HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/19/2004, C9 - ALLOCATION OF ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE RAILROAD MUSEUM PUBLIC ART PROJECT council '�°� Pq
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CITY O F SAN LUIS OBISPO
FROM: Wendy George, ACAO Oil
Prepared By: Betsy Kiser, Principal Administrative Analyst
SUBJECT: ALLOCATION OF ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE RAILROAD
MUSEUM PUBLIC ART PROJECT
CAO RECOMMENDATION
Allocate'an additional $6,000 from the Public Art In-lieu Fund to increase the budget for the
Railroad Museum Public Art project to$25,000.
DISCUSSION
As part of the 2001-03 Capital Improvement Plan, the City Council approved $19,000 in public
art funding for artwork in the round-about located in front of the Southern Pacific Freight
Warehouse (future home of the Railroad Museum). A Request for Proposals (RFP) for $18,000
was issued on August 4, 2004, with the proposal due-date set for September 22, 2004. (As
customary with all public art projects, $1,000 was held in reserve for artist stipends, a plaque and
a dedication ceremony.)The City received one response.
Although a single proposal might be acceptable when seeking consultants or construction firms
for some capital improvement projects, a successful and quality Art in Public Places program is
based upon diversity, choice and a competitive selection process. Staff contacted the art
community for input as to why the response was so poor and determined that it was based
primarily on the opinion that $18,000 was insufficient to cover costs associated with the design,
fabrication and, in particular, installation of a public art piece. City requirements necessitate the
use of contractors for electrical and concrete work, which substantially increase the cost of
installation, thus making it an unprofitable venture for the artist.
In light of this input, staff is returning to Council with a request to increase the amount allocated
to the project by $6,000, bringing the total to $25,000. Staff, in concert with the SLO County
Arts Council's Art in Public Places Committee, believe the additional funding will sufficiently
accommodate the costs associated with installation and encourage a better response from the art
community.
If approved, staff will reissue the RFP and begin the selection process anew.
CONCURRENCES
The SLO County Arts Council's Art in Public Places Committee concur with 1) the request for
an additional $6,000 and 2) reissuing the RFP.
Allocation of Additional funds for the Railroad Museum Public Art Page 2
FISCAL UAPACT
Sufficient funding exists in the Public Art In-Lieu Fund to cover the additional $6,000 request.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Do not approve the allocation of additional funds for the project and reissue the RFP for the
same amount. This is not recommended in light of the poor response to the initial RFP.
Based on input from the art community, there is no reason to believe the response would
differ.
2. Accept the sole proposal and process it through the public art process. This is not
recommended based on the rationale that a successful and quality Art in Public Places
program is based upon diversity, choice and a competitive selection process.
GAProjects&Programs\Public Art\Current Projects\Railroad Museum\CAR-Request for additional funding 101904.DOC
C9-a
council D� 10-19-04
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C I TY O F SAN LU I S OBISPO
FROM: John Mandeville, Director of Community Developmen
Prepared By: Michael Draze, Deputy Director, Long-Range Planning
SUBJECT: FINAL ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE TO IMPLEMENT THE MARGARITA
AREA SPECIFIC PLAN AND RELATED ZONING CHANGES
DISCUSSION
On October 12, 2004, the Council will be reviewing the Margarita Area Specific Plan and
amendments to the City Zoning Map and Regulations. Provided the City Council takes action to
approve the Specific Plan on the 12th, a report and final ordinance will be prepared for
distribution as a separate item and circulated to the Council and public on October 13th. That
report and ordinance will appear as a consent item on the October 19 Council agenda.
L:\Specific PlansWASMAR 10-19-04 placehold.doc