ROSWELL NEW MEXICO
COMMITTEE AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
COMMITTEE AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Item No. 4.
Regular City Council Meeting
- Meeting Date:
- 10/09/2025
COMMITTEE:
Finance
CONTACT:
Tammi Smith
CHAIR:
Robert B. Corn
ACTION REQUESTED:
Approve a budget adjustment and purchase order increase in the amount of $20,970 for conservation of stone and metal collection items by The Conservation Center. (Corn/Brooks)
BACKGROUND:
Initiated by: Caroline Brooks
The Conservation Center (TCC) is specialized in large-scale disaster recovery for collections. TCC aided the museum with the evacuation of the collection following the flood, and approximately 5,300 items were transported to their facility in Chicago for potential conservation treatment. The multi-phase conservation process will take approximately 3 to 4 years to complete. Over the coming months, TCC will provide treatment proposals and costs for review by museum staff. The grouping in this proposal is for recently appraised metal and stone items for which there is a gap between value and treatment cost, and that staff are recommending TCC move forward based on the value of the objects to the collection and the ability to cover the gap utilizing fine art insurance claim funding.
Items not included in this proposal are recently appraised stone and metal items that a) have values above the treatment costs and the insurance is directly paying for the conservation and b) items for which there is a large gap between the conservation fee and value and the items will be tabled until funding is available or conservation will be pursued through alternative means. A payout from the insurance claim will be made for these latter items and will contribute toward the funding of those items selected to move forward.
A sole source for this project is on file with the State of New Mexico in accordance with procurement requirements for use of a sole source vendor. The Conservation Center is the only vendor identified with the capacity to handle the volume of items in need of conservation.
The Conservation Center (TCC) is specialized in large-scale disaster recovery for collections. TCC aided the museum with the evacuation of the collection following the flood, and approximately 5,300 items were transported to their facility in Chicago for potential conservation treatment. The multi-phase conservation process will take approximately 3 to 4 years to complete. Over the coming months, TCC will provide treatment proposals and costs for review by museum staff. The grouping in this proposal is for recently appraised metal and stone items for which there is a gap between value and treatment cost, and that staff are recommending TCC move forward based on the value of the objects to the collection and the ability to cover the gap utilizing fine art insurance claim funding.
Items not included in this proposal are recently appraised stone and metal items that a) have values above the treatment costs and the insurance is directly paying for the conservation and b) items for which there is a large gap between the conservation fee and value and the items will be tabled until funding is available or conservation will be pursued through alternative means. A payout from the insurance claim will be made for these latter items and will contribute toward the funding of those items selected to move forward.
A sole source for this project is on file with the State of New Mexico in accordance with procurement requirements for use of a sole source vendor. The Conservation Center is the only vendor identified with the capacity to handle the volume of items in need of conservation.
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATION:
The Fine Art Insurance claim will pay the City for the value of each item, including tabled items described above ($22,515 is being requested). Funding Source: An increase to revenue line item 2611 489100 in the amount of $22,515 and an increase to expense line 26114221 612500 in the amount of $20,970.
LEGAL REVIEW:
There is no legal review at this time.
BOARD AND COMMITTEE ACTION:
Finance Committee recommended approval 5-0 at their meeting on October 2, 2025.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Proceed as presented.