I mean the roads are garbage.

So this will also just be probably a shorter meeting.

Um we don't have anything really in terms of business to attend to more discussion.

So in order to kind of have it.

Yes, thank you so much.

When the time's right.

Yep, welcome.

Thank you.

You also are bad, and I know a few people said they were coming.

Yeah, we'll start at like five three morning.

Just out of respect for people's time.

Copies of this share.

Oh, okay.

Oh, you have it.

Very interesting.

One of my colleagues thing.

Oh, nice.

I didn't fashion.

That's fine.

We're citizens we review stuff.

I mean, you know what I mean?

It's not totally inaccurate.

There you go.

So yes, uh, just to out of respect for everybody's time, I will officially call this meeting to order.

Uh my name is Benny Guzman.

I am the key chair of the public arts commission.

Uh before I have the rest of the commissioners and our representative from Parks introduce themselves.

Um, one, we are one person short of quorum.

I do think they might be coming today, uh, but that may prevent us from actually um doing any official business.

Uh what we but on top of that, we also really don't have much business to attend to besides discussion um and some other things that again, if we have someone kind of for quorum, we might get them uh address.

Uh additionally, too.

Uh we do have an executive session uh this evening about open meeting law and discussion with legal.

Uh, and in order to respect everybody's time for the first part, I would like to try to keep it to about half an hour so that we have half an hour dedicated to that.

Um I don't like meetings for to go over an hour unless they absolutely have to, um, respecting everybody's time here.

Uh, but that doesn't mean that we can't have some discussion uh based on our agenda and based on some of the stuff that um uh we just need to discuss as a commission.

Um also additionally too, I am recording audio uh on my phone just for kind of my purposes for uh meeting minutes for the next session that we are attending.

Um and this also is being video recorded uh via live stream through the YouTube.

Um yeah, I think that's all the introduction stuff.

So what I'll do is I'll just have all the commissioners uh and everybody on the panel um introduce themselves.

Lisa Lambert.

I'm a Raider.

Maggie Levis.

Manuel Carter.

Uh Chris Abbott.

Okay.

Perfect.

Um so uh we do have minutes from our last meeting in front of us.

Um we cannot vote to approve them, but if we can at least just take a quick minute to look over them to see if there's any major issues.

Um please again just let me know.

We can mark that down, and then when we again, if we do have quorum tonight, we'll vote on it to approve it, or we'll wait till the next session uh to approve it.

It says September 9th on the notes.

It says discussion held on September 9th.

I think it's just a typo because I skimmed them and it looks like it does reflect what we talked about last time at the bottom of the page.

Bottom of the discussion held on September 9th.

Oh, gotcha.

So probably just uh that might have been from the previous notes.

I updated the I just used that as a template and I didn't update that.

So is that like warrant for not approving it?

I know we don't have quorum right now, but we'll just um edit it and or if we had a quorum, we would approve it under the conditions that it is updated to that.

Um but good catch.

Because that would have been discussion on January 13th.

Thank you.

Yes.

Okay.

Looks good to me.

Anything else standing out to folks?

All right.

Um, so again, we cannot approve this, but we'll set it aside.

If we have quorum tonight, we can vote to approve it conditionally.

Um, or the next time we have session and we have full quorum, uh, we will approve it.

Uh commissioner report and other business.

I don't know if Chris, if there's anything from Shaisha that she uh needs to update us on.

Yeah, I didn't have anything prepared from the commissioner coming in until to tonight.

Okay, I know.

Nope.

Nope, that's totally fine.

I just wasn't sure if she had talked to you because I know she had talked to me a little bit about this meeting, so I wasn't sure if there was anything else.

Um but yes, we will open it up to discussion.

Um we have some discussion points that I wanted to talk about first.

Uh, but then I also recognize we have a guest, so I will give you an opportunity to speak if you would like.

Um public art coordinator position.

Uh so this is something I have been in talks with Shaisha about.

Um there is essentially a revamping and reviewing of the responsibilities and duties of that position.

Um, from what I've discussed with Shaisha, um, in the original posting, there was no mention of parks, despite this being a position under parks.

Um, I do think part of that had to do with how this position was established and founded.

Um, I think what is and again, this is speculation.

