HomeMy Public PortalAbout10) 10A Accepting Donations for Library Renovation ProjectAGENDA
ITEM 10.A.
MANAGEME NT SERVICES DEPARTMENT
MEMORANDUM
DATE: September 19 , 201 7
TO: The Honorable City Council
FROM: Bryan Cook, City Manager
By: Greg Murphy, Assistant City Attorney
SUBJECT: ACCEPTING DONATIONS FOR LIBRARY RENOVATION PROJECT
RECOMMENDATION:
The City Council is requested to consider the acceptance of private donations for the
purpose of funding the required public art as part of the ongoing l ibrary renovation
project paid for by the City and the County of Los Angeles. If the City Council decides
to move forward with accepting donations , the Council is requested to direct staff to
establis h a special account within the City's Public Art Fund and to take all additional
actions ne ce ssary to' impleme nt th e Council 's decision .
BACKGROUND:
1. On August 21, 2012 , the City Council adopted Ordinance No . 12-960 establishing an
Art in Public Places Program and a Public Arts Comm ission . Subsequent to the
adoption of the Program and Commission , the City Council has adopted three
additional ordinances to modify the structure of the Program , including the elimination
of a Commission and creation of an advisory committee to oversee the Program. One
aspect of the Program that has never changed is the existence of a Public Art Fund
administered by the City's administrative services director for the purpose of procuring ,
commissioning , installing and maintaining public art in the City.
2 . On May 16 , 2017 , the City entered into an agreement with the Community
Deve lopment Comm ission of the County of Los Angeles for the purpose of
substantially renovating the County library located .in the City's c ivic center.
ANALYSIS:
The library renovation project will include the addition of new square footage to the library
as well as an overhaul of the interior of the existing library. A separate children 's area will
be created as the renovation design process continu e s.
City Council
September 19, 2017
Page 2 of 3
Some libraries, whether in the County system or operated by individual cities, include
within their space public art that serves to denote areas of the library set aside for different
purposes. This is sometimes done when floor-to-ceiling walls are impractical as a means
by which to separate the areas. Other libraries include public art in their courtyards or the
areas immediately adjacent to the libraries as a means by which to create an overall sense
of place.
The budget for the ongoing library renovation project does not include specific set-aside
funds for public art, but County projects do require a portion of the construction cost to pay
for a Public Art component that can be integrated into the project. At this time, it is
anticipated that an amount between $20,000 and $35,000 from the construction costs will
be used for public art. To enhance that art component the City could utilize the existing
Program to collect donations from the public.
The proposed creation of a special account within the City's Public Art Fund and the
collection of donations for a piece of public art to be utilized in the library renovation
project would be an expression of the City's commitment to public art that benefits all
City residents who will use the renovated library. The Public Art component of the
project will be administered and operated through an established County process; the
City would not be directly administering this function but would have the same right to
weigh in on concepts for the art that we have to weigh in on all design elements. If a
piece of public art is able to be procured to aid in setting apart the children's area of the
library, the art would serve both aesthetic and structural purposes in the new library. If
instead public art is to be placed outside the renovated library it would be available to all
persons who enter the library or who are simply in the area of the library. Either way,
creating the special account within the Public Art Fund would allow for individuals and
companies to participate in a meaningful way in the library renovation project.
Because this account will be part of the Public Art Fund and used for public art
purposes, donations may be made by a variety of persons and business interests and
may be sought by City staff, by individual Council Members, by other appointed officials
with an interest in public art, or by community members. All formal City requests for
donations would clearly state that they are being made on behalf of the City and not on
behalf of any individual, and the City Manager would designate a member of the staff to
coordinate outreach. All donations would ultimately be turned over to the County as
part of its process for administering the library renovation project.
Donations would accepted and then recognized through an appreciation program, that
not yet defined, could include plaques, or recognition items within the Library.
CITY STRATEGIC GOALS:
The proposed creation of a special account in the Public Art Fund and acceptance of
donations for public art to be used as part of the library renovation project will promote the
City's Strategic Goal of Good Governance.
City Council
September 19, 2017
Page 3 of 3
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact on the Fiscal Year 2017-18 City Budget from the proposed
creation of a special account in the Public Art Fund or from the use of donations to pay the
cost of public art incorporated into the library renovation project.
ATTACHMENT:
None