Dec 04, 2023 Arts and Culture Nassau

[00:00:02]

GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.

I THINK WE'RE READY TO BEGIN.

[1. CALL TO ORDER]

VERY GOOD, IF WE COULD ALL STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, PLEASE.

GOOD, THANK YOU.

YOU ALL RECEIVED, ARE WE GOING TO DO THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES?

[4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

WE'LL FOLLOW [INAUDIBLE]. OKAY, SO THANK YOU, SCOTT, FOR SENDING OUT THE REGULAR MINUTE MEETINGS FOR NOVEMBER.

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UPDATES, CHANGES? YES I DO ON THE NUMBER NINE.

THE ADJOURNMENT WE HAVE CHAIR WILD.

I'M NOT A CHAIR WE CAN ARRANGE.

NO, I'M JUST A MEMBER.

OKAY, SO IT'S [INAUDIBLE], AND NEITHER IS MISS BAKER-HINTON.

YEAH.

CHAIRS HAVE BEEN REMOVED.

ALL RIGHT. I HAVE ONE THING ON NUMBER EIGHT, SCOTT.

THE REVIEWED OCTOBER'S NUMBERS AND THEY RECEIVED TO DATE 1900.

1900 IS YES TO DATE AS OF OCTOBER.

I JUST DIDN'T WANT IT TO IMPLY THAT OCTOBER'S FINAL COUNT WAS 1900 ON ITEM EIGHT.

SORRY. SO THE TOTAL TO DATE FOR THE WHOLE YEAR AS OF THE END OF OCTOBER IS 1900.

JUST LOOK LIKE WHEN I FIRST READ IT, IT WAS LIKE THE FINAL FOR OCTOBER WAS 1900.

OKAY. I DON'T WANT TO GET YOU TOO EXCITED ABOUT.

THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL. YEAH, IT WOULD BE MOST UNUSUAL.

ALL RIGHT, IS THAT GOOD? ALL RIGHT.

ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING ELSE ON THE MINUTES? YEAH. WE NEED A MOTION TO ACCEPT THEM, AS AMENDED.

I HEAR A MOTION.

MOTION. THANK YOU, FRAN.

SECOND? SECOND. THANK YOU.

ALL IN FAVOR? ANYBODY HAVE ANY OPPOSITION? NO. VERY GOOD.

WE APPROVE THE MINUTES.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

OKAY, AND OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS, WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO HAVE MAURIE DUGGER FROM THE

[Items 5 & 6.1]

SO WE HAVE A FEW WORDS AND A HANDOUT.

OKAY. THANKS. ALL RIGHT.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

AS RICHARD SAID, I'M MAURIE DUGGER WITH THE AMELIA ISLAND CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU.

VERY EXCITED TO TALK TO YOU ALL TODAY ABOUT A PROJECT THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON FOR THE LAST SIX MONTHS, AND NOW WE ARE READY TO SHARE IT.

I'M NOT ASKING FOR ANYTHING TODAY OTHER THAN JUST TO SOCIALIZE IT.

GET YOU ALL AWARE OF IT.

SOME OF YOU ALL HAVE HEARD THIS PRESENTATION IN SOME CAPACITY, BUT JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL HAD GOTTEN A CHANCE TO SEE IT AND ASK THE QUESTIONS, AND THEN I'LL BE COMING BACK TO YOU IN JANUARY FOR FURTHER SUPPORT.

THE AMELIA ISLAND CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU HAS BEEN WORKING FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW TO FIND A WAY TO REALLY AMPLIFY OUR ARTS HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO REALLY CREATE THAT COMMUNITY OF SENSE OF COMMUNITY THAT QUALITY OF PLACE HERE, AND ONE OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE FOUND IS AN ORGANIZATION CALLED THE WALLDOGS.

WALLDOGS ARE I WOULD LIKE FOR THAT TO WORK.

I HOPE YOU GUYS CAN SEE THIS.

THE WALLDOGS ARE FROM THE EARLY 1900S.

THESE WERE THE PAINTERS AND MURALISTS THAT WOULD GO UP ON THE SIDE OF A WALL AND WORK LIKE A DOG TO GET THESE GORGEOUS OLD PIECES OF SIGNS

[00:05:07]

YOU ALL KNOW THAT THERE IS THE COCA COLA SIGN DOWNTOWN, WHICH IS THE PRIME EXAMPLE OF WHAT A WALLDOG WOULD HAVE DONE.

THESE ARTISTS HAVE NOW TAKEN THIS OLD FORM OF ART AND CREATED A WHOLE NEW GENRE OF THIS. SO WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE WALLDOGS PUBLIC ART FOUNDATION, WHICH IS A 501(C)(3) WITH ARTISTS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD TO COME AND WORK WITH OUR COMMUNITY AT AN INVITATION TO JUST FIND A WAY FOR US TO REALLY EMBRACE OUR HISTORY. THESE WALLDOGS HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 31 YEARS, AND SO THEY HAVE WORKED WITH COMMUNITIES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND REALLY GOTTEN A CHANCE TO INVEST NOT ONLY IN THEIR STORY, BUT ALSO IN CREATING THE ART.

WE HAVE COME UP WITH THE TERM OR THE NAME FOR A MURAL FESTIVAL CALLED BICENTENNIAL BRUSHSTROKES.

OBVIOUSLY WE ARE AS A COUNTY, CELEBRATING OUR 200TH AND THEN AS A CITY ALSO CELEBRATING THE 200TH, AND SO WHAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL ARE AWARE OF IS THAT THIS IS A COMMUNITY LED PROJECT.

WE ARE WORKING WITH THE AMELIA ISLAND HISTORY MUSEUM OF HISTORY, OBVIOUSLY THE CITY OF FERNANDINA MAIN STREET, THE FERNANDINA 200.

OBVIOUSLY YOU ALL ARE A KEY COMPONENT OF THIS.

OUR ISLAND ART ASSOCIATION, SOMEONE FROM THE COUNTY AND THEN OF COURSE THE COMMUNITY AS NEEDED.

WHAT WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE IS THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT WHATEVER ART IS PUT ON THE WALL IS CONFIRMED, IT'S APPROVED, IT IS VOTED ON, IT IS EMBRACED BY THE COMMUNITY BEFORE ANYTHING IS EVER VOTED OR PUT ON THE WALLS.

OUR TIMELINE, IF YOU CAN SEE BEHIND ME, THERE'S A LOT THAT HAS TO HAPPEN FOR THIS TO HAPPEN, BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT NOVEMBER 6TH THROUGH THE 10TH OF 2024 SO THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GET THIS IN DURING THE BICENTENNIAL YEAR.

I HAVE BEEN FOR THE LAST SIX MONTHS TALKING TO EVERYBODY AND ANYBODY ABOUT ORDINANCES, THE TOWNS AND GETTING ATTORNEYS APPROVALS AND YOU NAME IT.

SO ALL OF THE DIRTY STUFF HAS GOTTEN DONE.

NOW WE GET TO THE FUN STUFF.

OBVIOUSLY TALKING WITH YOU ALL IN DECEMBER, WE'VE GOT TO TALK WITH THE HTC, THE TOWN COUNCILS OF HILLIARD AND CALLAHAN WORKING WITH THE SPONSORSHIP APPLICATIONS, AND THEN OF COURSE, THE TDC APPROVAL WITHIN THE BOC, BUT THE NEAT PART ABOUT THIS IS WE ARE NOW IN THE PART WHERE WE GET TO TALK ABOUT THE SUBJECT MATTER.

WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO REALLY EMBRACE ALL OF OUR SUBJECTS, ALL OF OUR HISTORY.

SO NOT ONLY JUST THE VICTORIAN ERA, BUT ALSO WHAT CAME BEFORE THAT IF WE ARE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT SHRIMPING, WHAT IS THE WAY IN WHICH WE TALK ABOUT SHRIMPING? THE NEAT THING ABOUT THAT IS WE ARE ABLE TO VOTE ON THE SUBJECTS AS A COMMUNITY.

THEN WE ARE ABLE TO SEND THAT INFORMATION OUT TO THE ARTISTS.

THE ARTISTS WILL THEN CREATE A MURAL USING OUR DOCUMENTS, OUR HISTORICAL PIECES, AND THEN THEY WILL SEND IT BACK TO US FOR VOTING, AND SO THIS IS REALLY A WAY THAT WE KNOW THAT THIS IS DONE PROFESSIONALLY, THAT THESE ARE MURALIST, THAT THIS IS WHAT THEY DO OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN SEE BEHIND ME, THERE IS A WHOLE LOT THAT HAPPENS THERE BETWEEN ANNOUNCING THE PROGRAM, VOTING ON IT, CONFIRMING THE HOUSING, GETTING THE ARTS COMMUNITY INVOLVED.

THERE IS A THERE'S A LONGER LAUNDRY LIST THAN THIS, BUT I ONLY HAD ONE SLIDE, BUT I WANTED TO JUST GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT KIND OF MURALS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT. THIS IS HIGH SPRINGS DOWN IN ALACHUA COUNTY.

THEY JUST HAD THE MURALS.

THE WALLDOGS MEET DOWN THERE IN MARCH, AND THESE ARE FOUR THEY HAD 12, AND THESE ARE REALLY BEAUTIFUL PIECES OF ART, AND UNFORTUNATELY, I DIDN'T HAVE BETTER PHOTOS BECAUSE THESE ARE STUNNING IN PERSON AND IT REALLY TELLS THEIR STORY.

NOT ONLY DO THEY HAVE THE CAVE SPRINGS DOWN THERE, THEIR RAILWAY COMPANY, THE TIMUCUAN INDIANS, AND OBVIOUSLY THE COWBOYS THEY HAD, I COULD HAVE DONE ANOTHER THREE SLIDES ON JUST THEIR PHOTOGRAPHS.

I REALLY WANTED TO SHOW YOU WHAT KEENE, NEW HAMPSHIRE DID.

KEENE IS REALLY THE MOST SIMILAR TO FERNANDINA, AND THEY REALLY SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THEIR HISTORY PRE-REVOLUTIONARY, AND SO THIS ONE IN THE RIGHT HAND CORNER, BARRY FAULKNER WAS ONE OF THE ARTISTS FOR THE VERY FAMOUS

[00:10:08]

HE WAS FROM KEENE, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

JONATHAN DANIELS WAS A CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST AND A TEACHER, AND CATHERINE FISK STARTED A SEMINARY FOR YOUNG LADIES, AND SO THEY ALSO HAD SEVERAL THAT WERE ON THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL PIECES.

I'M GOING TO TRY TO SHOW YOU A QUICK VIDEO OF JUST KIND OF WHAT A FESTIVAL WOULD LOOK LIKE, AND HOPEFULLY THIS WORKS OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. I'M GOING TO KEEP. THAT'S ENOUGH OF THAT, BUT I WANTED TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK THE QUESTIONS.

WORKING WITH THE CITY.

