This is the march 13th 2024 meeting of the Public Art Committee at 2 P.m. We are meeting in the City hall, second floor Media room. Um Megan, can you call a roll, please? Mr Toth. Has not arrived yet, Miss Christopoulos. Oh, here comes Mr Toth. Mr to President. Mister Jones. Here, Miss Taylor. Here, Miss Wood here. Ms Christopoulos is running late. Apparently uh, Miss McGrath has an excused absence. Miss Arbit also has an excused absence. Chair Jennings. I'm here also, OK? We have some guests today. Quite the gallery out there. Um If you would, uh, just come up to the lectern and just give your name and address. Excuse me. My allergies are acting up. Hello I'm Brandon G. I'm the marketing operations manager for Tarpon Arts, the city's cultural and civic Services department. Thank you. Robert Stackhouse. I live at 735 Chesapeake Avenue here in Tartan Springs. Thank you, Robert. Andre Smith. I live at 4339 Worthington Circle. Juliana Day for 13, East Oakwood Street. Topping Springs, Florida. Good, Thank you all and welcome. Um I trust you've all had a me a chance to read the meet. Meeting minutes from Jan, Uh, February, 14th. Can I get a motion to approve? I'll make it. Mac. 2nd 2nd, FRA. Any discussion Corrections. Uh I noticed a Scrivener's error. The uh Tina BUCA Wallis's name as a guest was misspelled. Other than that, are there any substantive changes or corrections? All in favor of accepting the minutes as submitted, Say, I any opposed Minutes are accepted as submitted. Old business, the Riverside Field Mural project, Diane Yes. Um the artist, um, has received, uh, his supplies, Uh, check and, uh, he's gonna be getting started in the next week. Great. Excellent OK, That's good news. OK the UM Black heritage Project update and signage. Um Steven sent a, uh, an email to Diane and I assuring us that it will be ready for the, uh, March 25th unveiling. Um, there's also gonna be, um, that's gonna be on the sponge docks at the Marina. There will be a lecture at the Heritage Museum at 6 P.m. on March 26th Cultural Center. Excuse me, Cultural Center. I'm sorry. OK? And, um We have to review the signage. OK I know that when, uh, Doctor Buis was here. She made extensive changes. But I think in terms of signs, you know, signage. It's just Far too worried. We wordy it reads like an academic treatise. I'm sure you know her concerns were all You know, academic and accurate, but, um I think they need to be further modified. Graham. Do you have any comments? About the signage wording. Not about the wording just about the quantity of it. I don't see how it will fit on any reasonable size sign. Mhm. Hello. Come in. The typography on the Um, existing sign at the Union Academy. Is already quite small, and, um I. I just don't see how we're going to get a Less than overwhelming sign with all of this. We just have to cut it down somehow. Um, can we ask Tina to cut it down? Um I don't know, either that or, you know I could take it upon myself to work on it just to edit it down. Can I make a comment too? Sure, Diane once Brandon gives his presentation there. There might be, um, an opportunity to use all of this. Uh, verbiage. Um so I was hoping you'd say that. But um, yeah, we can work on making it. Uh And I'm also asked, uh, public works. To take the signs off the one at at Union Academy because it is incorrect. So um, they'll be doing that. And then once we've agreed on what this signage should be, Um, you know, they'll reinstall right? OK? OK, um OK, our next. Oh we have some new guests. Could you please come to the lectern and give your Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Do we have a decision on what's gonna happen with this? You're gonna edit it. Well Yeah, we're gonna wait for Brandon. I'm just gonna delay it until I hear Brandon's presentation. So that's tabled. All right? Yeah. Um please step to the lectern and give your name and address please. James Dorset, 531 East, So Wood Street, HARPEN Springs, Florida Welcome. Brenda Dorsett, 531 East Oakwood Street, Tarpon Springs, Florida Welcome also OK, Brendan. You give your presentation, please. There is some printed materials in your folder. The presentation will also be on the screens in the room as well. Thanks to Mark Ch. Um again. My name is branding Rock. I'm the marketing operations manager for Tarpon Arts. I work with Diane Wood and Megan over at the Heritage Museum and the other tarpon arts venues. Um so a little background on this presentation. Uh last week, I was talking with Diane about different options to identify artistic locations. Uh, throughout town, um as part of a bigger project involving QR codes. Uh, to share that with the public Now I know the group has looked at other options, one in particular called pixel sticks. I know there's a few others out there as well. So our goal was to try to emulate all of the features that are offered by pixel sticks, but in a more cost effective way in a way, that would be easier for us to have complete control of whether it's updating, editing, uh, and sharing on our own social media platforms for the city or the Public Art committee. As well as the Tarpon arts website and other outlets that we choose. So um, looking through the various options. We