HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-10-16 Wk Session MINUTES
OF THE WORK SESSION OF THE
EDINA CITY COUNCIL AND ART CENTER BOARD MEMBERS
HELD AT CITY HALL
OCTOBER 16, 2012
5:04 P.M.
CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL
Mayor Hovland called the meeting to order at 5:04 p.m. in the Council Chambers of City Hall. Answering
rollcall were Members Bennett, Brindle, Sprague and Mayor Hovland. Member Swenson was absent.
Art Center Board Members in attendance included: Hafed Bouassida, Barbara La Valleur, Dana Lappin, Ray
Meifert, Colin Nelson, Kitty O'Dea, Thomas Raeuchle, and John Swon. Anna Ellingboe and Melissa Stefanik,
Art Center Board Student Members, were in attendance for a portion of the meeting.
Edina City Staff attending the meeting: Jennifer Bennerotte, Communications and Technology Services
Director; Michael Frey, Interim Art Center Director; Ann Kattreh, Assistant Park & Recreation Director; Ari
Klugman, City Manager Intern; Karen Kurt, Assistant City Manager; Debra Mangen, City Clerk; and Scott
Neal, City Manager. City Consultants George Sutton, Sutton & Associates, and Eric Galatz of Leonard, Street
and Deinard were also present.
Manager Neal briefly introduced the subject of the Edina Art Center (EAC) Study and turned to the
consultants who made a presentation of their analysis of the Edina Art Center. Working together, Mr.
Sutton and Mr. Galatz presented their review of the Art Center in the following areas: organization
structure, programs and services, mission, operations and offered a comparative analysis with other art
centers in the region. They outlined the possible alternative structure such as a 501(c) (3)-non-profit
organization or "Friends of 501(c) (3) model and noted the challenges with such a model. Finally, they
made their recommendations which included: 1)take no action to alter current structure of EAC at present,
2) appoint EAC Director, 3) encourage director to reshape staff to more professionally address operational
tasks, 4) encourage Director to broaden entrepreneurial initiatives and raise awareness of EAC in the
community, 5) allow EAC to "gel" under new leadership and establish a "Friends of the EAC Fund" at the
Edina Community Foundation, 6) explore with potential funders what it would take to secure their support;
and 7) revisit level of interest by EAC Board to assume fundraising focus.
Following the presentation, the City Council and Art Center Board discussed various aspects of the EAC
Study analysis and recommendations. It was noted the current EAC was constrained by the size, location
and condition of its buildings. Opportunities may exist elsewhere in the community that will also be
explored. The Council requested that the Art Center Board members solicit feedback from the community
on the facility's mission; draft recommendations based on the study and present their recommendations to
the Council before the end of 2012.
Mayor Hovland declared the meeting adjourned at 6:40 p.m.
Respectfully submitted, C�
D br Mangen, City rk
Minutes approved by Edina City Council, November 5, 2012. A.
James B. Hovland, Mayor