WE HAVE IDENTIFIED SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR BEAUTIFICATION.

MAIN BEACH, EGAN'S CREEK PARK, THE PECK CENTER THAT WOULD BE ON PANELS SINCE THAT IS THE BUILDING ORDINANCE THERE, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY HERE IS THE CITY HALL.

THE FUNDING FOR THIS WILL BE COMING FROM TDT MONEY.

WE HAVE WE ARE WORKING WITH THE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL TO PROVIDE THE FUNDING FOR THIS, THE SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS AND THEN ALSO THE FESTIVAL UNDERWRITING, AND SO WE ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS AND LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR QUESTIONS.

I THINK YOU ALL IN THE PACKET SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED.

DID THEY GET THAT PRIOR TO THIS PIECE? YEAH. OKAY, AND I'LL MAKE SURE KATIE HAS THAT, BUT THERE IS JUST A SMALL BRIEFING ON JUST THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS, AND JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO READ THROUGH THAT BEFORE WE COME BACK FOR A REQUEST.

SO ANY QUESTIONS OR ALL OF THE QUESTIONS.

YEAH. THANKS.

THANKS FOR COMING OUT AND EXPLAINING IT.

I WAS FORTUNATE TO HEAR A LITTLE OF THIS EARLY ON.

THANKS. THANKS TO YOU, BUT SO THE TWO THINGS THAT WE KIND OF THOUGHT THROUGH WAS TIMELINE.

LIKE HOW LONG WILL THE PIECES STAY UP AND THEN THE MAINTENANCE PIECE OF IT HAVE YOU KIND OF WORKED THROUGH? WE HAVE, YES, AND THANK YOU FOR THAT.

SO THE ART OR THE PAINT THAT THESE MURALISTS USE IS ABOUT A TEN YEAR LONG PAINT AND SO WE WILL BE AND WE DIDN'T PUT IT IN THIS PRESENTATION BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T ACTUALLY TALKED TO ANY OTHER BUSINESS OWNERS, BUT WE WILL BE WORKING DIRECTLY WITH THE PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS TO COME UP WITH A BUILDING APPLICATION OR A BUILDING AGREEMENT IN WHICH THEY WILL MAINTAIN THE STRUCTURE.

WE WILL MAINTAIN THE ART, AND SO WE ARE TARGETING A TEN YEAR TIMELINE ON THAT.

SO ANYTHING IF THE ART IS DAMAGED OR FADES DURING THAT TIMELINE, WE WILL OBVIOUSLY TAKE CARE OF OR OF RESTORING THAT TO AS CLOSE TO ITS ORIGINAL, JUST WITH INSIDE THE ART SO WE WON'T BE REPAIRING BRICKS OR ANY OF THAT STUFF, AND THEN OF COURSE WE WILL HAVE A MAINTENANCE FUND TO, TO MANAGE THAT.

GREAT. HAVE YOU MADE YOUR PRESENTATION TO THE CITY COMMISSION? I HAVE NOT.

SO YOU ALL ARE MY FIRST STOP AFTER MULTIPLE MEETINGS.

SO THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT WE HAVE SHARED THIS IN A PUBLIC SETTING.

WE WILL BE MEETING WITH THE HISTORIC DISTRICT COUNCIL AT THE END OF THIS MONTH FOR THEIR APPROVAL MOVING FORWARD, AND THEN WE WILL GO IN FRONT OF THE CITY COMMISSION, HOPEFULLY IN JANUARY.

[INAUDIBLE]. YES. ARE THESE MURALS EXCLUSIVE FOR WALLS OR YOU PUT UP THE SIGNS WITH IT ON OR WHAT'S HAPPENING? BECAUSE I'M THINKING OF EGAN'S CREEK.

I DON'T SEE ANY PLACE FOR IT.

SO THERE'S A BATHROOM AT EGAN'S CREEK THAT I HEARD THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO BEAUTIFY.

[00:15:06]

YES. SO THEY CAN BE ANY SIZE.

THESE WILL BE SEVERAL DIFFERENT SIZES.

YOU KNOW WHAT THE IDEA IS? SOMETHING AT PECK CENTER WOULD BE ON PANELS.

SO WHAT IS THE SIZING THAT NEEDS TO BE SO THAT IT DOESN'T GET LOST ON THE BUILDING.

SO THEY WILL BE PROPORTIONAL TO THE SIZE OF THE BUILDING.

YES, MA'AM. DO THE MURALS HAVE TO BE INSIDE THE CITY? OR THEY CAN BE OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS? THEY CAN BE OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS.

ARE THEY LOOKING AT AMERICAN BEACH OR ABRAHAM LINCOLN LEWIS MUSEUM? THAT IS A COUNTY CONVERSATION SINCE THAT BUILDING IS OWNED BY THE COUNTY.

WE ARE LOOKING FOR AN OPPORTUNITY ON THE SOUTH END.

I DON'T HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY YET, BUT THAT IS ABSOLUTELY [INAUDIBLE] THE ONES THAT COMMEMORATE HISTORICAL FIGURES.

[INAUDIBLE]. YES.

YES, ABSOLUTELY, YES, AND SHE IS SO MUCH A PART OF THIS ISLAND.

SO ABSOLUTELY.

YES, MA'AM. SORT OF MY QUESTION.

THERE WILL BE OPPORTUNITIES IN THE COUNTY AS WELL AS THE CITY.

YES, THEY ARE.

WE ARE STILL LOOKING FOR A LOCATION ON THE SOUTH END, SO I DO NOT HAVE THAT CONFIRMED, BUT WE ARE ALSO WORKING WITH HILLIARD, THE TOWN OF HILLIARD, THE TOWN OF CALLAHAN.

WE HAVE A LOCATION IN YULEE THAT THEN NEEDS TO BE APPROVED THROUGH DIFFERENT ORDINANCES, BUT YES, THERE WILL BE.

THIS IS NOT JUST A DOWNTOWN FERNANDINA THING.

YES, MA'AM. HEY, MAURIE, THANKS SO MUCH FOR COMING AND I FEEL LIKE THIS IS SO WELL RESEARCHED.

SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR TEAM TAKING THE TIME TO DO THAT.

I THINK IT LOOKS GREAT.

THANK YOU. QUESTION I HAVE IS THAT IF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY AND MAYBE YOU CAN TALK A LITTLE ABOUT THE KIND OF APPROVAL PROCESS AS TO WHAT'S GOING TO BE SELECTED, BUT IF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WANT TO SUGGEST OR RECOMMEND SOMEONE, HOW DO THEY DO THAT? BECAUSE MY FIRST THOUGHT IS THIS EXAMPLE HAD AN OLYMPIAN IN IT.

WE HAVE A HEISMAN TROPHY WINNER IN THE COUNTY MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING WE WANT TO CONSIDER.

SO WHERE WOULD I GO TO SUGGEST THAT.

SO WE ARE GOING TO BE STARTING THAT CONVERSATION OF HOW DO WE SUBMIT OR HOW DO WE GET PUBLIC INPUT.

WE WILL BE HAVING THAT CONVERSATION BEFORE CHRISTMAS IF I CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN.

IF NOT, IT'LL BE THE 1ST OF JANUARY IN WHICH WE WILL PUT OUT THE REQUEST FOR SUBJECTS.

WHAT ARE THE THINGS WE HAVEN'T THOUGHT OF? I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE THE VERY EASY ONES, BUT THEN WHAT ARE THE OTHER PIECES OF THAT? WHAT ARE THOSE UNTOLD STORIES THAT WE THAT AREN'T AT THE FOREFRONT, THAT ARE JUST AS IMPORTANT? AND SO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THAT? OKAY. WE ARE WAITING ON A LOGO AND, AND ALL OF THE THINGS AT THE SAME TIME, BUT WE HOPE TO HAVE THAT FAIRLY QUICKLY AND THEN ONCE WE GET THIS UP AND RUNNING, WE WILL BE DOING THE SOCIALIZATION OF THAT.

WE WILL BE GETTING FOLKS INVOLVED IN IT, AND THEN WE WILL VOTE ON THOSE TOP 30 OR TOP 20, SEND THOSE OUT TO THE ARTIST AND GET THOSE BACK, AND THEN WE WILL THEN VOTE ON THE FINAL NUMBER.

OKAY.

SO THE COMMUNITY WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THESE STORIES TO REALLY ENGAGE WITH THESE STORIES, AND WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THIS A LONG TERM PROCESS OR PROJECT IN WHICH AT THE END OF THIS, WE CAN HAVE AN ART PASSPORT OR A MURAL PASSPORT IN WHICH PEOPLE CAN STILL GO AND LEARN OUR HISTORY.

THANK YOU. ANOTHER QUESTION.

THE ARTISTS, THE LOCAL ARTISTS AND FERNANDINA IN OUR COUNTY, WILL THEY BE APPROACHED FIRST OR DO THEY HAVE TO BE A MEMBER OF THIS ORGANIZATION? NO, THEY DO NOT HAVE TO BE A MEMBER OF THIS ORGANIZATION.

I HAVE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING WITH THE LOCAL MURALISTS.

SO THIS IS A SPECIFIC TYPE OF SKILL SET, AND WHAT'S REALLY COOL ABOUT THESE MEETS IS THESE ARE ALL PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS THAT COME AND LEARN FROM EACH OTHER. SO THESE ARE PROFESSIONAL SIGN PAINTERS AND MURALISTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD THAT LEARN A NEW TRICK, OR THEY LEARN A NEW TECHNIQUE, AND SO WHAT WE REALLY WANT TO DO, AND I'VE SPOKEN WITH THE ISLAND ART ASSOCIATION, IS TO BE ABLE TO WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH THEM.

THEY'VE GOT THEIR 50TH ANNIVERSARY COMING UP.

SO THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SHOWCASE SOME OF THOSE ARTISTS HERE IN A DIFFERENT CAPACITY.

WHAT I ALSO LOVE IS BEING ABLE TO HAVE ANYBODY CAN JUMP ON THE WALL, ANYBODY CAN CAN COME DOWN AND PAINT.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS INVOLVED.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR FESTIVAL REALLY HAS THE ABILITY TO SHOWCASE OUR LOCAL ARTISTS, AND SO, YES, WE ARE WORKING WITH THE LOCAL MURALISTS AND LOCAL SIGN PAINTERS, BUT THE MAJORITY OF THIS DESIGN WORK WILL BE DONE BY THESE ARTISTS THAT WILL COME IN AND HELP US FIGURE THIS OUT.

I KNOW WHEN WE HAD THE SHRIMP COME TO TOWN, [INAUDIBLE] PLACE, THAT THERE WAS DISSENSION AMONG ALL THE ARTISTS BECAUSE IT WAS ALL DONE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY AND THE COUNTY.

WELL, AND WE WANT TO DEFINITELY MAKE SURE THAT WE AS YOU ALL KNOW, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS TO TOUCH, AND SO I'VE STARTED THAT CONVERSATION, BUT

[00:20:10]

SO THANK YOU FOR ASKING.