This is just like what I'm assuming based on my work with the commission, is that we needed somebody to do this work.

There's no official home for the arts in the city.

So parks was the best bet.

And that's essentially where the position was created.

Um, the issue with that is that there's no clear delineation of roles, responsibilities, what percentage is parks, what percentage is public art?

How does art and public art fit together?

Because those things do.

Um so I believe those things are being hashed out now.

Um I do know that uh Shaisha is also working with somebody um from Mayor Owen's economic development team, Eric Ennis, to kind of develop what this position is, how it can align with both public arts goals, uh parks and rec goals, and then also the mayor's economic um development.

Um because I've also I've mentioned this before.

I'm in conversations with economic developments where arts is part of economic development.

Um and so, yes.

Um, do I have details on those things?

No, not exactly.

Um, I will be reaching out to Bolsheisha and Eric to be like, I we need to see this.

We need to at least have some of our eyes on it, um, just to give some guidance.

Uh, because what I don't want to happen is that we get kind of pushed away or pushed aside, and that um this is a position that is designed to help us do our work, and so I want to make sure that it is aligned with all these pieces.

Um I'm also fairly aware that there's a lot of moving pieces um at the city level.

Um, and so I want to make sure that those things um are being taken care of as well.

Um quick question.

Yes.

Do you know when that position originated?

The I know the Anne resigned in August.

So I think it's been vacant since August.

Yes.

Yes, so that position, are you talking about the initial establishment before initial statute?

So it would have been, I believe, the July prior.

So not so it would be coming up to two years because from what I understand is that Anne's position was contracted for a year, right?

Then it was up for review, and then that's essentially when they didn't continue with Anne.

So likely July 2024.

Most likely.

Most likely.

Um, yeah, and again, I'm not 100% certain on that, but those are the things.

Um, but yeah, and I also do think at that time, again, there was a lot of transitions, and so um, and also too, it was a brand new position.

So what was established as what was needed when that position was created may not necessarily be what is needed now.

Um I was just thinking, I was like, oh, in comparison to our like uh what's it called?

Our ordinance how like old their comparison was the ordinance is much much older.

Yes, the ordinance far predates the coordinate position.

And so yes, thank you.

That's correct.

Um, in terms of when that position might be up and running, again, I'm not sure about that because it has to go through human resources and all that as well.

Do you guys have any updates on any movement on the hiring or development of the position?

I think uh just uh commissioner and side of their okay, continue to work on that position.

Yeah, and again, I will be kind of pushing um later this week to see something uh before it gets posted.

Um I definitely think the commission should at least have eyes on it before just like hey, this is what this position, who's going to be working with y'all uh does.

That would be nice, you know.

Um, just as a courtesy kind of thing.

Um I would like to say or have a suggestion for us as the council.

Um, I know the district art show is coming up on May 2nd.

I would like to say that our council, if we could have some people volunteer to go around and judge and give special awards to some of our young artists that we could just put like a certificate or something, it would get people to recognize the arts council a little bit, plus give honor to some of our students out there as a possibility to do.

I could talk to the head of the art department, but I mean, as the art council to go recognize some of our Syracuse City students, yes, as a possibility.

I think I like that idea.

I do I do, and I I guess what I will say to that is I like the idea of us being present.

I don't know formally if we can recognize them like on behalf of the city or even as SPAC.

Uh that might be some discussion for legal as we kind of get into that.

Uh but I do I actually, and I thank you for bringing that up because I do think um it would be beneficial for us to start attending some of these events on behalf of SPAC.

Um, and that's something that I do want us to think about as well.

Is like um, and I guess we're thinking about the public art corner position, but just our ordinance in general.

Um, what are the potential updates that we need?

What are the things that we would like to see in it?

What are the kind of goals and vision of this uh commission?

You know, how are we gonna continue moving forward?

Uh plus to get people to recognize it a little more and know that we exist here and that we are here.

I think would be a great move.

And that's I don't know that informally we are capable of doing that, like in a formal capacity, but I would love to like personally come and do that, like in any mean, or like if any of us in any I would love to.

I would never allow to say first place or second place, but like honorably mentioned, or you know, esteemed artist or something like you know, future artists or something would be wonderful just because it isn't an awarded type event, it is honoring our kids' artists, but it's great encouragement.