came across Google maps we had found other examples of museums and, um, venues using this platform to share similar items that we, uh, would like to share as well. So as we dove into it, we realized that this could be a really great opportunity, uh, for the public Art committee and for the city as a whole, So I'm gonna click to the next slide, and the presentation is called Enhancing Tarpon Springs artistic legacy with Google maps. So the items that we're going to discuss our first we're just gonna do a brief overview and introduction to Google maps what it is how it was created the benefits of using Google maps. How that how we can use Google maps to identify art locations and then a bit of a recap, and we can take any questions at the end if that's OK. So first introduction to Google maps. It was founded in 2004, in first publicly launched in 2005. It was one of the very first platforms to do cell phone navigation. Uh, before that we would use Mapquest where it would just print out a list of directions. But this was revolutionary technology. It actually gave you step by step directions as you drove in your car or if you walked, I mean it has a public transport applications it has driving it. Walking direction is very versatile tool. Uses anonymous data from smartphones all throughout the country and throughout the world to tell what current traffic conditions are. Um Currently it's used in over 220 countries and 72% of cell phone users worldwide use Google maps, and that includes iPhone users who also have apple maps installed on their phone when they purchased the device so you can see it's a very widely used application. Uh, it's preferred by most people. Uh and most of us are very familiar with it. Uh, it feels you know, most people have a high level of comfort using this type of application in the software. And another great feature about Google maps is you do not have to download any apps. Which I know was a hesitation point about maybe using pixel sticks or another type of navigation or location, Uh, platform to identify artistic landmarks. I know there's a hesitancy. Uh, is this going to slow down my phone? How am I gonna get pop ups? Well with this type of platform, you don't have to worry about any of that. So now we're gonna discuss some of the benefits of using Google maps to identify artistic landmarks. Um increased visibility. Increased visibility for artistic landmarks are due to Google's wide reach. You have over 1 billion users worldwide per month using Google maps and Google collects all of that data to give real time updates across the world of traffic patterns. Uh, it's updated regularly with street closers, which is great when you're tourists are coming to town or even your residents wanna go check out a piece of art They can say. Oh you know what? There's a really bad accident. I'm gonna go tomorrow. I'm not gonna 45 minutes when I can get there in 10 minutes on a normal day. Um custom maps also allow you to filter out the Nos. Like other businesses and landmarks and show your users only what you want them to see so you can take out you know the WalMart on 19, and it'll just show the piece of art on that corner. Or you know you can take off the street names and just do a general overview, which we see in one of the appendixes. I have an example of one of what those maps could look like. Um, the navigation feature takes the stress out of finding the location for visitors. Uh, they can easily plan their trip by clicking on the landmark and, uh, Google maps will automatically route them straight to it. It's easy to get from one landmark to another, or from your home to one and back and again. It also offers alternate modes of transportation. The bus system that offers um walking trails. It gives you bike estimated times, so it takes into account all different types of way. That one might want to get to one of these locations. You also have street view, which is a phenomenal tool that you can use to literally see the exact view you would see when you're standing in front of that artistic landmark. You can get familiar with your surroundings. And in a lot of these cases like the Pelican statue at the Sponge docks, for instance, you can even see it in the street view before you go. Um so it it's a really amazing tool that will kind of help give visitors uh, almost, uh, a stress Before going, you know they can get familiar with it. They know what to expect, Um, before their trip. Uh, most importantly, well , almost most importantly, it's mostly free. It is free. It's free for I think the applications that we would be using it, Uh, it's free to sign up and have a Google account. It's free to build the map. It's even free to share it. Uh, the cost does come in when you get into high volume of visitors to your site or using your custom map. Um With Google maps. They provide you a credit of $200 per month per Google account, and that is for any Google API tool, Whether it's maps or one of their other tools that you can use on your website or for your business now to tell you what you can get for $200 a month. That's 1 million free uses per month. So the idea that we're gonna be, uh exhausting that that budget is, you know? Could it