite office

all right this concludes item 6a

moving on to 7a fiscal year 26 arts and culture grants program

Do you get an update on that, Phil, please?

I will.

So the Grants Committee has been hard at work updating the guidelines and the two applications,

one for, of course, individual applicants and the second for non-profits.

And part of what was distributed to you as commissioners and again posted to Meeting Central for the public to see was the, and I'm sure we have hard copies, correct, Yolanda?

We have hard copies of these documents.

Yeah, everyone has one.

Yeah, and I'm just going to make sure this gentleman has one if he wants to see it.

um so these are the drafts uh based on our experience uh with last year's program well

last year fiscal year 25 on them that is wrapping up at the end of this month

so our experience with it and feedback from the commission and also applicants um so we've

We particularly heard that at the end of when we made the announcement of the fiscal year

25 grant award from some of the unsuccessful applicants that we should define the documents

that we're requesting in these applications.

So that was a major part of the revisions was making sure in the guidelines and in the

that if we ask for a document, if it's not abundantly, completely straightforward what we're asking,

we put in a definition of what we're asking.

And if possible, a link to an authoritative source that they could go to if they had questions about it.

For example, you know, when you start asking for a 501c3 letter of determination or registration number,

then you can go to the IRS website and get more information about what that means.

So we've included those links.

These draft documents have also been reviewed and updated by the city attorney.

They were reviewed the first time we did them back in 24.

And I felt after two years it was time to have the city attorney's office look at these

to make sure any changes of the law would be integrated.

and so they've been reviewed and their changes integrated in these draft documents that you have in front of you.

And while they are draft documents, they're 99% there.

It's really just a matter of, you know, if there are any substantive changes, they would be minor

because what you see in front of you is basically ready to go.

and then the only thing other thing I would add is we've been focusing on

making sure this that these documents the guidelines the two application forms

substantively are ready for distribution in time for the when we open these up to

the public in February early February and they're structured in the format that

we used before, but my plan is to make the applications available using Microsoft Forms

so that the applicants can find a link online and basically submit their application using

Microsoft Forms, including, fingers crossed, both attaching any documentation that we request

as well as allowing them to sign these documents.

So I've got a tall technological order in front of me, but I'm determined to make that

happen.

So that should make it easier for everybody.

And then moving on to, this is under action items.

The action item that we had, one that the Grants Committee wanted to bring before the

Commission is the idea of specifying, revising slightly, the budget allocation that was determined,

I think, at the September meeting, where $30,000 was allocated for the grants program, but

there wasn't, I think, any specificity to that. And we need to have some money set aside for

administrative cost relative to this program as we've always done. So, and this is a rough estimate,

but the thought was this commission could allocate $27,500 for grants and then have $2,500

for administrative costs. Those administrative costs would include, but not necessarily be

limited to the translation of the guidelines we agreed we wanted to make

the guidelines available in not just English but also in Spanish and Chinese.

Publicity costs I think that's really helped get the word out and get a better

applicant pool by using the city's publicity the communications team to

make sure we get these out and as broadly as possible and sometimes that

does cost in terms of placing ads or boosting posts, things like that. And then finally,

in terms of historic costs, minor costs for the mixer that we've held before. We have that

scheduled this coming year as well. And that's cost for food, refreshments, to truly make it a

mixer and make it a nice environment for everybody. So that's the action item that would be worth

the commission to consider. And I don't know if you want to, before we open it up to the public comments,

I don't know if any of the grant committee wants to add anything to what I've reported here.

Yeah, Alana or Terry want to add anything?

No, I think we covered it well.

Okay.

Alana, you said something in our grant meeting about how, you phrased it really well,

it was something about like, clearer doesn't always mean simpler, simpler doesn't, like,

we were talking about how we wanted to make things clearer for people,

but it didn't end up necessarily shorter.

Yes.

I think the idea was if the idea of clarity is adding definitions and more context, it

kind of added to the bloat of the application, which was initially we were trying to make

it more streamlined and everything.

