TREMONTON CITY CORPORATION
ARTS COUNCIL
FEBRUARY 20, 2018

Members Present:
Dave Lasley, Chairman—excused
Tamera Zollinger, Co-Chairman
Leisl Sorensen, Arts Councilmember
Jason Nessen, Arts Councilmember—excused
Zach LeFevre, Parks and Recreation Coordinator
Lyle Holmgren, City Councilmember
Bret Rohde, City Councilmember
Cynthia Nelson, Deputy Recorder

Acting Chairman LeFevre called the Arts Council Meeting to order at 12:00 p.m. The meeting was held February 20, 2018 in the City Council Meeting Room at 102 South Tremont Street, Tremonton, Utah. Those in attendance were Coordinator Zach LeFevre, Arts Councilmembers Tamara Zollinger and Leisl Sorensen, City Councilmembers Lyle Holmgren and Bret Rohde, and Deputy Recorder Cynthia Nelson. Chairman Dave Lasley and Arts Councilmember Jason Nessen were excused.

1. Approval of agenda:

Motion by Councilmember Holmgren to approve the February 20, 2018 agenda. Motion seconded by Councilmember Rohde.

2. Approval of minutes: No minutes to approve, this was the first meeting.

3. New Business:

 

a. Discussion and consideration of Co-Chairperson Appointment

Coordinator LeFevre said Councilmember Zollinger had been nominated to be Co-Chairman of the Arts Council. They could make other nominations at this time if they wanted, but the Council decided to assign Councilmember Zollinger to the position with a four-year term.

Motion by City Councilmember Rohde to assign Councilmember Zollinger as Co-Chair of the Arts Council. Motion seconded by City Councilmember Holmgren. Vote: Coordinator LeFevre – aye Councilmember Zollinger – aye, Arts Councilmember Sorensen – aye, Councilmember Holmgren – aye, Councilmember Rohde – aye. Motion approved.

b. Discussion and consideration of Artist Meet and Greet event.

Coordinator LeFevre said we plan to have a get-together and invite artists in the area. We would like to hold it at the fairgrounds and need to set a date, time and figure out what we want to do at this meet and greet. We could have tables set up and let the artists write their ideas down for what they would like to see happen. We will put out advertisements that will invite anyone who considers themselves an artist from the Bear River Valley. Councilmember Holmgren said how we will get the word out. Coordinator LeFevre said Facebook is a big one, we have signs to put on the street, through the Leader and we have some email lists that we can send out. Co-Chairman Zollinger asked if this could go in the billing. Coordinator LeFevre said we can in Tremonton and we could reach out to other places, but I am not sure how it will be received. The sooner we can get this information out the better, but it will take some time.

Councilmember Holmgren said my experience with evening get-togethers is that people are busy on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, but Thursdays are usually good. We could look at March 22 or 29. The Council agreed they wanted a little more time to get information out and would shoot for March 29. Co-Chairman Zollinger suggested phoning a few artists and having them reach their contacts. Coordinator LeFevre said this would help them get those resources and create contact lists. He also suggested they work with high school teachers. This is not just fine arts, but theater and music as well. All artists should come to this event and feel welcome.

Co-Chairman Zollinger said what would we do when everyone gets there? Coordinator LeFevre said this is what we need to discuss. A few years ago we had the SDAT help us put on a hot dog barbecue. They went around to each table and talked to people to see what they like about the community and its design. We could do something similar. Councilmember Holmgren said they had a questionnaire and people wrote down their ideas. Councilmember Rohde said one fun thing they did was to display a few ideas and everyone stuck tags on the things they liked the most. I like that concept. Maybe we come up with things we want to promote that have to do with murals, music and fine arts. Coordinator LeFevre said we could have some tables with food. People could move around and discuss to get ideas and display different art on the walls, along with tables for them to promote themselves and show their artwork. Co-Chairman Zollinger said would we involve other people outside of the committee to be a part of preparing this. Do we have them come to a meeting before we put things together so they are aware of what we want to do? Coordinator LeFevre said we do not have a sub-committee set up yet. Councilmember Holmgren suggested contacting artists who are over the art displays at the Box Elder County Fair. They would have a ton of contacts. Councilmember Sorensen’s husband is the drama teacher at the high school so she will contact the school. Councilmember Rohde said he would talk to Doug and Diana Adams, who will help them contact more local artists. He also suggested finding artists who are digital cartoonist. He said Sam Henry draws cartoons professionally for Pixar and it would be fun to have someone doing their art on the computer while people walk around the event.