THANKS.

YES, MA'AM.

YEAH, SO AGAIN, PIGGYBACKING A LITTLE BIT, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS BRUSHED BRICK BOOK IN THE BACK, THERE'S A LIST OF ALL THE PEOPLE WHO WERE INVOLVED IN EACH OF THE MURALS AND EACH MURAL. 12 OR WHATEVER HOWEVER MANY THEY HAD HAD, TEN OR 12 OR 15 PEOPLE, I WOULD ASSUME THAT MANY OF THOSE WERE COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS. YES.

OKAY, SO WE WOULD HAVE THAT SORT OF SAME [INAUDIBLE].

YES, ABSOLUTELY.

YEAH, AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO ASK.

WHAT'S THE CONCEPT OF A FESTIVAL? HOW DO YOU SEE THAT ASIDE FROM ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY BUILDING THE MURAL, HOW DOES FESTIVAL IMPACT THE COMMUNITY? WELL, AND HERE'S THE PIECE THAT I LOVE IS THAT THIS IS THE TYPE OF EVENT WHERE WE WILL OBVIOUSLY HAVE SOME THAT WILL BE IN POCKET PARK BEING PAINTED. HOPEFULLY IF THERE IS POCKET PARK OR ON CENTER STREET BEING PAINTED, BUT THERE IS ALSO THERE'S THE MUSIC PIECE AND THERE'S A SMALL VENDORS WE ALSO KNOW THAT DICKENS WILL BE THE NEXT WEEK OR THE NEXT MONTH, AND SO THAT ART PIECE, WE DEFINITELY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SHOWCASE OUR LOCAL ARTISTS.

I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE YET, AND SO THAT'S A CONVERSATION THAT WILL NEED TO BE HAD WITH BOTH THE SPECIAL EVENTS COMMITTEE AND A COUPLE OF DAYS.

IT'S THREE DAYS, RIGHT? RIGHT.

SO ON WEDNESDAY THE ARTISTS ARRIVE.

THE WALLS ARE ALREADY PRIMED.

THEY PROJECTED UP ON THE WALL THAT NIGHT SO THAT THEY CAN GET IT ALL DONE.

THURSDAY THEY BEGIN PAINTING.

FRIDAY WE HAVE STUDENTS INVOLVED, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY SATURDAY AND SUNDAY THE PAINTING CONTINUES AND THEN THE EVENT IS OVER.

SOUNDS WONDERFUL. YEAH.

YES, MA'AM. I GUESS JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE FOOD FOR THOUGHT.

I'M THINKING, FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU WERE TO DO LIKE A MURAL THAT HONORED VETERANS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THERE COULD STILL BE FAMILY, RIGHT? OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT WERE HONORING ON THE MURALS, STILL LIVING IN FERNANDINA IN THE COUNTY.

SO I THINK, I THINK IT'D BE AN AMAZING STORY TO TELL, LIKE IF THOSE PEOPLE CAME AND HELPED PAINT THE MURAL.

I MEAN, OVERALL, JUST AN AWESOME OPPORTUNITY.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

I'M GOING TO TAKE A POINT OF PRIVILEGE HERE.

I KNOW ONE OF THE WALLDOGS, AND SHE WAS PAINTING THE MURAL FOR THE TEACHERS IN HIGH SPRINGS, AND THAT DAY HER MOTHER HAD ACTUALLY PASSED AWAY, AND HER MOM WAS AN ARTIST, AND THE LADY WHO THEY WERE, THEY WERE HONORING HER WHOLE FAMILY CAME AND PAINTED, AND IT WAS JUST A REALLY POIGNANT MOMENT WE ALL GOT TO KIND OF ENJOY THAT AND SEE THAT PIECE OF IT.

SO YES, THERE IS SO MUCH OF THAT WE ARE ALL SO INTERCONNECTED AND ART BRINGS THAT SO ABSOLUTELY GREAT.

I THINK MR. ROBINSON, AND THEN--IF THAT'S OKAY, BECAUSE I ALSO KNOW CATHERINE IS READY FOR ME TO.

[CHUCKLING] DO THE VOLUNTEERS OF PAINTING THE MURAL, DO THEY HAVE TO ARE THEY REQUIRED TO HAVE ANY TYPE OF ARTISTIC BACKGROUND IN PAINTING? NO, BUT I'LL TELL YOU WHY.

BECAUSE THESE ARTISTS ARE SO GOOD, THEY CAN FIX WHATEVER WE MESS UP.

[CHUCKLING] I HAVE PAINTED AND THEY WERE LIKE, THAT WAS CUTE.

THANK YOU. SO NO, BUT MAYBE, PERHAPS THOSE FOLKS ARE GOING TO BE OUR HOSTS OR LOGISTICS PERSON [INAUDIBLE] BUT WE WANT YOU INVOLVED.

WE DEFINITELY WANT YOU INVOLVED AS YOUR TEACHERS TAUGHT YOU TO PAINT INSIDE THE LINES, RIGHT? RIGHT. OR MAYBE WE HAVE YOU FILLING IN THE BACKGROUND.

WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT.

[CHUCKLING] THEY CAN COME PRIME. YES, YES, EXCELLENT PRIMING.

YES, SIR. RICHARD, THE LAST THING I JUST WANTED TO CLEAR UP.

SO YOU YOU SHOWED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IN THE IMAGES THE BUILDINGS THAT ARE CITY OWNED.

SO ORIGINALLY WE SPOKE ABOUT ALL BUILDINGS ALL OVER THE PLACE.

YES. SO THAT IS STILL PART OF THE CONVERSATION.

I HAVE NOT SPOKEN TO THE BUILDING OWNERS YET, SO I DIDN'T WANT TO PUT THEIR ADDRESSES IN A PUBLIC FORUM WITHOUT HAVING SPOKEN TO THEM FIRST, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE THIS OTHER PIECE THAT NEEDS TO BE APPROVED BY THE CITY AND THE HTC, AND SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE FOLLOW THE APPROPRIATE PROCESS ON THAT, AND AS WE MOVE FORWARD, THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO REALLY INVEST IN THAT.

WE'VE GOT WE I'VE WALKED WITH THE CITY PLANNERS AND IDENTIFIED A NUMBER OF BUILDINGS THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE IF THE VARIANCE WAS APPROVED, AND MAIN STREET IS KIND OF WITH YOU ON THIS MAIN STREET IS LOCKSTEP, AND SO THEY HAVE BEEN VERY GRACIOUS.

FERNANDINA 200 IS INVOLVED THE NASSAU 200.

SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT WHERE THIS PROJECT GOES.

[00:25:01]

I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND LOOK FORWARD TO IT.

MY INFORMATION OBVIOUSLY BEHIND ME, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO REACH OUT, AND THEN, AS A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE, I HOPE YOU ALL WILL JOIN US AT DICKENS THIS WEEKEND.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, AND I'M GOING TO.

PERFECT. ALL RIGHT.

THANKS, Y'ALL. THANK YOU.

APPRECIATE IT.

[INAUDIBLE] SO MOVING ALONG.

LET'S LOOK AT THERE'S NO OTHER PUBLIC, RIGHT? OKAY. MOVING ALONG, LET'S LOOK AT THE FIRST ITEM ON THE DISCUSSION, WHICH IS WHAT WE JUST HAD.

SO I GUESS WE'RE GOOD WITH THAT, RIGHT, SCOTT? YES, SIR. I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS.

EVERYBODY GOOD ON THAT.

ALL RIGHT, AND THEN WE HAVE THE SENIOR GRANT REVIEW WHICH YOU HAVE IN YOUR PACKET IN FRONT OF YOU.

[6.2 Senior Grant Review: (Confirm Grants Submitted Meet The Criteria)]

SO JUST A QUICK UPDATE.

SCOTT MICHAELSON, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION.

WE HAVE FIVE.

THEY ALL FIVE OF THEM WERE IN YOUR PACKET.

I GUESS IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS.

IT SOUNDED LIKE THERE WERE A COUPLE QUESTIONS THAT HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THOSE ANSWERED, BUT JUST JUST REMEMBER TODAY WHAT WE DO AS OR WHAT ARTS AND CULTURE NASSAU DOES IS BASICALLY DO THESE MEET THE CRITERIA AND KATIE WAS GOING TO PUT UP, SHE PROBABLY ALREADY HAS, IS THE GRANTS FOR SENIOR AND YOUTH PROGRAMMING AND THE GUIDELINES BASICALLY ARE RIGHT HERE AND WE WORK.

I HAVE REVIEWED THEM.

THERE WAS ONE QUESTION ABOUT THE BOOK FESTIVAL, AND I'VE NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A MISTAKE.

SHE PUT THE 2023 FUND YEAR SHOULD BE 24, AND SHE ALSO HAS A NEW PROJECT WHICH IS THE EXPO TO THE PUBLIC.

WHAT'S THE EXPO? EXCUSE ME? YEAH, COULD YOU EXPLAIN THE EXPO? THE EXPO IS OFFERED FREE TO THE PUBLIC.

WE HAVE THE AUTHORS COME.

THEY HAVE A SPECIAL PRESENTATION IN THE AUDITORIUM THAT THEY SPEAK TO, WHOEVER COMES.

THEY ALSO PRESENT THE AWARDS TO THE CHILDREN THAT HAVE WRITTEN THE THEIR PROGRAM.

I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER WHAT IT'S CALLED, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.

WRITERS CONTEST. IT'S THE WRITERS, IT'S NOT THE WRITERS WORKSHOP.

THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN AWARDED THE FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD AND FIFTH, AND THEY ARE INVITED TO THE EXPO, AND THEN ALSO THEY ALSO HAVE THE KIDS THAT COME IN AND THEY'RE GIVING AN AUTHOR WILL BE PRESENT AND GIVING THEM A QUESTION AND ANSWER OPPORTUNITY FOR WHAT THEY DO, AND THIS IS ALL DONE AT THE EXPO AND ALL THE LOCAL ARTISTS OR LOCAL AUTHORS ARE ALSO PRESENTED AT THE GYMNASIUM WITH THEIR PRESENTING THEIR WHAT THEY'VE WRITTEN AND WHAT AND ALSO OFFER IT FOR SALE.

SO THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT IS THAT TO BRING THESE AUTHORS TO THE EXPO? CORRECT. OKAY. SO I SPOKE TO SCOTT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS BEFORE WE STARTED THE MEETING.

I'M SURPRISED ACTUALLY, BECAUSE CERTAINLY THE BOOK FESTIVAL HAS GOTTEN A GRANT BEFORE BECAUSE THEY HAD US, BUT THIS IS SO NONSPECIFIC.

IT'S LIKE WE'RE DOING THIS WONDERFUL THING.

JUST GIVE US SOME MONEY BECAUSE WE'RE HAVING THE BOOK FESTIVAL.

WELL MAYBE SHE NEEDS TO GIVE A BETTER EXPLANATION OTHER THAN JUST WRITING TO THE EXPO.

