HomeMy WebLinkAbout1/21/2020 Item 15, Gomez
Purrington, Teresa
From:Patricia Gomez <pgomezesq@gmail.com>
Sent:Sunday, January 19, 2020 8:01 PM
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:January 21, Agenda Item 15, Amendment to the Public Art and Procedures Manual
Honorable Mayor and Council Members,
I am writing to express my opposition to your proposal to amend the Public Art policy to exclude art depicting
individuals and actual persons. I believe this is an overreaction to controversy regarding the relative merit of a single
project. It is apparent with this language you are seeking to ban for future councils the ability to have memorials or
monuments to people who that council or community believe are worthy of recognition. This acts as a prior restraint not
only on council or your advisory bodies but also stifles the free expression of our community's artists.
Monuments serve as a way to memorialize, celebrate and honor forebears whose shoulders we stand on. They help
record for our children our history, our achievements and successes. Indeed allowing monuments does run the risk of
a dispute regarding the merits of a particular proposed memorial. This though is not a reason to ban all memorials but
rather should be seen as an opportunity to foster a community discussion. Council and/or your advisory bodies can
decide on a case by case basis after community input whether the proposed art is deserving of a public space. That is the
role of public officials; that is governing. An outright ban hints of trying to avoid difficult decisions of which I am
confident this council and future councils are quite capable of making.
The proposed amendments to the policy expressing the city's commitment to diversity and inclusivity is commendable
and should be adopted. It is noteworthy, though, that banning memorials and monuments that depict individuals does
nothing to advance this value.
Unfortunately I cannot be at your council meeting on January 21st to express my strong opposition to the proposed
change to the Public Art and Procedures Manual personally. Please consider my comments in your deliberations. I urge
you not to enact the proposed amendments to the Public Art and Procedures Manual regarding monuments and
mem1711orials.
___________________________
Patricia Gomez, Attorney
San Luis Obispo, CA
pgomezesq@gmail.com
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