happen? Yes Will it happen? Probably not. I mean, that's that's a lot of Web traffic. So More than likely there would be no cost associated with it. Unless you were to pay. Um you know a Web developer or someone to host it. Hosting your website , you know, And those are kind of a costs that are already being incurred. I believe you know, there's a page for public art already, UH, posted on the Tarpon arts.org website. Uh and this application could be embedded on that site or sites of your choosing. OK? Um I'm just gonna quickly walk through the steps on how you build a custom Google map. It actually is pretty simple. All you need to do is first create a Google account or a Gmail account. Um, they're one and the same. You would then access the my maps feature located inside the Google homepage, you would click to create a new map, which you would name on Google automatically saves all of your updates in real time. So you don't have to worry if you don't click, save after you type in a location's name or enter a description the second you click off that, uh, tab or that button , everything is saved and updated in real time. You can customize markers and location names. You can choose the color in the icon that you would like to use as you'll see in your Um, there are a green, uh, pallets, artistic painter palettes that I used for the examples. But there's several, um And if you look at the Heritage Museum, I use the, uh, US national icon for museum to locate our to identify that building as well. But yeah, you can do a series of several different icons and any color you really want, you can have them displaying the name of the location and the artistic piece, or you can just Have them as icons. And then once you hover or click, the name would appear with the description. My point is, it's very customizable, and there's lots of different features that you can play with. And um, design the map in the way that you think is best. Um you can add descriptive, uh, text links in the body of the of the copy area when you click on your icon, and you can also add a photo or several photos of that piece of art. Um, which is pretty cool. In your appendix. You could also see that I added photos for each of those examples. Uh and then back to canceling out the noise, you could choose the type of layer of map you prefer so you can have a map with the icons overlaid that has all local other businesses or you can filter out as many as you want. You can use a map that looks like an actual satellite view of the area, or you can have one that is completely blacked out or You know, with no street names or anything, as you'll see in the first example in the appendix, uh and example a And most importantly, it's so easy to share your map. Once you create your map. All you do is click the share button and you can either use a link or you can share it directly through email. Text uh, social media or again we like we had mentioned earlier. You can embed it on your website, Which just means on the Web page. Uh, whatever Web page, you choose to embed it. You'll just see, uh, that exact map on the page, as opposed to having to go to Google to view it, uh, through Google maps. So it's really a versatile tool. All right. So just kind of to wrap up before we look at the append appendix. Um You know? It's a great platform. It's widely used, uh, helps increase visibility for landmarks. Uh, it's great for tourists. It's great for locals who want to find a resources to see our pieces of art throughout the town. There's little to no cost. Um the chances of us going over that $200 limit. Um over a million visitors a month is very , very low. It's a great interactive experience as well. Uh, something I didn't mention is users can Uh, upload their own photos and write reviews. Actually you can become something that's known as a local tour guide on Google. Uh And if you submit a certain amount of reviews, you get kind of like rewards or you gain a status so to speak. Uh, so that can be kind of a game. Uh, for instance, you could use it for promotion for scavenger hunt. Where you know you have a citizens go out around town, and they have to leave reviews on every piece of public art and post a picture and then the first person to complete Wins a prize or ways to promote new pieces of art. You know you can get creative. There's a lot of opportunity. Um you have the ability to showcase photos and read reviews. You could share them on your social media. Um just by putting the link in your Facebook, Uh, profile feed, it will automatically populate a picture of that piece of art with so some of the description. Um the navigation features again are fantastic. You can use it to get from your house to the art location from art location to our location. You can plan your trips. You have street view, uh, different modes of transportation, and it's very easy to update You can update it from your cell phone from a desktop, uh, through the app. There's lots of different opportunities to do that. Um If we have a minute if you all want to turn to the appendix A, which should be towards the back of your packets. We have an example of what the desktop view would look like. So let's just say, for instance, you