WHERE IS THE EXPO? WELL, SO THE EXPO IS ON PAGE FOUR AT THE TOP.

YEAH. OH, OKAY.

AGAIN, IT JUST LOOKS LIKE WE'RE HERE'S 500.

NOT THAT IT'S NOT THAT $500 IS THAT MUCH, BUT HERE'S $500, GO SPEND IT.

I MEAN, THEY'VE USED IT BEFORE FOR THEIR WRITERS CONTEST, THE YOUNG WRITERS CONTEST, WHICH THIS WOULDN'T APPLY TO BECAUSE THIS IS THE SENIOR APPLICATION, AND I'M JUST WONDERING HOW THEY'RE GOING TO SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS THE SENIOR POPULATION.

[00:30:05]

I KNOW. WELL, WE ALSO HAVE THE SENIORS THAT COME, TOO.

I THINK IT NEEDS A BIT MORE DEFINITION.

SO ON PAGE FIVE IT DOES LIST.

IT SAYS PLEASE DESCRIBE THE NUMBER OF PLANNED PARTICIPANTS FOR THIS PROJECT THIS THIS YEAR ACCORDING TO THE FOLLOWING TABLES.

SO THEY DO HAVE A TOTAL OF I MEAN IT'S WHAT THEY'RE EXPECTING, BUT 100 SENIORS THERE OKAY.

I MEAN I'M WILLINGLY GIVE THIS UP I JUST IT'S JUST UNUSUAL THAT IT DOESN'T ADDRESS A SPECIFIC.

YOU'RE JUST ASKING FOR A LITTLE CLARIFICATION.

YEAH, AND THEN THE PROJECT ROLE SHE HAS INTRODUCED AUTHORS AND PROMOTING LITERACY AND HAVING BOOKS AVAILABLE FOR SALE PROMOTES READING THINKING.

BUT, FRAN, THAT'S JUST THE WHOLE GOAL OF THE WHOLE BOOK FESTIVAL.

WHAT'S THE MONEY GOING FOR? WHAT IS THIS GRANT GOING TO BE USED FOR? IS TO PROMOTE THE EXPO, WHICH IS ON SATURDAY, WHICH IS OFFERED TO THE PUBLIC FOR FREE.

TO DO WHAT? TO ADVERTISE IT TO PAY FOR TWO WRITERS TO COME, TO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION FROM THE SENIOR CENTER.

I MEAN, WHAT IS WHAT IS WHAT'S THE MONEY FOR? SHE PROBABLY NEEDS TO GIVE A MORE DETAILED EXPLANATION.

RIGHT. I THINK THAT'S REASONABLE REQUEST.

SCOTT. YEAH, YEAH.

OKAY. I MEAN, THAT'S REALLY ALL THAT'S JUST THE WAY I INTERPRET THE DIRECTIONS FOR HOW TO APPLY AND HOW IT'S CERTAINLY BEEN UTILIZED IN THE PAST.

THAT'S ALL. SO AND I'M SURE SHE CAN DO IT WE NEED WE NEED $500 TO DO X.

YEAH. THEY SHOULD 1500 VISITORS ON SATURDAY.

IT IS QUITE LARGE, THE EXPO, BUT WE'RE NOT FUNDING 1500 VISITORS.

WE'RE FUNDING [INAUDIBLE].

WE'RE FUNDING THE EXPO.

A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION WOULD BE HELPFUL.

THE AUTHORS THAT ARE THERE AND ALL OF THAT ENTAILS.

SO WHAT WE COULD DO IS I COULD REACH OUT AND ASK IF MAYBE GET MORE SPECIFIC OR TO EXPAND ON IT OR SO WE COULD MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS. WOULD THE BOARD BE OKAY WITH IF IT IS TO THE $500 WERE TO PAY FOR AUTHORS, OR IF IT WERE TO PAY FOR THE ADVERTISEMENTS OF THIS EXPO, WOULD THE BOARD BE OKAY WITH SAYING THAT MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS? SO THEN WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT ANOTHER MONTH? YEAH I WOULD, I COULD I'LL BE HERE.

I'M OKAY WITH IT. OKAY.

I THINK THAT'S REASONABLE.

THAT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DEPTH OF WHAT WE'RE ALREADY ASKING.

YEAH. JUST TO TRY TO TIE THE MONEY TO SOMETHING SPECIFIC.

YES, AND TO CHANGE THE CALENDAR YEAR TO 24 INSTEAD OF 23.

YEAH. SO IF I GET THAT INFORMATION AND THAT'S WHAT IT'S RELATED TO, THEN I FEEL THAT IT WOULD MEET THE CRITERIA.

YEAH. ALL RIGHT. YES.

ANYBODY HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THE OTHER GRANT APPLICATION REQUESTS.

I JUST HAVE ONE THING ON THE SECOND PAGE OF THE GRANT WHERE IT SAYS PLEASE DESCRIBE THE INTENDED PROJECT.

IF THE GRANT WILL EXPAND OR ENHANCE AN EXISTING PROGRAM, PLEASE EXPLAIN THE CURRENT PROGRAM AND HOW I WILL BE EXPANDED OR ENHANCED.

IT'S GRAMMATICALLY WRONG, CORRECT? IT SHOULD BE IT WILL BE EXPANDED OR ENHANCED WITH A D ON THE END.

YEAH, THERE'S A TYPO.

YEAH.

WHICH? IT'S THE SECOND PAGE ON THE SAME ONE ON THE, ON THE APPLICATION.

WHICH APPLICATION FOR WHO? IT DOESN'T MATTER. ALL OF THEM.

SO KATIE IF YOU SCROLL DOWN IT'S PROBABLY ON THIS FORM RIGHT HERE.

IS IT ON THIS ONE.

IT'S ON THE GRANT APPLICATION PAGE.

DESCRIBE THE INTENDED SECOND PAGE OF EVERY APPLICATION RIGHT AT THE TOP.

THE SECOND PAGE. OH THERE YOU GO.

[INAUDIBLE] IT'S A TYPO IN THE ORIGINAL.

WE'LL TAKE CARE OF THAT.

YEAH. SO THESE WILL BE SENT ON TO THE COUNTY AFTER CLARIFICATION ON THE BOOK FESTIVAL, AND I WILL NEED AND I'LL GIVE THIS, BUT WE DO NEED THE SIGNATURES OF THE CHAIR, THE VICE CHAIR AND A MEMBER.

SO I DO WANT TO GET THOSE SIGNATURES TODAY, AND WE CURRENTLY HAVE TWO YOUTH GRANTS AS OF RIGHT NOW, AND THOSE WILL BE PRESENTED TO YOU AT THE NEXT MEETING THAT CLOSES ON THE 15TH OF DECEMBER.

[00:35:02]

GOOD. ALL RIGHT. SO WE'LL HAVE TO CHANGE THE APPLICATION ONCE YOU MAKE THAT CORRECTION ON THE WEBSITE.

YES WE WILL.

AS SOON AS YOU GOT TO THIS LET ME KNOW.

YEAH WE CAN DO THAT THIS WEEK.

OKAY, GREAT.

ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF THE OTHER THINGS? ONE THING I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND, JUST FOR MY INPUT HERE IS NORTH FLORIDA CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS AND CULTURE.

HAD NO IDEA WHAT THAT WAS UNTIL I REALIZED IT WAS THE AMELIA MUSICAL PLAYHOUSE [INAUDIBLE].

SHE JUST GOT HER 501(C)(3).

SO SHE USED TWO DIFFERENT NAMES, AND YEAH, IT TOOK ME A WHILE TO FIGURE THAT ONE OUT.

YEAH, AS I WAS READING THROUGH IT, I HAD THAT SAME QUESTION.

YEAH. OKAY.

WELL THAT WAS GOOD. YEAH.

I HAD NOTHING ELSE.

ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYBODY? WE GOOD? OKAY.

SO WE'RE GOING TO PASS THIS BACK TO YOU SCOTT TO FINISH UP, AND THEN YEAH, WE'LL HAVE THE UPDATED APPLICATION WITH THAT GRAMMATICAL ISSUE, AND THEN FOLLOW UP WITH THE BOOK FESTIVAL AS WELL.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

THANKS. DO WE NEED A MOTION TO SAY WE'RE SENDING ALL OF THEM FORWARD? YEAH I DON'T THINK--WE DON'T NEED A MOTION.

THEY ALL MEET THE CRITERIA, SO WE'RE GOOD.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, AND THE ITEM SIX THREE FUTURE OF ARTS AND CULTURE.

[6.3 Future Of Arts And Culture Nassau (501C3 Discussion)]

I ALSO HAD LOOKED AT HAVING THE STRATEGIC PLAN OUT FOR YOU, BUT I THINK CATHERINE WANTS TO TALK ON THIS POINT.

YEAH. SO THE STRATEGIC PLAN WILL JUST TABLE FOR THE MOMENT WHILE WE TALK ABOUT THIS DISCUSSION.

SO FOR THE RECORD, CATHERINE VORRASI, PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR SO WANTED TO START OUT WITH, WITH THIS FUTURE OF ARTS AND CULTURE, NASSAU, THIS 501(C)(3) DISCUSSION.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COUPLE STATEMENTS FOR THE RECORD, JUST TO SAY THIS IS NOT A CITY OF FERNANDINA BEACH INITIATIVE.

THIS IS NOT DRIVEN BY CITY STAFF.

WE ARE SIMPLY FACILITATING THE DISCUSSION TO BE HAD BY ALL OF YOU AS BOARD MEMBERS OF THIS OF THIS BOARD.

AS YOU KNOW, WE MET WITH EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU MADE TWO PHONE CALLS.

SO WE SPOKE TO ALL OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY, ONE ON ONE DUE TO SUNSHINE LAW ON THIS TOPIC, TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE KNEW ABOUT THE DETAILS, THE PARAMETERS OF THE DISCUSSION TODAY.

SO WE WILL.

THIS WILL BE SOMETHING WHERE ONE SIDE AM DONE WITH MY PRESENTATION.

SOMEONE WILL NEED TO MAKE A MOTION AND A SECOND WE DON'T HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT THEN THERE'LL BE DISCUSSION AND THEN YOU ALL CAN DISCUSS, ASK QUESTIONS AND THEN WE'LL THIS WILL GO TO A VOTE FOR TODAY.

IF WE DON'T FINISH THE DISCUSSION WE CAN CONTINUE IT NEXT MONTH.

THIS DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ANYTHING WHERE IT HAS TO HAPPEN TODAY.

AGAIN WE ARE FACILITATING THE DISCUSSION.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS THROUGHOUT THE DISCUSSION, PLEASE JUST LET ME KNOW.

I WANT YOU TO ANSWER ASK ANY QUESTION YOU HAVE.

AGAIN, WE ARE FACILITATING.

SO THE CONCEPT OF THE 501(C)(3) STATUS.

NOW IF I'M FORGETTING ANYTHING JUST PLEASE SPEAK UP.