And so I think we struck a balance between maybe over explaining and instead pointing

people to where documentation exists and they can look things up and leaning more in the

simplicity direction so that there's less for them to have to get through and

that hopefully they can kind of self-serve by looking up definitions or

looking at IRS documentation but that was one thing we talked about it's like

clarity versus simplicity they're not the exact same thing so we went more

with simplicity. Yeah thanks and and I just want to say changing from using the

PDF, which we did have problems with last year, you know, several people had had issues with the

budget part of the PDF. Changing it to an online form is going to be a lot of work for Bill and

your team. But I think it will end up being so much easier in the end, not only for people to do,

you know, I mean, lots of people know how to walk through a form at this point online, like fewer

people usually deal with filling out PDFs. But it'll be so much easier on the back end. And if

If all goes well, we can require things to be filled out so we won't get incomplete applications.

And I think it'll be a good change.

We're doing incremental changes with this grant program.

A couple of years ago, we just completely busted it apart and made it more accessible.

And so that was the big change.

We did some tiny little changes last year.

But after all the challenges of people not doing it right, we realized that we needed some more changes.

So it's kind of another slightly larger year for that.

All right, let's end up to the public.

All right.

At this time, do any members of the public wish to comment on agenda item 7A?

Well, I'm just here to sort of learn about what the process is.

And, you know, I actually have a plan on developing an application for a grant,

but you know i realized that the the timeline is what february where you're starting to accept

the applications yeah i should have something like that but you know i asked to do with the

san leandro art association and i mean basically the idea is that they have these festivals and

And usually they raise about, or they sell about $2,000 worth of art among maybe 20 or 25 artists.

And I started to look at that, and I noticed that in England they had a project called Art for All,

where they made

vouchers available

for

people within their community

especially

low income people

so that most people would have access

to art

and it's something they do in Europe

in a whole range of

areas

they subsidize newspapers

in Italy

people who turn 18

get vouchers in bookstores, but, you know, the idea would be to, you know, if there was

a grant, if you, let's say it was a $5,000 grant, if you could give out 50 of these vouchers

to people in San Leandro, it would be great for them to have pieces of art, and at the

same time, I think that, you know, if you looked at how much money, you know, the artists

they're actually making most artists are making far less than minimum wage you know for producing

that the art that they produce so it could be beneficial to people in the community as well as

to the to the local artists so that's the gist of it art for all idea okay thank you so much

all right any commissioner comments or questions on this item

all right uh one comment oh sure there's just that this draft um

i think this is the guidelines part um the one that has like the index at the beginning

um it refers to page numbers but it doesn't have page numbers at the bottom

She's still editing.

What are you talking about, Tana?

Oh, the guidelines.

The guidelines.

Oh, yeah.

They're at the top.

They should be at the top.

Are they out there?

Okay.

No.

They printed on mine, so.

Oh, maybe they're just cut off?

But, yeah, I hear that.

I'll make sure there's progenation there.

the documents that we put up on the website.

Alright. Any other questions, comments? Do we need a motion?

If we're going to revise that allocation, I think it would be wise to have a motion.

Yeah, a motion of the whole nine yards.

Alright. Does someone who isn't me need to make a motion?

No.

You can make it.

All right.

Well, then, I would like to make a motion that we revise the $30,000 budget allocation

to add the specific categories of $27,500 for grants and $2,500 for administrative costs.

Second.

All right.

All in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed?

All right.

Motion carries.

Thank you very much.

Okay.

Do we want to talk about subcommittee for the mixer?

Since if we don't talk about it this month, then it'll be scarily close for our next month.

Yes.

Sorry, I'm contemplating this because I just don't know how much effort is really required.

I'm not sure how much effort is really required to do that.

Do you need, how about this question?

Okay.

Do you need a commissioner or two to help you with the ground mixer?

No.

Okay, then we don't need a subcommittee.

Y'all get off easy.

Sweet.

Okay.

Well, then, this concludes item seven.

Moving on to item eight, commission reports and announcements.

Grants committee, we've had a report from the grant committee, but do you have more?

I have more.

You have more.

Okay, thank you, Chair Scotland.

I just wanted to add on behalf of the Grants Committee that our current grant period is coming to a close.

This is for the 2025 grants.