were shared a link or you clicked on a link on you know, the public art page on the tarpon arts website. Uh, The image on the left is what you would initially see with the legend. Populated. You can minimize that to just see the map. Um but that's kind of your home image. And you could customize that, too. You can have it where it would just show the map in a square box. Or you could have a populate with the legend initially, and this is just a quick example that I had built, uh, for this presentation , and then on the right side of the split screen. Uh, that's what you would see. Once you were to click on or hover over one of the icons. So for instance, this is the Sizzler, Uh, the Sizzler field softball mural. As you can see, there's a photo of the mural. Uh, in that red bar towards the top. You have the location's name. You have the directions icon directly to the right of that. So if you wanted to go visit, all you'd have to do is click on that direction Icon and it would take you right there. I give you the directions to get there. Uh, And in this particular description, we just use the artist name the year it was installed and then the description that was listed on the public art Web page. Uh, pardon me for a second, Brandon. So this is kind of like where I wanted to show you all That with the Black heritage Project, uh, sculptures, you know, we can put more of a description here right to, you know, to definitely put as much information as we want to, you know, kind of thing, So I just wanted to wait till you saw this, so there is a place where we can do something that's a little bit more lengthy and more detailed. Right Ok, thank you again. So this is the desktop view. I also did a few examples of the mobile view. So this is what you would see on your cell phone and appendix. Uh so again map one B one would be the landing page. And as you can tell, I wanted to show the different layers. So again, this layer only has the artistic landmarks. If you look at the map portion, and then the street names, it doesn't show like a satellite view. With all the other businesses. You can add those in but for this example, um, I just wanted to show what one of the features is. Uh, it's more of a cleaner look. And again. I chose the pallets to, um, identify. The artistic landmarks and then the museum symbol to identify the Heritage Museum in Spring Bay. You so if you look at appendix B He Huh? Oh, sorry. Uh in B one we used basically, What is the standard layer that you see in most Google maps? It's just your normal overhead satellite view, and this does include all other landmarks, Uh in businesses and Uh, items you would normally see on a on a pretty standard Google map, So when you would first click on the link to see the artistic locations, the landmarks you would be taken to what is seen in figure B one. That would what I would consider your landing page B two is an example of the legend, which, if you were to click on the View map legend Um, line at the bottom of B one. That's what would be brought up on your phone next. Uh Figure B three is , uh, if you were to hover over with your finger and click on a location profile for this instance we use the Pelican statue. That's what would start to come up and then in figure before I just kind of scroll down to just show you more of a idea of what the full, uh, listing would look like, you know, in a lot of ways. It's very similar to the desktop listing, but it's more of a hybrid with what you would see in the Google maps app and mind you This is all Web based. This is not through the Google maps APP because I wanted to show an Of someone who Maybe they prefer apple maps so they don't use Google maps, but any browser can on a cell phone on smart device can access this and this is more or less what it would look like for them. So Brandon. Excuse me. Uh, if you, uh, if I restrain you correctly, so this is there's not an option for the simpler map on the cell phones there is. I just wanted to show a different options. So for instance, in the desktop view, I just chose a different layer. Uh that would? Yep And then I just wanted to show that there are other options for whatever you're choosing. Uh you know, there might be reasons why you wanna show surrounding businesses. Maybe Yeah, but, um, so, yeah, This is just one of many. Layered options There are, you know, probably Close to a dozen you could choose from and you could also customize them as well. Thank you. Great Thank you very much, Brandon. Problem Um, Any questions or Katie? We'll start with you. What kind of sort of Bryan Brandon? Nice presentation. I would say, um, on your search engine. Are you searching by name? Uh by address you can do, uh, both, but the ideas you don't have to search so you would be clicking on a link that would take you to a map or you would be visiting the public art website in the map would already be on the screen of the website. So all of the locations that the public art committee identifies as a public Artistic landmark that you want to share with your viewers, um, would already be listed on there , and there would be a specific icon that would represent that so all you would have to do is click on one of those, and there