IT'S BASICALLY SO THAT YOU HAVE MORE FLEXIBILITY.

IT IS SO THAT YOU CAN FUNDRAISE, YOU CAN COMMUNICATE WITH ONE ANOTHER.

YOU WON'T BE HELD UNDER THE [MUMBLING] YOU WON'T BE HELD UNDER THE SUNSHINE LAW RESTRICTIONS.

YOU CAN BUILD COMMUNITY THAT WAY.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM ALL OF YOU.

THOSE ARE THE MAIN THE MAIN THINGS THAT WERE DISCUSSED.

SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD NEED APPROVAL BY THE CITY COMMISSION.

AGAIN, WE'RE TALKING I SHOULDN'T SAY AGAIN, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A TEMPORARY SUNSET OF THIS BOARD TO PURSUE 501(C)(3) STATUS.

IF AT ANY TIME DURING THAT TEMPORARY PERIOD DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT'S WORKING OUT OR SOMETHING CHANGES, WE JUST REVERT BACK TO THE WAY IT IS RIGHT NOW.

ALL THE TERMS WILL GO BACK TO THE WAY IT IS.

WE'LL WORK WITH THE CLERK'S OFFICE TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE TERMS ARE HANDLED APPROPRIATELY.

SO BASICALLY WANT TO WANT TO OPEN IT UP.

WE HEARD FROM ALL OF YOU, WE DO NEED JUST A MAJORITY TO TAKE THIS TO COMMISSION TO SEE IF THEY AGREE TO TEMPORARILY SUNSET SO THAT YOU CAN PURSUE 501(C)(3) STATUS.

IF IT DOESN'T HAPPEN TODAY, THAT'S TOTALLY FINE AND EVERYTHING WILL REMAIN THE WAY IT IS, AND WE MAY LOOK AT THE STRATEGIC PLAN IN A DIFFERENT WAY BASED ON THE DISCUSSION.

SO I WANT TO GO AHEAD AND OPEN THE FLOOR IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME, BUT THIS IS REALLY FOR YOU ALL TO TALK AMONGST YOURSELVES AND WE JUST HELP FACILITATE.

DOES ANYONE WANT TO START US OFF? GO AHEAD. I HAVE ONE CONCERN, AND IT'S JUST FROM PAST EXPERIENCE BECAUSE I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN EARLY ON WHEN SUSAN GOLDMAN WAS GETTING THE CHAMBER MUSIC THING GOING, AND SHE WAS ALSO REALLY ACTIVE IN THE ARTS, IN THE ART GALLERY AND THAT SORT OF THING

[00:40:06]

SO WHAT WOULD BE THE, WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION? THE CONCERN THERE WOULD BE THAT IT CAN BE KEPT GOING AS A VITAL ORGANIZATION.

AS WHAT TYPE OF BODY? CITY? AS A NONPROFIT. SO YOU'RE JUST CONCERNED THAT--IT'LL DEPEND ON YOU, THAT GIVE US A LITTLE SHOVE IN THE REAR END WHEN WE NEED IT.

OKAY. SO THE CONCERN THE CONCERN IS THAT IF IT IF THIS BOARD BECOMES A 501(C)(3), THAT IT'LL WITHER AWAY OVER TIME.

THAT'S BEEN THAT'S THE CONCERN, I'VE SEEN IT HAPPEN SO MANY TIMES DURING THESE OKAY.

SO SO TO THAT POINT IT WOULDN'T BE A VIABLE OPPORTUNITY AS A 501(C)(3) WITHOUT BEING DESIGNATED AS AN LAA.

SO ONCE YOU ARE THE LOCAL ARTS AGENCY, YOU'RE ALLOWED TO ACCEPT THE COUNTY'S MONEY OR THE STATE'S MONEY FOR THE LICENSE PLATE.

SO THAT SORT OF GIVES YOU THE IMPRIMATUR OF BEING A RECOGNIZED OFFICIAL ORGANIZATION AND THE OTHER THING, CATHERINE, I'D LIKE TO KIND OF MAKE SURE WE BETTER UNDERSTAND IT.

RIGHT NOW, IT'S A CITY COMMISSION, BUT WITH THE CHANGE OF THIS, IT WOULD BE MORE OPEN IN THE WHOLE COUNTY.

SO IN OTHER WORDS, IT WOULDN'T BE TIED DIRECTLY TO THE CITY PARKS DEPARTMENT, ISN'T THAT CORRECT? RIGHT NOW YOU ARE A CITY ADVISORY BOARD HELD BASICALLY YOU ADVISE THE CITY COMMISSION ON ARTS AND CULTURE RELATED MATTERS, SUCH AS THE GRANTS, COUNTY, BUT ALSO TEMPORARY AND PERMANENT ART.

SO WHAT WE WANT IN OUR PLAN FOR THREE YEARS OUT WAS TO HAVE A MORE COUNTYWIDE FOCUS, ESPECIALLY WITH WILD LIGHT AND EVERYTHING.

SO I THINK THAT'S ONE PART OF THE CHANGE THAT SHOULD KIND OF COME WITH THAT, BUT IF I'M HEARING YOU CORRECTLY, YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION WOULD NOT BE PART OF THE CITY COMMISSION, NOR THE COUNTY COMMISSION, THAT IT WOULD JUST BE A TAX FREE DONATION FOR OTHER PEOPLE TO DONATE MONEY.

A 501(C)(3), A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION, WOULD NOT BE A CITY ADVISORY OR A COUNTY ADVISORY BOARD.

SO IT WOULD JUST BE AN ORGANIZATION 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION, AND YOU WOULD NEED THE MONEY TO ADVERTISE, TO GO OUT, TO ADVERTISE WHAT YOU DO AND WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE DONE.

THAT'S WHY YOU GET THE DESIGNATION AND WHY YOU KNOW HOW TO GET YOUR MARK.

YOU HAVE TO DO MARKETING AND SO FORTH TO GET THE DONATIONS, AND JUST ONE THING THAT I DID, WHO PAYS FOR THAT? ONE THING THAT I DID LEAVE OUT? I'M SORRY. ONE THING THAT I DID LEAVE OUT WHEN I STARTED, HOWEVER, WE SPOKE TO ALL OF YOU ABOUT THIS IS THAT IF IT WERE TO BE THAT THIS BOARD CONVERTS INTO A NON PROFIT, THE CITY WOULD GO TO THE COUNTY AND REQUEST THAT THEY HAVE THE NEW NON PROFIT, BE THE RECIPIENT OR BE THE DESIGNATED LAA TO RECEIVE THE LICENSE PLATE FUNDS.

SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THE CITY WOULD DO BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THE CITY HAS BEEN THAT YOU ALL THE CITY BOARD HAS BEEN DESIGNATED THE LAA.

WE WOULD NEED TO APPROPRIATELY GO TO THE COUNTY AND LET THEM KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, BUT I THOUGHT HE JUST SAID IF WE, THE COUNTY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DESIGNATE THAT, DESIGNATE THAT IF WE WERE A 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION, YOU CAN THE COUNTY CAN DO THAT.

THE CITY WILL BE DISCUSSING THAT WITH THE COUNTY, IF THAT LOOKS LIKE THAT'S THE DIRECTION THAT THIS BOARD IS GOING, THE CITY WOULD REQUEST THAT THE COUNTY DESIGNATE THE 501(C)(3) AS THE LAA.

I'M THINKING OUR APPLICATION WOULD NOT BE APPROVED IF WE WERE RECEIVING MONEY FROM THE LICENSE PLATES.

WHAT APPLICATION? THE 501(C)(3) APPLICATION.

THERE ARE MANY COUNTIES WHOSE LAA IS A PRIVATE NONPROFIT.

YES, JACKSONVILLE.

IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE FORGING NEW TERRITORY HERE.

YES. CAN THE LICENSE PLATE MONEY BE SPENT ON 501(C)(3) OVERHEAD AND THINGS LIKE THAT? I HAVE NOT SEEN THE TERMS OF THAT.

I COULD NOT SPEAK WOULD BE MY QUESTION OR THAT WOULD BE MY POINT.

IT'S NOT ENTIRELY.

CLEAR TO ME IF WE'RE GIVEN, LET'S JUST SAY $2,000.

IF THIS BOARD BECOMES A 501(C)(3), THEY'RE GIVEN $2,000 FROM THE COUNTY BECAUSE THEY ARE THE LAA TO ADMINISTER THESE GRANTS.

IF ANY OF THAT MONEY CAN BE SPENT ON THE ACT OF DOING THE ADMINISTERING.

[00:45:01]

SO I THINK THAT'S I THINK IT'S FINE.

I WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF DOING THIS, BUT I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE THE LAA TODAY DOES NOT MEAN YOU'RE GOING TO BE THAT TOMORROW.

SO IF THE 501(C)(3) THAT'S CREATED DOES THINGS THAT THE CITY COMMISSION AND THE COUNTY COMMISSION DON'T APPRECIATE AND DON'T DON'T LIKE, YOU COULD BE JEOPARDIZING YOUR FUNDING AND YOUR FUTURE OF THE ORGANIZATION.

SO I WOULD WANT TO CAUTION FOLKS TOWARDS THAT BECAUSE AGAIN, IT'S JUST MAKING YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE GREAT RELATIONS WITH THE COUNTY AND THE CITY IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO BE THE LAA, BECAUSE WHAT THEY COULD DO IS THE NEXT DAY JUST SET UP A NEW ARTS AND CULTURE BOARD, AND YOU'RE NO LONGER THE LAA.

SO AGAIN, THOSE ARE MY TWO POINTS OF CAUTION, BUT I DO THINK THAT IF THIS BOARD WANTS TO COMMUNICATE THE WAY THAT THEY WANT TO COMMUNICATE AND GROW AND DO THINGS LIKE COLLECT DONATIONS AND WHATNOT, THIS IS REALLY THE ONLY APPROACH THAT YOU CAN TAKE IN ORDER TO DO THAT.

SO I THINK IF THE MAJORITY OF THIS BOARD WANTED TO DO THAT, I WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF DOING THAT.

I THINK WE WERE I WAS RAISING MY HAND TO SAY ALMOST EXACTLY WHAT WE WERE THINKING.

IF THIS BOARD, AN ENTITY, MOVED TO A 501(C)(3), WOULD THIS CITY THEN REPLACE AND RECREATE A NEW ARTS AND CULTURE NASSAU BOARD TO DO THE APPLICATIONS, PUBLIC ART AND THE GRANTS.

SO THE ART, THE TEMPORARY AND PERMANENT ART THAT IS ACTUALLY IN THROUGH ORDINANCE RESOLUTIONS WOULD GO TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE IF IT WASN'T IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.