Councilmember Holmgren said Arnold Eberhard approached him about being on the Arts Council. Co-Chairman Zollinger said do we have room for anymore committee members or is it set? Coordinator LeFevre said I am an ex-officio member so we would have six and I think we could do that. Councilmember Rohde said it would be nice to have an odd number in this Council.

Coordinator LeFevre said he would talk to Jan Rhodes at the fairgrounds to see if March 29 is available. They will also create some type of flyer. Co-Chairman Zollinger said what are we calling it? Coordinator LeFevre said other places have called it an Artist Soiree. Co-Chairman Zollinger said the trouble with using that is that people will not know what it is. Councilmember Rohde said on the other side of that, maybe it is time to educate and take people to the next level. Councilmember Holmgren said a soiree is an evening party or gathering, typically in a private house for conversation music or art. That sounds like it is right down our alley. They agreed to call it an Artist Soiree and hold it on March 29, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the fairgrounds.

c. Discussion and consideration of helping with “Field of Remembrance”

Coordinator LeFevre said every year the City does the Memorial Day Program at the cemetery and everyone who has served and passed away has a cross at the gravesite. For the past few years I have had the idea of doing a Field of Remembrance at Midland Square along with our memorial. We could put crosses in rows with QR codes so people can pull up information on those in the valley, who have passed away during wartime, on their phones. Councilmember Rohde said that seems more like an activity committee thing rather than an arts thing. It does not feel like it fits under our umbrella. I support it I just do not know if it is something this committee needs to address. Coordinator LeFevre said in the Ordinance it talks about helping create a dynamic downtown and this would bring people downtown as part of that and that is why I thought it would work under this committee. Councilmember Rohde said if it highlighted local art or had it available then yes I agree. Councilmember Holmgren said maybe there is something we can do in conjunction with it or have an event around May 28. Councilmember Rohde suggested bringing in a band, having a concert or an art display. Coordinator LeFevre said do you remember the flags they did in South Jordan? Artists gave people a color scheme and then allowed them to draw whatever they wanted with that color. Each square was then put together and made into a flag. We could do something like that with the schools. Co-Chairman Zollinger said Bear River High School art teacher Matt Hyde would be a good resource. Councilmember Rohde said in conjunction with Vicky Rhodes, who does art classes with younger kids. Coordinator LeFevre said they could do something like this and display it at Midland Square for the month of May. Councilmember Rohde suggested using the red Bowcutt’s building across the street. Although there are a lot of windows there would be a big 12 x 12 space. Co-Chairman Zollinger said she thought Vicky Rhodes would be interested and she would talk to her about it. Councilmember Sorensen will talk to Matt Hyde.

d. Calendaring and program brainstorming

Coordinator LeFevre said these are things we want to do and we need to decide when we want to do them. Some of their ideas included chalk art, concerts, a community theater and more movies in park. Councilmember Holmgren suggested virtual art galleries that would include people who are from this valley, but have moved away. They could display their work with a write up about them. Councilmember Rohde suggested food and said we have a lot of good chefs and could do some culinary arts. Councilmember Sorensen said she could teach cake-decorating classes. Coordinator LeFevre said what about a display like they do at Peach Days using peaches to make a design. Councilmember Rohde said we should let this committee take over the city fair booth display and promote this. That would be fun to bring in what local artists have done. Councilmember Sorensen said in my hometown they do two-weeks of art classes for kids 18 and under. Everyday for an hour they have a class they go to for two weeks. Councilmember Holmgren said they could also do something like a super Saturday at the fairgrounds or park and have a bunch of events going on. Councilmember Rohde suggested photo contests.