It will end on 12-31-25, so the end of this month, and almost two weeks from tomorrow.

And so in light of that, everything that the grantees plan to do, they need to have finished.

And so I will be sending out an email in the next couple of days as a reminder to the grantees,

seven in total, if memory serves, that the end of the grant period is coming up in two short weeks

and that they will be required as per the guidelines to submit a final report.

And I'll be giving them the guidelines on what that means in terms of,

they already have that information, but I'll be restating that information

so that they know that they have a final report due on January 16th of 2026.

So, yeah, that's it.

I don't know if the rest of the committee had anything.

All right.

Well then, we don't have any other subcommissions right now.

So let's just...

Move on to general commissioner comments.

Do we have any general commissioner comments about other items?

Can we recap where we put the funds? I know we just revised the one for the mixer which lowers the one for the grant awardees. There are 75 in total if I can have those numbers again.

So, the allocation for the current fiscal year is $50,000, and the commission in the

September meeting, I wasn't there, but I read the minutes, was a $30,000 allocation in total

for the grant program and then $20,000 allocated for the comedy program.

What we just did, or what you folks did, was to revise or specify, I should say, that $30,000

allocation for the grants to subdivide that into $27,500 for the grants that we would

make to successful applicants and then $2,500 for administrative costs.

Okay, including the mixer.

Okay, thank you.

Does that answer the question?

Yeah.

Okay.

All right.

Trying to jog my memory here.

No worries.

Any other questions or comments?

Hi.

Only because I haven't heard anyone raise it, Commissioner Cassidy, I want to take a moment to say I understand from the minutes that he resigned at the last commission meeting,

But prior to that, he contributed so much to this committee commission.

And I always felt like he was very sincerely invested, really trying to see what this commission could possibly do for San Leandro.

So I just wanted to take a moment for the commission to acknowledge him and his contributions.

And I'm grateful he was part of this.

Yeah, I think you beat me to it.

I was going to end on that.

So yeah, in case you didn't hear, he did pass away.

And that's a huge bummer.

And yeah, he was always the guy who was pushing us to do more.

And yeah, it's a huge bummer for us and for San Leandro.

So thank you.

And that sucks.

And I totally don't want to end on that note.

So I will say that since he had resigned, we have a vacant seat, and the mayor has chosen a new candidate.

And I got to interview them.

So he gave me five people to call, and I got to talk to five very passionate, interesting, cool people who are interested in making a difference.

And the mayor chose one.

And she's amazing, and I'm not going to say who she is, and I can say she because they were all women that I talked to.

But hopefully she'll be joining us soon.

I think she might be sworn in at the next meeting.

I'm not sure, like, what goes on, but...

So I can explain that process a little bit if you'd like.

Thank you, yes.

Sure.

So for any commission, what happens is there is whoever from the city council is recommending them.

They make a recommendation for the, in front of this whole city council.

and then there's a consideration period.

I can't remember.

I think it's a couple...

I shouldn't speak about time frames,

but there's a consideration period

and then the nomination is brought

before the full council to vote on.

So I think it's about two weeks.

So it'll be a little longer.

Okay.

But eventually...

Eventually we will have a new person.

Which means we'll be back to a full commission.

It should be wonderful.

Yeah.

So I think it'll be great.

That's great news. Sorry to hear that last meeting got canceled. I was sick and I felt responsible. I was like, oh my gosh, I didn't make it to the meeting, the November one. Yeah, so I had to call out sick for that one. Sorry to hear that one got canceled.

So I'm glad to hear that we have more commissioners joining us.

Yeah.

I know we've been running low.

And on the note for Cassidy, the school district also recognized all of his immense work with all of his contributions to the Selling Andrew Unified School District.

So that was really nice to read about.

Nice.

Thank you.

Thank you. Any last Commissioner, questions, comments, thoughts?

Alright, I'm going to move to Item 9, adjournment. Do I have a motion to adjourn the meeting of December 16th, 2025?

So moved. Is there a second?

I second.

Any discussion? All in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed?

Alright, motion carries. The meeting of December 16th, 2025 is adjourned at 7 or 6 p.m.

Thank you.