IF IT IS ART IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, IT'LL GO TO THE HTC FOR APPROVAL, AND YOU MENTIONED TO ME WHEN WE MET THAT DURING THE SUNSET, TEMPORARY SUNSET, SIX MONTHS, EIGHT MONTHS, WHATEVER IT IS, WHILE WE EXPLORE THIS PROCESS, THAT'S WHO THE PARKS AND REC AND THE HISTORIC DISTRICT WOULD BE DECIDING ANY PUBLIC ART DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME.

RIGHT. SO I JUST WANT TO SORT OF REITERATE WHAT YOU SAID, THIS THIS PROCESS IS MUCH MORE COMPLICATED THAN JUST FILLING OUT AN APPLICATION AND SENDING IT TO THE IRS.

RIGHT? IT WILL ABSOLUTELY REQUIRE AN ACTIVELY INVOLVED AND HARD WORKING BOARD, ESPECIALLY INITIALLY, BECAUSE WE CERTAINLY WON'T HAVE THE FUNDS TO HIRE AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OR DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, AND THE OTHER THING I THINK THAT WOULD BE VERY IMPORTANT IS THAT DURING THIS SORT OF DISCOVERY PROCESS THAT WE INTERVIEW IN DEPTH OTHER ARTS RELATED ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING THE TDC, INCLUDING NOT THAT THEY'RE ARTS RELATED, BUT THEY CERTAINLY ARE INVOLVED, TDC, MAIN STREET, ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE PLAYERS IN HOW STUFF HAPPENS HERE, BOTH HERE AND IN THE COUNTY.

TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ON BOARD AND BELIEVE THAT THIS KIND OF AN ORGANIZATION, AS A 501(C)(3) IS NEEDED BY THE CITY AND THE COUNTY. THE STORY AND SONG IS DESIGNATED STORY AND SONG ARTS AND CULTURE FOR THEIR 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION. SO HOW WOULD WE BE? HOW WOULD WE CAN CALL OURSELVES GREATER NASSAU? RIGHT? WHATEVER.

THAT'S EASY ARTS, WHATEVER.

I MEAN, WE CAN CALL OURSELVES WHATEVER WE WANT AS LONG AS IT'S NOT STORY AND SONG CENTER FOR ARTS AND CULTURE.

IT GETS CONFUSING, I THINK, TO THE PUBLIC WHEN YOU SEE STORY AND SONG ARTS AND CULTURE, AND THEN WE COME OUT AND WE MIGHT WANT TO REALLY CHANGE ARTS AND CULTURE, I DON'T KNOW, BUT THERE ARE WE CAN NAME OURSELVES WHEREVER WE WANT.

IT'S CONFUSING NOW, BUT THE BUT THE REALLY IMPORTANT THING, I THINK, IS TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT IT WILL TAKE TO DO THIS SORT OF DISCOVERY PROCESS AND GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE MAKE THE DECISION THAT HAS BUY IN FROM ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS, THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S NEEDED IN THE COUNTY AND THE MEETING PROCESS UNDER THE SUNSET POSITION, WOULD THAT BE HERE OR YOU WOULD JUST OR ONE OF US OR WHATEVER, WOULD JUST CALL A MEETING AND SAY, IT'S GOING TO BE AT MY HOUSE OR DOWN THE STREET OR WHATEVER YOU HAVE? THE CITY WOULD NOT HAVE ANY MORE.

[00:50:02]

SO PARKS RECREATION IS RECOMMENDING FOR DEFINITELY DURING THE TEMPORARY AND THE FIRST YEAR, IF NOT LONGER, WE'RE GOING TO RECOMMEND THAT PARKS RECREATION FACILITIES CAN BE USED FOR THE MEETING LOCATIONS, BUT DEFINITELY DURING THE TEMPORARY.

WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION TO THE TO THE CITY COMMISSION IF IT GOES TO THE CITY COMMISSION, BUT YOU'D HAVE THE FREEDOM TO MEET AT A COFFEE SHOP ANYWHERE.

IT JUST WOULDN'T BE RECORDED AND VIDEO BROADCAST.

SO TO CLARIFY THE BOARD, SOME PEOPLE ARE LEAVING THIS YEAR AND COMING BACK AND WE'RE GOING TO ADD TO IT.

SO THE WHILE THE PROCESS IS BEING INVESTIGATED AND FLESHED OUT, THE EVERYTHING STAYS THE SAME AS IT FUNCTIONS NOW.

MAYBE NOT. WHAT DO YOU MEAN, EVERYTHING? WELL, YOU'VE GOT 11 MEMBERS ON THE BOARD, RIGHT? THE TERMS. ANYBODY WHO LEAVES THE BOARD MEMBER TERMS. SO NOW, JUST SO WE KNOW, WHATEVER DECISION IS MADE TODAY THAT HAS TO GO THROUGH THE WHOLE CITY PROCESS AND GET APPROVED TO GET ON A CITY COMMISSION MEETING.

SO CLERK'S OFFICE LEGAL, EVERYONE, AND SO WE MAY SAY, YOU ALL MAY SAY TODAY THIS IS THE DIRECTION WE WANT TO GO, BUT IT DOES HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT.

THAT KIND OF THING IS GOING TO BE BROUGHT UP.

THE TERMS AS AS WE KNOW IT THOUGH, ARE GOING TO JUST EVERYTHING'S GOING TO FREEZE AND WAIT FOR THE TEMPORARY JOURNEY TO SEE IF THE 501(C)(3) IS GOING TO HAPPEN. IT COULD BE A MONTH DOWN THE ROAD DURING THIS TEMPORARY TIME THAT IT'S LIKE, THIS ISN'T WHAT WE WANT TO DO IT'S JUST TOO MUCH AND IT COULD CHANGE IN 30 DAYS.

WE MIGHT BE JUST MEETING THE FOLLOWING MONTH.

IT COULD TAKE TWO MONTHS.

IT COULD TAKE SIX MONTHS IT'S GOING TO BE FLUID AND THERE'LL BE A LOT OF COMMUNICATION THROUGH IT ALL BECAUSE EVERYONE CAN SPEAK BUT WE'LL ALSO BE SPEAKING TO YOU.

WE WANT TO KNOW THE STATUS EVERY MONTH, WHAT'S GOING ON, THAT KIND OF THING, BUT AS FAR AS BOARD COMPOSITION GOES, IT COULD LOOK NOT LIKE THIS AT ALL.

IT'S NOW UP TO THE NEW 501(C)(3) TO DECIDE WHO'S ON THE BOARD, WHAT ARE THE TERMS OF BEING ON THE BOARD.

ALL THOSE THINGS. SO IT COULD BE IT WOULD IT WOULD NOT LOOK THE SAME AT ALL IN MY OPINION.

IT COULD BE 50.

IT COULD BE WHATEVER YOU WANT IT TO BE.

THERE'S YOU'RE NO LONGER TIED TO WHAT'S IN THE ORDINANCE AND RESOLUTION AND WHATNOT IN THE CITY.

THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY.

SO SO JUST A HYPOTHETICAL TIMELINE.

IT MIGHT TAKE TWO MONTHS OR THREE MONTHS TO GET TO THE RESOLUTION FROM THE CITY COMMISSION.

IF THERE'S A CONSENSUS OR BASICALLY YOU WANT TO GO, YOU WANT TO PURSUE 501(C)(3) STATUS, I DON'T THINK I CAN GET ON AN AGENDA UNTIL THE SECOND MEETING IN JANUARY AT THIS POINT.

SO AT THE END OF JANUARY, BEGINNING OF FEBRUARY, AND THEN WE CAN SAY TO, OKAY, WE WANT TO DO THAT, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO START IT UNTIL MARCH, RIGHT? OR WE DON'T WANT TO START IT UNTIL APRIL, BUT THE YOUTH GRANTS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO LOOK AT NEXT MONTH ARE NOT IMPACTED.

NOTHING LIKE THAT IS GOING TO BE IMPACTED.

OKAY. SO AND THEN THE SIX MONTH SUNSET PERIOD WOULD START WHEN THAT DECISION IS MADE RIGHT TO PUT US ON HIATUS BASICALLY.

RIGHT, AND IT CAN START THAT DAY OF THE MEETING OR IT CAN SAY WE WANT TO APPROVE IT, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO START IT UNTIL MARCH.

YOU CAN SAY WHEN YOU WANT TO START IT.

SO THAT'S WHEN THE RUBBER HITS THE ROAD.

YES, BECAUSE SIX MONTHS IS NOT A LOT OF TIME TO DO THAT KIND OF SORT OF DISCERNMENT AND GET THE GRANT WRITTEN AND OR THE APPLICATION. I MEAN, IT'S A BIG STEP AND IT'S FLUID.

SO IT'S NOT SIX MONTHS.

IT COULD BE LESS, IT COULD BE MORE.

AGAIN, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE COMMUNICATING THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.

THAT'S WHERE WE COME IN. WE'RE STILL GOING TO BE YOUR SUPPORT THROUGH THE TEMPORARY PERIOD.

IF IT IS, WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD TEMPLATE FOR HOW TO DO THIS FROM DUVAL COUNTY.

THEY WENT THROUGH THIS PROCESS IN THE 90S TO BECOME A 501(C)(3) AND MAINTAIN THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO THE CITY AND COUNTY, WHICH ARE NOW THE SAME THING, AND HAVE PROVIDED PROBABLY A 50 PAGE DOCUMENT OF EVERYTHING THEY DID AND THEN WHAT THEIR BYLAWS LOOK LIKE AND ALL OF THAT.

SO IT'S REALLY WONDERFUL THAT THEY WERE WILLING TO SHARE THAT BECAUSE IT IT TAKES IT HELPS WITH THE PLANNING PROCESS.

HOW LONG DID IT TAKE THEM? I DON'T KNOW THAT. OH, AND YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER TOO.

IT'S A MUCH BIGGER DEMOGRAPHIC.

SO THERE ARE A LOT MORE PEOPLE TO TALK TO.

WELL, WE'RE GROWING SO FAST.

PARDON? NASSAU IS GROWING SO FAST.

I KNOW, I'M SURE ANYONE ELSE THAT HAS COMMENTS OR CONCERNS, THINGS THAT ARE ON YOUR MIND THAT YOU'RE NOT QUITE SURE ABOUT, DON'T BE SHY TO TALK ABOUT THEM.

[00:55:02]

SO YOU WOULD SUPPORT DOING A TEMPORARY HIATUS, YOU WOULD SUPPORT ALL THIS.

WOULD YOU ALSO BE DOING ALL THE PRINTING? YOU DON'T NEED AGENDAS IF YOU'RE SUNSETTED.

YEAH. WOULD THE SUNSETTING START NOW OR WOULD IT START--IT WOULD START WHEN YOU WHEN YOU SAY OKAY.

YEAH. BECAUSE WE WOULD STILL CONTINUE THE REGULAR MEETING.

THE REGULAR MEETINGS WOULD NOT HAPPEN.

BECAUSE YOU'D BE THE CITY ADVISORY FUNCTION THAT YOU ARE IN RIGHT NOW.

WE'RE JUST GOING TO TEMPORARILY SUNSET PUT ON HOLD.