would also be a legend. Uh that would show them all listed. So you could Google it as well. And more than likely that map would come up because the names of these are really specific, You know, Like if you were to Google, you know, Pelican statue , SpongeBob Sponge docks. Tarpon Springs, Florida. A very high likelihood that map would come up in that those search results. And what about address? Does it show you the address? Yeah You can. Um so there's several. I'm glad you asked that question. So there's several ways you can Identify and what they call P. A, uh, landmarks to those maps so you can do it by your dress. You could do it by, uh, longitude and latitude coordinates, which who know? Yeah That's just getting a bit a bit, uh, precise, but, um, you could also just hover on the map and you can zoom in and you can just click where you want that pin to be dropped. For instance, I know we have an address listed for the Pelican statue. But if you search that in Google or Google, Ma It actually is a little bit down the street. It's not directly across. So if you were to go to that address, which I think is like 735, Dodecanese or something like that. It doesn't actually take you to that. It takes you close, but so you know. Yes you can search it by address. It's not always the best way. But I think the best way to utilize, uh this platform would be kind of how I showed it in the first two examples of the map where we would already have all those icons listed out on there. It'd be something that would be organized beforehand. Uh, and then presented kind of like a whole package. That makes sense. Thank you, of course. Right? Um I think it's important to Excuse me to note that If you want visitors to have the full experience that you're talking about, then they have to start from the map on the top and springs public art page that starting from Google maps on their phone isn't gonna do it for them. That somehow we have to drive them to the starting page. Mhm. Yeah, I. I completely agree. I think that that's the um yeah, that that would be the priority would be getting them to the established map. First whether that's through digital advertising or just having it embedded on the home page for public Art Committee, or any other way that you would drive normally drive traffic to a to a Web page Now now to, um, continue that just momentarily, then, um, that, in fact, is no different from any other method that we choose. For um, leading our visitors to wonder about, um , looking at the public art because we have to drive to a starting point. It's not something that they're gonna be able to find on their own. And that's true of every method. And one of the things I was going to mention. Is that the ma'am, could you could you silence your cell phone, please? Thank you so much, Um Uh, one of the things that we were wanting to do is try to not have people download an app. So the good thing about it is that this is an opportunity for that. We're gonna have to market it No matter what. But um, you know, we were trying to get away because the pixel sticks and all the other ones that we were looking at that don did so much research on it. It also required people, you know a lot of art lovers. You know, um, like lots of different people, you know, have different, you know, ability to utilize the media today. I mean, it's constantly changing. The uh, you know, as far as the technology goes, so we wanted to make it as easy as possible. So just being able to control it on our website and everything and be able to, you know, edit it easily. Just seem like a really good way to do it, You know, kind of thing, but we are gonna have to push people to you know that site anyway, no matter But you know we use um so, I. I have a further question. Um, should the Public art committee decide that this would be a good way to go? Um, is, um To an arts. Also considering using this for their various locations and putting a map on their own website to drive people to help people get to their locations, Because if so, then, if we did it as well, then it would be a slam dunk. It would be a natural because you'd be able to link the two together and people looking for art in top and are always going to end up at the top and arts page. Um, which at the moment is sending them here to come and see shows amongst, you know, primarily, um, but if we have, you know a little collaboration there we then then that would help. I think we are all about the visual visual arts and performing arts, So it makes a lot of sense the arts and culture in general so, But the $200 fee is that a given no matter what it's for all Google API programs, which is an application program interface. So any Google tool that you use Whether it's Google maps or You know their Web developing tools. Uh, they have a $200 credit that you can use anywhere in your Google account. Uh, as a business that's interfacing with Google. So you know We're not using others. Otherwise nobody would put the Google map link on their website. You know, I mean, they do make it affordable. A million would be you know, Uh, gosh, I don't even have a good example. To be honest with you. Who would be getting that kind of web traffic. The Eiffel