Coordinator LeFevre asked if they had heard of Plein Air, which is something City Manager Shawn Warnke would like to see. He said Brigham City does one in the fall and Tremonton should take the other season (spring). Co-Chairman Zollinger said an artist paints outside and then they display their work. Moab does this and then they sell them. They get a good response. Councilmember Rohde said I really like how Ogden and Logan have the horses and steers out at certain times. It would be fun to have something that represents Tremonton. He would also like to promote their mural path, or at least the closer ones, with an art walk that could include sculptures along the way and even businesses by allowing local artists to showcase their work in their windows. Councilmember Sorensen said we could do the art walk on certain days and have someone at each point to give an overview. Councilmember Rohde said people need places to take pictures with families. It would be neat to get a wall where you could put a bunch of backgrounds for people to stand by and have their pictures taken, some kind of mural design.

Co-Chairman Zollinger said when you have the movie in park, is there anything else on that day. Coordinator LeFevre said yes it is our City Days, there is a lot going on. Councilmember Rohde said I think we ought to do several movies is the park during the year. Co-Chairman Zollinger said could we coordinate a cook off or something that would bring people in. Coordinator LeFevre said we do two movies, we used to do a few more, but the others did not last. We do one in June when school gets out and another one on City Days, which is July 20, this year. Co-Chairman Zollinger said what if we do the chalk art with a movie in the park. Coordinator LeFevre said the first one we do is in conjunction with the summer reading kick off party with the library and they have a lot of activities like that. The other one is with City Days and we have a community dinner. We could do more, but the trend for that is going down. Brigham City used to do a movie every two weeks and they are cutting way back, the attendance has not been there. He asked who went to the first community dinner. Councilmember Holmgren said he was and thought the Hula Dance is something they should do every year. Coordinator LeFevre said now we do the movie in the park, but that first year everyone wanted to get on stage to dance and sing. So we could do a talent show or a variety show.

Councilmember Rohde said we ought to look at purchasing our own sound equipment and projector. Do we rent all that? Coordinator LeFevre said for the movie in the park we do rent from a guy who sets it all up. We do not have the manpower to set up, take down and run it, but we could purchase it. The Chamber has good sound equipment and they let us borrow it when we need it, but the guy we rent from brings his 30 to 50 foot screen that is inflatable, they do not have anything like that. We do have access to the stage and tons of things with our different partnerships, but the screen would be the thing we do not have.

Councilmember Holmgren said these are all great ideas, but we need to find two or three ideas that we feel we can do. Co-Chairman Zollinger said could we have one a month starting in May for about five months. We could see how it goes. Coordinator LeFevre said there are some things like the sculpture exhibition and art walk that could be multiple times throughout the year and ongoing. Councilmember Holmgren said I think the chalk art is something we need to focus on for one month. Co-Chairman Zollinger said would you combine that with something else. Coordinator LeFevre suggested the concert with music and food trucks. We want to make this a major event. Councilmember Rohde said they need to get ideas from the local artists too. Councilmember Holmgren suggested starting these activates when kids get out of school for the summer and have something each month. Coordinator LeFevre said it is going to take some time to plan and work on these things. Plein Air we could do in the spring for April or May and chalk art in June. Councilmember Rohde also suggested karaoke with the talent show, which would be in July. Coordinator LeFevre said our March event will be the Art Soiree with the artists and then we will go from there. Right now lets focus on the chalk art and Plein Air. Councilmember Holmgren said he likes the idea of having the fair display be taken care of by this group. Councilmember Sorensen said they could do a community theater in conjunction with it and have performances the week before or during the fair. They could use the stage at the fairgrounds or would have access to the high school theater too. Councilmember Holmgren said the fair brings in about 80,000 people to Tremonton and the City needs to take advantage of all those people with something else going on downtown.