THOSE MEETINGS WON'T HAPPEN BECAUSE YOU ALL ARE GOING TO BE MEETING AND TALKING ABOUT ARTS AND CULTURE RELATED THINGS.

WE DON'T WANT YOU ALL TO VIOLATE THE SUNSHINE LAW, THAT'S ALL.

THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO KIND OF GO THROUGH THIS OFFICIAL PROCESS SO THAT YOU ALL CAN TALK TO ONE ANOTHER, [INAUDIBLE] CITY SAYS, YES, LET'S GO FORWARD WITH THIS.

TEMPORARY STATUS.

THAT'S WHEN YOU CAN MEET IN COFFEE SHOPS OR WHATEVER.

WE WON'T MEET HERE.

WE WON'T BE RECORDED.

JANUARY MEETING WILL STILL BE.

THE JANUARY MEETING IS GOING TO HAPPEN BECAUSE THIS ISN'T ALL GOING TO GET GO THROUGH THE PROCESS UNTIL LATER AND AGAIN WHEN WHEN SOMEONE WE DIDN'T DO IT, EVEN THOUGH I, I SHOULD HAVE FACILITATED THAT PART.

WE DIDN'T HAVE A MOTION A SECOND.

SO WE'RE GOING TO NEED THAT HERE PRETTY SOON.

WE WOULD NEED LIKE A APPROXIMATE MONTH TO START THIS.

YOU WANT TO START IN FEBRUARY. IF YOU WANT TO START IT IN MARCH, YOU CAN'T START IN JANUARY BECAUSE WE MISSED THE DEADLINE FOR ALL OF THAT BUT YOU CAN YOU CAN SAY WHAT MONTH YOU WANT TO START IT IN, OKAY, BUT YES, THERE WILL BE NO BASICALLY ALL THE WORK THAT WE DO IS MAKE SURE YOU'RE BEING RECORDED.

VIDEO, AUDIO, YOU DO YOUR AGENDAS, WE DO YOUR MINUTES.

THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO HAPPEN BECAUSE YOU'LL BE TEMPORARILY SUNSET.

NOW THE CITY ATTORNEY CAN SAY, OH YES, YOU DO, AND THEN WE'LL DO THAT, WHATEVER SHE TELLS US.

SO YOU HAVEN'T TALKED TO THE ATTORNEY YET? OH, THIS HAS BEEN. YES, THIS HAS BEEN VETTED.

THIS TALKED TO THE CITY MANAGER ABOUT THIS.

YES, BUT NOTHING WILL HAPPEN UNLESS ALL OF YOU WANT THIS, AND THEN THE WHEELS START CHURNING.

SO IT'S LIKE, OKAY, WE HAVE A BOARD THAT WANTS TO DO THIS NEW THING, AND THEN WE ALL WORK THROUGH IT, CHURN THROUGH IT, AND MAKE SURE IT HAPPENS THE WAY IT SHOULD AND CAN I ASK THIS QUESTION IN YOUR COMMENTS TO THE BOARD? DID THEY FEEL THERE WAS SOME DRAWBACK TO BEING RESTRICTED BY THE CITY COMMISSION? AND THERE WERE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR AN ARTS AND CULTURE BOARD IN THE COUNTY TO MOVE FORWARD? I WOULD NOT LIKE TO BE THE SPOKESPERSON FOR ANY ONE OF YOU.

SO THOSE OF YOU THAT DID MENTION ANYTHING LIKE THAT, OR IF YOU'RE THINKING THAT, PLEASE, PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH YOUR FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS.

I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE DO THAT.

SO YOU'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE? THIS IS FOR ALL OF YOU TO DISCUSS AMONGST YOURSELVES.

I WOULD JUST SAY, AFTER BEING ON THIS BOARD FOR SIX YEARS, THAT THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OR THE COUNTY, NOT JUST THE CITY OF AN ARTS ORGANIZATION THAT IS SORT OF THE UMBRELLA, I THINK IS HUGE.

WE'D CERTAINLY BE COMPETING FOR SOME OF THE SAME FUNDING, BUT THERE BUT IT SORT OF TENDS TO HAPPEN WHEN THERE'S MORE PLACES TO PUT MONEY.

THERE'S MORE MONEY TO PUT.

I DON'T KNOW HOW ELSE TO SAY THAT.

IT'S LIKE IT'S LIKE RITE AID AND CVS HAVE DRUG STORES ACROSS THE STREET FROM EACH OTHER BECAUSE THERE'S MORE BUSINESS IN GENERAL. IT WOULD SORT OF BE KIND OF THAT SAME PROCESS, I THINK, AND BUT BUT I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE, THE STAKEHOLDERS AND THE PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE INVOLVED IN SORT OF THAT ARTS MILIEU TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE ON BOARD AND REALLY BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN WHAT THE GOALS ARE AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO DO.

IT WILL BE A LOT OF WORK.

MAURIE THAT PRESENTED THEM, HAD THEIR PRESENTATION TODAY, ALL THE WORK AND RESEARCH THAT SHE'S DONE TO CREATE THE ART TO BE PERFORMED IN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY.

SO OUR ORGANIZATION, I MEAN, IF WE BECOME THE 501(C)(3) FOUNDATION TO GET THE MONEY TO US, THERE'S ALL THAT WORK THAT'S INVOLVED TO FIND THE ARTISTS TO COME TO THE CITY AND THE COUNTY AND SO FORTH, AND IT'S A LOT OF WORK.

I MEAN, SO IT'S NOT A FLY BY NIGHT TYPE OF OPERATION.

NO, IT'S NOT, AND IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE A 501(C)(3).

[01:00:01]

RIGHT. SO JUST YOU KNOW, ASKING FOR MONEY IS ONE THING, BUT ACTUALLY REALLY ACCOMPLISHING TO HAVE THE ARTISTS COME AND SO FORTH THAT YOU HAVE TO PAY IT IS A LOT OF WORK.

IT BECOMES A JOB, AND I DON'T THINK ANYBODY HERE WANTS, UNLESS THEY GET A BIG SALARY TO PUT THEMSELVES IN THAT POSITION.

SO THE 501(C)(3) WOULD HAVE A NEW ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE.

SO THEY WOULD TO DO THE SET UP YOU NEED THREE BOARD MEMBERS.

SO THOSE THREE WOULD BE THE IMPETUS TO GENERATING ALL THIS WORK, AND THEN FINDING THE PEOPLE THAT WOULD ULTIMATELY BECOME THE FUTURE BOARD MEMBERS, WHO WOULD THEN UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A WORKING BOARD, AND YOU'RE NOT COMING HERE FOR THE FAME AND GLORY OF BEING ON THE BOARD, BUT ACTUALLY TO DO THE WORK.

SO I DON'T DISPUTE THE AMOUNT OF WORK, BUT I'M SAYING THAT THE STRUCTURE WILL CHANGE AND THE PEOPLE ON IT WILL BE JOINING IT WITH THAT FULL KNOWLEDGE THAT THIS IS THIS IS SERIOUS WORK.

SO I THINK ALL THESE NEW CHANGES NEED TO BRING IN PEOPLE THAT ARE WILLING TO UNDERSTAND THE MISSION AND THE VISION.

SOME OF THEM HAVE EXPERIENCE DOING STUFF AND SOME OF THEM ATTORNEYS.

ACCOUNTANTS WANT TO VOLUNTEER FROM THE COMMUNITY AND BRING THOSE SKILLS FORWARD.

SO YOU'RE CRAFTING A WHOLE NEW ARTS MACHINE TO MOVE FORWARD.

YOU'RE NOT TAKING ALL OF US AND SAYING, NOW FORGET WHAT YOU THOUGHT ABOUT LET'S BE SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

YOU HAVE TO BE SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO MAKE THIS WORK.

SO IN ORDER TO KEEP THE DISCUSSION PROGRESSING, LET'S GET A MOTION AND A SECOND AND CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION.

I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION? YES. IS THERE AN OPERATING BUDGET OR CAN YOU CLARIFY? ARE THE LEADERSHIP POSITIONS PAID? THIS IS ALL VOLUNTEER.

THE COSTS ARE JUST THE MINIMAL OR CERTAINLY TO BEGIN WITH.

YES. LIKE TO LAUNCH A WEBSITE LIKE THAT WOULD BE COSTS.

I MEAN, WE DON'T HAVE ANY PROJECTION OF WHAT THE FIRST SIX MONTHS WOULD BE.

WELL, THE FIRST I THINK I'M NOT GOING TO BE HERE.

SO THE FIRST SIX MONTHS IS GOING TO BE THE WHOLE FEASIBILITY PROCESS, AND WHAT IS IT REALLY GOING TO TAKE AND WHAT SHOULD THE BUDGET BE AND WHAT'S IT GOING TO LOOK LIKE, AND WHERE WOULD WE FIND SEED MONEY AND ALL OF THAT.

THAT FIRST SIX MONTHS PROCESS.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE AT LEAST SIX MONTHS TO GET THE 501(C)(3) APPROVAL FROM THE FEDS, AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY SET UP A BOARD AND YOU CAN BE DOING BUSINESS BEFORE YOU ARE OFFICIALLY DESIGNATED.

OKAY. FIRST THING YOU DO IS YOU FILE WITH THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND GET A 501(C)(3), GET A NONPROFIT STATUS WITH THE STATE OF FLORIDA, AND TO DO THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE A BOARD. YOU HAVE TO HAVE BYLAWS.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION.

ALL OF THAT NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE, AND THEN THEN YOU GET AN EMPLOYEE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER FROM OR MAYBE THAT'S FIRST FOR AN EIN NUMBER FROM THE FEDS.

YOU GO TO THE STATE AND THEN THEN YOU CAN DO YOUR WORK, AND THEN EVENTUALLY YOU CAN APPLY TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR A 501(C)(3) STATUS.

SO THERE'S ALL THESE STEPS.

I THINK IF I WAS AT DANCE FESTIVAL OR AMELIA ISLAND OPERA FESTIVAL, I'D JUST BE CURIOUS LIKE IS THIS NEW 503 C GOING TO BE PUTTING OUT ITS OWN PROGRAMMING OR. NO, IT JUST FUNCTIONS AS SUPPORT TO OTHER GROUPS.

SO AN ARTS PATRON COULD WRITE A CHECK DIRECTLY TO AMELIA ISLAND OPERA FESTIVAL OR CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL, OR TO THE NEW 503 C, WHICH DOES A DIFFERENT THINGS.

YES. RIGHT.

YEAH. THAT ORGANIZATION WOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE THAT MONEY AND POSSIBLY DO SOMETHING WITH THE ART FESTIVAL OR WITH THE CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL.

YOU MAKE A REQUEST. IF YOU MAKE A REQUEST, I COULDN'T HEAR YOU.

