In January, the City Council appointed a 5-member ad hoc committee to review donation of a painting to the City by Billings artist Mike McFadden by approving Resolution No. 11-19016.  The committee was created using a Public Art Policy adopted by Resolution 04-18101.  That policy was developed by the Parks, Recreation and Public Lands Department and approved by the Council in March 2004 in response to offers of artwork that year for the former Cobb Field, the Downtown Skatepark and other City parks.  Prior to that time, artwork had been displayed at Rose and Veterans parks with the approval of the Parks, Recreation and Cemetery Board, but not with the knowledge of the City Council.  The adopted policy was intended to give the Council the final decision on the acceptance of any artwork.

The ad hoc committee reviewed the policy at its first meeting and recommended that it be updated to reflect more recent public acquisition practices before Mr. McFadden's painting was considered.  Mr. McFadden, who had witnessed a Council work session discussion along similar lines, graciously agreed to wait to make his gift.

The current Public Art Policy calls only for a member of the Parks, Recreation and Cemetery Board to be on the ad hoc approval committee, not taking into account that a department other than Parks, Recreation and Public Lands might be the recipient of the donation.  Two other City departments, the Airport and the Library, have received or may acquire artwork in the future, and their boards would like to have members be part of the committee discussing the policy.  

Finally, members of the committee have suggested that a representative from both the Western Heritage Center and the Yellowstone Art Museum be added to its membership to assist in the revised task of updating the policy.  The four proposed additions would bring the committee membership to nine, with the other members being the ad-hoc group that was first appointed.  The ad-hoc committee consisted of two local artists, an art teacher,  a retired Yellowstone County Museum Executive Director and a member of the Parks, Recreation and Cemetery committee.

The attached resolution amends Resolution No. 11-0916 to expand the committee membership and to authorize it to make recommendations to the Council on amending the City Public Art Policy before accepting Mr. McFadden's painting.

This item requires approval of a simple majority of the Council members present.

The Council may:
 

• Adopt a resolution to revise the membership and the mission of the ad hoc art committee, leading to an update of the Public Art Policy before considering Mr. McFadden's donation;
• Do nothing and have the ad hoc committee as originally appointed consider Mr. McFadden's donation under the current policy; or
• Adopt some other policy or committee on this issue.

There is no immediate financial impact for revising the policy, as all the participants are volunteers. 

It is recommended that the Council adopt a resolution revising the ad-hoc committee membership and directing it to update the City's art donation policy before it considers the proposed donation.