No, and I agree, I think a lot of and again, I'm speaking kind of like my own personal interest of like where this commission can go is to have some, I guess maybe some of those more formal abilities to formally recognize abilities to engage with these different audiences, um, both in arts education, but also just our murals in general.

Um, and I think those are things that like could be beneficial to us, like they they could just be aligned physically with what we're trying to do.

Um but again, it's about understanding like our purview.

Legally, and also what does that look like?

What does that mean?

Because there's plenty of stuff that we can do as the commission and other stuff that we can do as quote unquote civilians, right?

Individuals, yeah, yeah.

Um, and I think I don't know, we're not we're not I think I feel and this is again me personally speaking.

Um I feel like the commission is a little bit of an in-between.

Like, yes, we are recognized as an official entity of the city, but we also very much operate as civilians.

Um, and so understanding how those things can mesh together is something I think important.

But thank you for bringing that up.

Um you said May 2nd.

May 2nd.

I forgot which high school, sorry.

If you can send I will get this information to you and stuff, but it is uh May 2nd with everything else including arts or parks day, makers fair day and sorry, everything else that's going on in the city, it's a huge day.

All right.

Um additionally, SPAC website.

Um Chris, again, I don't know if there's any of I know that Shaisha basically said that it is almost there.

95%, right?

But in terms and she said what's missing is the content.

What that means, I do not know.

Um I'm going to push for us at least somebody, if not me, if anybody would like to maybe follow up and yes.

I can help generate content, like writing things, follow-up.

Perfect.

Yeah, because if you could because I'm not sure what is in terms of what content is needed.

I would love to see us having like uh feature artists, city art different features of different city artists up there or projects going on in the city would be a great thing to have availability and a link to the artist um website or the link to all the where the listings of the artists are that you can get for a thing.

Isn't there yeah?

We've got resources and opportunities for artists, we have the public artist art registry, or excuse me, public art artist registry, and then listing of um public art and Syracuse, that content just hasn't been completed yet.

Yes.

So I think those are the things that might be needed.

Um again, I might try to follow up like again, because I think if Emma you can help out, that'd be really great.

Um it might require us to be like, here's my information, Emma, you put it together, make it look nice, send it to um just like compile it, get it together, yeah.

Yes.

Um similarly and tangenally related um the social media.

Um I know that as of right now to Kara and I have the training to use the social media.

Um because this is not just like a personal account, it is a city account.

There's specific training that you need to go through in terms of like what is allowed, what is not.

Um I say that because I can recognize that like people send me stuff and I lose track of it because I'm trying to manage other things, both with the commission, but also with my personal job, my art career, relationships, house, etc.

You know, the whole gambit.

Um so if anybody would be interested in maybe taking some of that on, please let me know.

I can coordinate with Shaisha to make sure that y'all get the training for um using the social media stuff.

Um and I also don't think it needs to be that complicated, but again, I just know for a fact I get it.

I don't have the purview or I don't have the the bandwidth to physically do that as well.

Um because I do want to acknowledge these artist calls, the artwork that we're that are being produced um with the city, like I want to acknowledge those things.

I wouldn't mind being get trained in that.

Okay, I would not mind because then I can balance both city and school district.

Yes.

All right.

Um last thing that was up for discussion was open meeting law.

Um again, we'll have an executive session for that.

Um, so I will close out the meeting for us to have that meeting.

Um, but uh technically you have to adjourn and then come back.

Oh, okay.

That's a motion to go into executive session.

Yes.

Then come back.

Okay, yes.

Thank you for the clarification.

Yes, but yes, we will essentially adjourn the meeting, go to that, come back, close it out, kind of thing.

Um, but yes, I did want to open up discussion.

Do we have you're all good?

Um okay, and then um just some kind of other things that I want us to also think about before we head into this.

Um commissioner positions that are available.

Um, there are multiple.

Um, I know for a fact we still have at least one.

Um I know that we have one potential interested person, uh, Rebecca.

Um again, we can't officially motion on that, but I do think that she would be a great fit.

We need to start getting bodies.

Um, I also do remember and I believe that um Elias and Devana's terms may be up.