IF AN ORGANIZATION, AN ORGANIZATION WOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE A REQUEST WITH THE NEW 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION FOR MONEY TO BE USED, WE COULD CERTAINLY THE ORGANIZATION EVENTUALLY COULD BE A CONDUIT FOR GRANTS.

YES, BUT THE ORGANIZATION COULD ALSO APPLY FOR GRANTS THAT THEN COULD BE DISPERSED TO OTHER ARTS ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COUNTY.

WOULD IT BE A GRANT PROCESS ONLY A MOTION FOR NO THROUGH THE FIVE KNOW HOW TO PROCEED.

RIGHT. THE MONEY THAT IS THAT IS DONATED TO THE NEW ORGANIZATION.

[01:05:01]

I ASSUME THERE WOULD BE A GRANT APPLICATION PROCESS.

SO IT'S ALL JUST GRANTS.

WELL, NO, IT YOU COULD DO SCHOLARSHIPS, YOU COULD DO GRANTS, YOU COULD BUILD A THEATER.

YOU COULD DECIDE THAT YOU WANT TO DO A CAPITAL FUND, DRIVE A THEATER IN YULEE, AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO RAISE MONEY FOR.

IN JACKSONVILLE THE CULTURAL COUNCIL IS PAID A STIPEND FROM THE CITY.

THEY GET A GRANT FROM THE STATE, THEY GET A GRANT FROM THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT OF THE ARTS, AND THEY RAISE THEIR OWN MONEY AND THEY GET THE LICENSE PLATE MONEY.

THAT'S FIVE STREAMS OF INCOME THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO SUPPORT.

THE CUMMER MUSEUM AND ANY OTHER, AND THE AND THE NEW FOOTBALL STADIUM, THEY'VE GOT A LOT OF INCOME.

SO I'M NOT SAYING WE NEED TO GET TO THAT, BUT YOU NEED TO IF YOU WANT TO HAVE IMPACT, RELEVANCE AND UNDERSTANDING OF HOW ARTS WORKS IN THE COUNTY AND YOU WANT TO BE IN THAT POSITION, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DO IT.

GIVING OUT THE GRANTS IS JUST ONE SMALL PIECE OF WHAT YOU CAN DO.

SO I WOULD MAKE A MOTION BECAUSE YOU KEEP ASKING.

[CHUCKLING] IF YOU HAVE A MOTION AND YOU KIND OF KNOW THE DIRECTION YOU'RE GOING, AND THIS DOESN'T MEAN IT STOPS.

SO THIS JUST CONTINUES THE DISCUSSION, BUT YEAH WHAT WOULD BE YOUR MOTION.

DO I NEED TO CREATE THE MOTION BECAUSE ANYTHING IS ON THE TABLE.

THERE'S YES. NO MAYBE.

WAIT. OKAY. MY ON THE CUFF CREATIVE MOTION IS THAT THIS BOARD PURSUE THE PROPOSAL TO SUNSET ARTS AND CULTURE NASSAU FOR WHATEVER PERIOD OF TIME IT TAKES, AND I DON'T KNOW.

COMMENCING IN MARCH, IN ORDER TO GIVE.

THE NEWLY CONSTITUTED ORGANIZATION, WHATEVER IT WANTS TO CALL ITSELF, THE TIME TO DO THE EXPLORATION AND DISCERNMENT NECESSARY TO DECIDE ON WHETHER 501(C)(3) STATUS IS FEASIBLE.

OKAY. DO YOU HAVE THAT, KATY? YEP. I'LL SECOND THAT.

WE CAN ON RECORD.

OKAY, AND THEN THERE WAS A SECOND I SECONDED IT.

OKAY. NOW FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT.

IF THERE IS NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, YOU CAN JUST GO AHEAD AND WE CAN.

WE CAN ROLL CALL, BUT IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON.

CAN I HEAR THE MOTION AGAIN PLEASE? YES. OKAY I HOPE I GOT IT SO YOU CAN EDIT FREELY.

YEAH. THE MOTION WAS FOR BOARD TO PURSUE A PROPOSAL TO SUNSET ARTS AND CULTURE IN NASSAU, STARTING IN MARCH, TO GIVE THE NEW ORGANIZATION TIME TO EXPLORE THE 501(C)(3) STATUS AND MAKE SURE IT'S FEASIBLE.

I JUST WANT TO ADD ONE WORD TEMPORARILY SUNSET.

IS THAT OKAY? DID YOU YOU DID SAY THAT SUNSET.

OH, YEAH. TEMPORARILY SUNSET.

SUNSET. I WOULD ALSO MENTION WHEN I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAUGHT THAT RICHARD SAID SOMETHING ABOUT A THREE PERSON BOARD.

I HEARD THAT THE NEW ORGANIZATION.

I'M ASSUMING THAT THE ONLY REASON HE SAID THAT IS BECAUSE A BOARD MUST HAVE AT LEAST THREE PEOPLE.

IT HAS TO HAVE A PRESIDENT, VICE PRESIDENT AND SECRETARY.

CORRECT. THAT'S THE MINIMUM.

THAT'S THE MINIMUM, BUT YOU CAN HAVE A 20 PERSON BOARD RIGHT FROM THE GET GO IF YOU WANT.

I MEAN, YOU CAN HAVE AS MANY PEOPLE ON THE BOARD AS YOU WANT, BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE AT LEAST THOSE THREE OFFICERS IN ORDER TO BE DESIGNATED A NOT FOR PROFIT WITH THE STATE OF FLORIDA, IN ORDER TO OBTAIN THE 501(C)(3) STATUS.

WELL, ACTUALLY THAT AGAIN, THE FIRST STEP AFTER YOU GET YOUR EMPLOYEE EMPLOYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS TO APPLY TO THE STATE THAT'S DOWN THE ROAD. YES.

WELL, YOU CAN DO THAT TOMORROW, BUT NOT TOMORROW BECAUSE [INAUDIBLE] YOU APPLY TO THE FEDS FOR THE EIN, WHICH IS REALLY EASY TO GET.

YOU DO IT ONLINE AND THEN YOU SUBMIT TO THE STATE YOUR ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION, YOUR BYLAWS AND MISSION AND VISION AND WHO YOUR OFFICERS ARE AND ALL OF THAT.

HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU KNOW, WHO THE BOARD IS, HOW THE BOARD OPERATES, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH BLAH, THAT YOU NEED THAT TO OPERATE IN FLORIDA HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE 501(C)(3) STATUS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

THAT'S A SEPARATE ENTITY, AND WHAT THAT WHAT THE 501(C)(3) STATUS DOES IS THAT IT ALLOWS YOU TO ACCEPT DONATIONS.

RIGHT. THAT ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE.

[01:10:03]

DOES THAT ALL MAKE SENSE. I'VE DONE IT LIKE 3 OR 4 TIMES.

OKAY. SO THE STRUCTURE WOULD BE NEEDED TO BE DEFINED BEFORE YOU SUBMIT THE APPLICATION.

ABSOLUTELY. YEAH.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION.

OKAY, KATIE'S GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CALL THE ROLL.

IF YOU JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE HAS THEIR QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

OKAY. OKAY.

OKAY.

THANK YOU. SO HERE'S WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

NOW, SCOTT AND I ARE GOING TO TAKE THIS TO THE CITY MANAGER.

WE'RE GOING TO ADD IT AS AN AGENDA ITEM UNDER HIS DIRECTION TO THE APPROPRIATE CITY COMMISSION MEETING.

WE WILL LET YOU KNOW HOW THAT PROCESS GOES.

WHAT AGENDA OR WHAT CITY COMMISSION AGENDA THIS IS GOING TO BE ON.

I INVITE YOU ALL TO BE THERE.

I THINK IT'D BE REALLY APPROPRIATE IF YOU CAN MAKE IT IF YOU ARE THERE, BUT WE'LL KEEP YOU APPRIZED AND WE'LL COMMUNICATE WITH YOU AS THIS PROCESS.

I DO WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THIS IS A VERY NEW PROCESS FOR ALL OF US.

SIT ON THE CITY SIDE AS WELL.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE WHILE WE NAVIGATE THROUGH THESE UNCHARTERED WATERS.

THANK YOU. AS FAR AS STAFF COMMENTS, JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE YOUR NEXT MEETING IS JANUARY 8TH.

[7. STAFF COMMENTS]

THAT'S A MONDAY AT NOON, RIGHT? IS THAT A MONDAY? YES.

OKAY, AND SCOTT, DID I FORGET? NOPE. OKAY. WE'RE GOOD.

HE SAYS WE'RE GOOD. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

DOES ANYBODY ON THE BOARD HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS THEY'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH US?

[8. BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS]

SO I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT.

IF THERE'S SOMEBODY THAT YOU WANT ME TO TALK WITH, THAT'S GREAT.

I'D LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT AS WELL AS MY LAST MEETING.

CHRISTINE [INAUDIBLE] IS THE LADY WHO WILL BE REPRESENTING THE AMELIA ISLAND BOOK FESTIVAL FOR THE JANUARY MEETING.

VERY NICE LADY, VERY LOTS OF CREDENTIALS.

I THINK SHE'LL DEFINITELY BE AN ASSET TO THIS ORGANIZATION AND LIKE PENNY, I PROBABLY HAVE BEEN ON THE BOARD A LOT LONGER THAN PENNY HAS, QUITE FRANKLY, AND IF YOU NEED SOMEONE NEEDS SOME HELP WITH SOME HISTORY OR WHATEVER, I'LL BE GLAD TO HELP AS WELL.

JUST LET ME KNOW, AND I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY THROUGH THE YEARS AND IT'S BEEN UP AND DOWN JOURNEY A LOT OF FUN SOMETIMES AND SOMETIMES NOT SO, BUT NOT VERY OFTEN, AND I'LL MISS YOU ALL. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

IS ANYBODY ELSE GOING TO DISAPPEAR NEXT YEAR? WE'RE ALL HANGING. ALL RIGHT.

I'D LIKE FOR THE RECORD, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BOARD RECOGNIZES AND APPRECIATES BOTH WHAT PENNY HAS DONE, ESPECIALLY ON OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE, WHICH WAS EXTRA TIME AND EXTRA EFFORT, BUT HER INPUT WAS INVALUABLE, AND FRAN, FOR HER HISTORY OF THE ORGANIZATION, THAT WE ARE VERY INDEBTED TO THESE KINDS OF VOLUNTEERS THAT MAKE A VOLUNTEER

[01:15:01]

SO THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS AND WE CAN'T THANK YOU.

THANK YOU ENOUGH.

ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS FOR THE BOARD? IF NOT, YOU ALL HAVE A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY SEASON.

WE THANK THE STAFF.

FOR ME PERSONALLY FOR TWO YEARS OF THEM DEALING WITH THE SHENANIGANS THAT SOMETIMES GO ON AND DO IT IN A PLEASANT MANNER, LEAVING THE SOFTBALL BATS IN THE OFFICE.

IT WAS A GOOD A GOOD TREAT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.

HAVE A GREAT HOLIDAY. I NEED A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

MOTION. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.