HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-01-2015 Item 7, PinardCOUNCIL MEETING:_
ITEM NO.:
To:
Subject:
Maier, John Paul
RE: Agenda Item #7 (2 points)
NOV 3 0 2015
From: Peg Pinard [
Sent: Monday, November 30, 2015 11:47 AM
To: Marx, Jan
Cc; Lichtig, Katie
Subject: Agenda Item #7 (2 points)
City Council,
0.1. In the spirit of the city's public engagement policy_, I would like to bring something to the council's attention. The city has had
a long standing policy of encouraging programs for its youth... and art is no exception. In the past, we solicited drawings for the
Marsh St. parking garage from local school children with the theme `transportation'. Those are the medallions that you see
surrounding the building. The program was a source of pride for everyone, and, most especially, the children, their families and
friends.
It also fulfilled the city's primary goal which is to serve the residents who live here. The medallions not only serve as art for tourists to
enjoy but also kept our city's taxpayer monies for the city's residents. We had no shortage of submittals as this became a city -wide
focus and received lots of media attention. This was not only an investment in our children's future but also one of community pride
since people enjoy seeing something anew through the eyes of the child.
If you have ever been to our city's schools' art displays, you will have noticed how incredibly talented our students are!
Please consider revising the program to make it an opportunity for our city's youth. An award of $500 for each art winner (in addition
to covering the needed art supplies) would save taxpayer money and enable the city to do even more creative projects. Most
importantly, the program would be more of a home -grown effort with pride of ownership and participation from our city's youth.
2. I noticed that, in the description of the utility box projects on Tuesday's council agenda (Item #7), the staff report said: "Staff is
recommending a repainting of twenty (20) utility boxes which include 16 first -phase utility boxes and four utility boxes in the second
phase (2012) that have received box modifications as a result of required signal upgrades." Is the box at the corner of Broad and Pismo
one of the four to be redone?
In giving the history of the utility box program, the staff report identified that: "In 2010 the City Council approved funding for the
Utility Box Art pilot project... throughout the downtown area... This pilot project was initiated by the City with the support of the San
Luis Obispo Downtown Association..." It was commendable that the city and the downtown association worked together on the
program, however, that same outreach was never extended to homeowners when the city decided to expand the initial program.
After all the controversy of the city deciding to extend the 'utility box' project into the residential neighborhood (without any input
from the residents most affected) the inclusion of that graphic stands in sharp contrast to the Parks and Rec. Dept.'s web statement
to: "Inspire happiness..." The graphics on that box have not been described as an asset to the nearby residences nor the historic
neighborhood for which that location is the Gateway Entrance. As you may or may not know, in a very short period of time, (with the
graphics installation being another blow) most of the nearby long -time residents moved out; only a couple of us remained.
Sincerely,
Peg Pinard
Former Mayor, City of San Luis Obispo
Former Chairman, San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors
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