Um, I do not know if they have officially reached out to say they would like to continue, or if they have officially said that they are not interested in continuing on the commission.

Um, so those are some things that we just have to be mindful of is that we want to start filling those positions.

Um at least also to like have oh, also I do know for a fact that uh Blondine has sent in a notice to the city to say she is not interested.

So there is at least one other position that is fully open, two that may have potential openings, just because I know that their terms are up and I'm not sure if they're continuing.

I think it's maggie.

So that's one, two, three, four, five, six, seven.

So there's actually seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven.

There's actually four positions available.

That makes sense.

Yes.

And that's including Blondine's position.

So we actually have yeah, four spots.

Yeah, that could be filled.

So with that being said, um, look out for people.

Um, people in arts and non-arts positions art adjacent.

Um again, I think it goes without saying that many of us both live in the artist and non-artist role in some ways.

Um, so there is no caveat onto like what that looks like.

Um, I know that there was some discussion about the artist's non-arlance balance in that, and I think we can play around with that.

That's something I do want to discuss as well.

Um, in terms of legal, like what does that look like?

What does that mean?

Um because too, as uh I think it's actually is in the meetings, like there are some individuals who start off as one thing and then during their tenure on the commission are not in that position anymore, are kind of in a floppy thing, and so and also some switched up.

I was not put on as TNT, but I am TNT.

You're yes, and so we already had a TNT member.

Right, and I am vice president of TNT.

So and so that's the thing is clarifying on some of those things.

Um, some things to keep in mind though, in terms of anybody who you want to nominate or kind of just pique their interest, they have to live in the city limits.

Um, so no Liverpool, Jamesville Manlius do it.

Like, I know there's actually a few people I'm just like, you would be great on this commission.

I know you live in Manleus or Doitt or Camillus.

Um they have to be within the city limits.

So encourage your friends also to move back to Syracuse.

Yes, that's the case.

So specifically for the public art, just for the topic.

It's okay.

My students are planning a campaign this year.

Oh, they do a campaign every year, but the campaign this year is changing the narrative of Syracuse.

Oh, so finding people to love Syracuse and understand Syracuse.

So we're working on that.

There we go.

Um additionally on that too.

Sorry, that just kind of reminded me.

Um again, I do want to also think about a vice chair.

Um, we can officially vote on one today.

Um, however, um, I will be will think about who you would might want to nominate um in our next session when we have quorum, we'll officially do it.

Uh but think about potentially nominations, and again, for vice chair, it has to be someone on the commission already.

Um with that, the kind of duties of the vice chair are essentially to step in when the chair is not available.

So if I am not able to attend a meeting, the vice chair will run the meeting.

Um, and then additionally helping out with some other kind of administration notes, things.

Um, if I can't meet with Chaisha, for example, or someone uh in the city on behalf of the commission, that person would do that.

Um additionally to I know that there was some confusion about the secretary position on Takara.

Um, I do want to get to the bottom of that.

Um, but also I will say uh I might have a conversation like because I know she was a bit confused, like if it's official, if it's not, um, see if she's still interested, but that's also a position that may be coming up.

Uh yeah, because if she doesn't want to be secretary anymore, she can't obligate to that.

I might see if somebody else wants to do it.

Um other discussion points that anybody wants to bring up before yes.

So something we talked about last time was potentially starting to go over our ordinance and update it.

Um I said, oh, maybe I should type it into a document that is editable because we only have a PDF version right now.

Um so I can start working on that.

Uh would Google Doc, Word doc, InDesign, is there a format that is preferred?

Um for me personally, does it work?

Well, I think that might be a discussion for open meeting law because I know that that was something that kind of came up as a potential like red flag.

Um I think we can discuss that more.

Um but actually too, I think even just having even if we're not working on it all together, having a document that like I think actually on that maybe a PDF will be better because or even just a word doc because I can work in a word doc locally instead of a online thing.

And then we've come together, bring the notes that we have and look at it in a session in open meeting law where it's not just like you know, I because I think we can have it individually and take our notes and then bring it together and so that's good to know.

Yeah, and I think I mean today we definitely for the executive session wanted to focus on open meeting law.

We can probably talk about like the ordinance and adjustments to that in a different juncture.