4. Business

 

a. Update on Mural Progress at 163 West Main Street

Coordinator LeFevre said we have stopped putting in for grants for the murals until the one that has been started has been completed. It ran into some issues before winter hit with lead paint chipping and different things. By the end of March we plan to get that started again. Artist Jason Nessen will continue that at the end of March and should have quite a bit going on within April.

b. RFP for new murals and public art

We also have an RFP (Request for Proposal) out for new murals and public art. We have $11,000 that we have put in for with grants plus City funds. We do not know yet on the grants if we will get that much, but that is what we have put in for. Either way, we want proposals from artists and that is something we can take to the Art Soiree. We can ask their ideas and tell them to find a wall that would be good. We have also been asked to be in charge of the mural collection, which includes finding walls. A few have been earmarked for certain murals in the future, but if we see one lets get it marked as a wall of interest. This is the grant proposal and it has a few murals that have been earmarked. They include the world’s fastest amputee. We want to include the whole area so we have the Candy Bomber, who is from Garland, and we want to honor him as well. For the Bear River Bird Refuge there is a wall behind the Bowcutt’s red building. Councilmember Holmgren said Co-Chairman Zollinger had mentioned a Shoshone mural to honor and recognize Native Americans. Coordinator LeFevre said there are a few walls I have seen that might work for that. There is the champagne photo of the railroad next to the rocket photo—there is another apartment building on that same side just set back off the street. Also Key Bank by the museum has a dividing wall that is a good size. If you see walls like that, we need to make an inventory. Co-Chairman Zollinger said the Shoshone mural should be in a more prominent area.

c. 2018 Best of State – Public Art application

Coordinator LeFevre said Tremonton City has won the Best of State for 2016 and 2017 for public art. We are putting in for that again. We have not had any new murals because of the issues we have had with the current one, but we want to put up for that. In our application we put in for that nomination we include stories by the Leader, the Ogden Examiner and the Wasatch View magazine with Tim Gurrister, who has been one of the biggest prominent for us. We included the statues we have around town as well. We can put in for national and state grants—there are several different funding options.

d. Tim Gurrister the View magazine interview

Coordinator LeFevre said Gurrister wants to do another interview. We have had some time off from the murals because of the issues, but we have ideas going forward. We have the one mural going up right now, but we need to come up with another one. These suggested murals have been earmarked, but they are not put in place yet. That falls under us to put something in place. Co-Chairman Zollinger said my desire is to have the Shoshone one next. We could also see if we could get Crystal Springs in there because that is where they went in the wintertime. Coordinator LeFevre said we would say this is what we want and where we want it then we will take that to the City Council for their approval. If they approve we will go forward with getting easements and hire an artist. Councilmember Rohde said the Bowcutt’s building has windows, but they do not have to be a detriment. They could add printed stuff on the windows to go along with the art so people can still see out. Co-Chairman Zollinger said the building with Torey’s Trends is also a good option.

e. Next Arts Council meeting March 6

The Council agreed to have their meeting in two weeks on Tuesday, March 6, at noon. They will work on getting binders with the ordinance and work toward bylaws.

5. Adjournment

Motion by Councilmember Rohde to adjourn the meeting. Motion seconded by consensus of the Board. The meeting adjourned at 1:17 p.m.

The undersigned duly acting and appointed Recorder for Tremonton City Corporation hereby certifies that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of the minutes of the Planning Commission held on the above referenced date. Minutes were prepared by Jessica Tanner.

Dated this 6th day of March, 2018.

______________________________
Linsey Nessen, CITY RECORDER

*Utah Code 52-4-202, (6) allows for a topic to be raised by the public and discussed by the public body even though it was not included in the agenda or advance public notice given; however, no final action will be taken.