Um just because I wanted to make sure that we are able to do that because I'm looking forward to this one.

Oh, yes.

But also, thank you for typing that up.

Because I can imagine that is but you already did it.

No, no, I started it and then uh so I was starting it in InDesign, and my partner was like, Well, do you want this to be like a shareable document?

And I was like, Oh, that's a good point, because if we do, then this is not a good way to do it.

But if we want to keep really nice formatting, InDesign's great.

That's fair.

So uh maybe I'll just type it up in Word doc since that's something that's easily you can do some good formatting um and saved locally.

Does require I think office subscription.

Yes, okay.

So okay.

But no, but thank you for at least starting that because I do understand that it's a big undertaking.

Yeah, it's only eight pages.

Type fast.

I'll be good.

That's all I had.

Awesome.

Um manual, anything you would like to bring up in discussion?

Um, anything you're working on?

Um, no, not specifically.

Um there've been some talk earlier um back in the fall about finding ways to reach out to uh you know to get sculpture in our parts and that sort of stuff, but I think all that's on goals until we get somebody at parks who can really be the backbone of that effort and so I'll just hold off on things that I've been thinking about today.

Okay, and then Maggie, anything else?

Uh I know you're kind of itching for the open meeting law stuff.

No, no, no, I just um I think yeah, just uh try and find some more commissioners.

Um we need people for sure.

Um because as it stands, if Elias and Devana drop out, we most likely will not be able to have quorum for any meeting.

Yeah.

Um so it is important that we try and find people as quickly as possible.

Um also I wanted to touch on we have had an application um versus someone who was interested, and um Rebecca and then how do we proceed with that?

How do we get her in?

Um I think it's just officially accepting that and then doing a formal invitation.

Because I didn't, I don't I can I don't remember.

Did you guys vote?

Did we vote on the members?

So what then wouldn't it's just like moving forward with that getting that person in.

So I think we have I think part of the confusion is partially to do with the artist non-artist role, and also the like I think part of that is what has been delaying it because I do know for a fact though that the person who appoints is different.

Right.

So yeah, and I've got that breakdown of like who does what.

So can we just like it?

Is this something we can just like pick and say, you know, how the council can put back up because we're choosing to fulfill this role that's vacant.

Yeah, okay.

I think we can do that.

I can do that.

Um, yes, but yes.

Um I think we can I can talk to Shaisha about making sure that that is formally done in the way that needs to be done.

The All City Arts show is at Dr.

King's elementary school on May 2nd from 10 o'clock in the morning till 12.

Any of the discussions before we adjourn for executive session.

No.

All right, so we will adjust for ask for a motion.

As I say, uh go into executive.

I was like a legal advice.

Manual seconds.

Uh all in favor.

All right.

All right, so we oh you'll be true.

Yes.

Okay, so I know we need to go to the ILAB, or can we do that in here?

Oh, perfect.

So yeah, so we will return to close the meeting.

No, I know.

I I mean if I I was just opening the speaker to you after the yes, I would say if you want to give me like half an hour, unfortunately.

Sorry.

I don't know if you know them, but my fiance is Noah Garcia.

Um if you want actually let me give you my if you can't out.

Yeah, feel free.

I know Rita, so like you can contact me.

I know.

That's what I had a feeling because I saw that perfect up and so.

No, I I I figured you for government and I chose it over theater as my only two options between, but well, can we do something better?

We might be adding some theater stuff.

Awesome.

But yes, I do all that in computer.

Oh, awesome.

And Noah?

Oh Jordan, thank you.

Benny.

Nice to meet you, and yeah, look forward to while we're kept using it.

Yes.

Emma Lisa, cool.

And then vote to close.

All in favor.

We're done.

Thank you all.

Thank you.

So if any of you, cabin fever party in the valley.

On the 11th.

Cabin fever, the uh American Legion.

Like uh raffles, food, drinks, basically a big party.

But why cabin fever?

Because it's breaking up for the winter, coming out of our caves, the houses.

Oh yeah.

And celebrating.

C A.

C A.

Does that make sense?

Cabin fever is in the middle of the winter is when you experience it, though.

They switched it because of the weather.

Okay.

No, you're gonna get it.

Some of the people couldn't hear those.