Tower? Yeah, well, yeah, Something like that. That's exactly it Like, Yeah. Yeah, right. But um and also to step back a second, a way of driving people I forgot to mention which is listed in the agenda as QR code so they would be ideally posted at all of these sites, either on a plaque or you know, displayed in one way, maybe on a flyer that's distributed Advertisements, print advertisements. Uh and that would be AAA fairly good way to drive people directly to the map as well. Another way is that, um, you did mention, um local guides, and, um local guides can Contribute to Google maps. That's one of the things that they do apart from do reviews of various places, and, um, when you a local guide contributor, you can upload photographs and you can put some text with them, including links to other places. So should there be any Google any local guides on the public art committee? Then you know I would encourage them to go out. Take pictures and um and tag the link back to the public art website. Yeah Yeah, I thought that was one of the really nice interactive features, Uh, about using Google maps was the ability to up for visitors to upload their own photos and write their own reviews and to share that with their friends, um, and encourage others to do the same right. That just drives traffic where traffic to the same and once those photos and that are are there from the guides or from the visitors, Um, they are in fact public and you don't have to go to the public arts site website. Find them. You find them just cruising around the map exactly more organically in that way. Nick. Um I'm not the most technologically savvy person here. But I think Graham asked the question Kind of. How do I get there? Uh In other words, if I you know, how do I wind up? At the side. Do I? Just What if I googled? Uh a public art and Tarpon Springs? Would that bring me to the you know? So tarpon arts.org. You know the website and from there it would take it from there. Yeah I mean that that more or less would be the best route. I believe if you were just Googling art and Tarpon Springs, Of course, Tarpon Arts rates very high on the SEO, which is the search engine optimization where one of the top results when you Google art and Tarpon Springs just by nature of our name, Tarpon Arts. Um but we do have a public art committee page on the Tarpon arts.org website. So Really, the link would either be shared or that map would be embedded on there with thinking of people who don't you know, are visitors . It's our You know any of this that there's a public art committee or anything and all. And you know what it how how they get there? Yeah I think that would honestly be the best. Uh, method for if you're just starting from scratch, and you're a new tourist in tarpon, You don't know anything. You don't know anything about where the murals are. You don't know about the nads. You don't know anything. And you Google Art and Tarpon Springs. You would Really see tarpon Arts. Uh and then hopefully you were able to explore further to the public art page. And then, in my opinion, it would be wise to put that map embedded right on that first public art page or you currently we have four columns. One is a call to artist current projects, and there's two others , but one of those columns would be dedicated to you know, uh, map or whatever you would choose to call it, You know, artistic landmarks. You know something like that, so you would call attention. It front and center and make it really, uh big and bold as one of the first things you would see on that portion of the website. Yeah. Yeah, Something like self guided tour. Yeah yeah. I mean, that's really what What? I think one of the main goals of this platform. The research was right. I think you also answers our question about where we could put all of that extensive information about the black heritage Project that, uh, doctor buco provided You know, it's easily just copied onto the appropriate, you know, uh, spot on the map. I could show you an example. Even if it's easy to edit ■and add to So in the mobie view or the desktop view, you see the Sisler field. Copy written below. It would just kind of be where that information is. You would have the photo or several photos at the top, Uh and however you choose to format you can put as little or as much information in that field as you would like. Yeah. You can also explain who Sisler was. Yes you could embed other links and everything right ? And I don't even think, uh, there's a character limit so it could really be as long as you like, you know. Well, this sounds absolutely great, Brandon. I mean, um I. I can't find any fault with it. Really? But, um But, uh, I'm gonna entertain emotion to, um Further pursue using Google maps for, um You know, artistic landmarks in Tarpon Springs. So moved And get a second. Nick. Uh, any discussion Rather than what Um, yeah, I think, um That I'd like to thank dawn for all the work that she did leading up to this point. Um, she did do some investigations on Google maps but wasn't able to find out as much information as Brandon. Unfortunately otherwise we might have got here a little earlier, but, uh, I would like to thank For all the work that she did? Yeah, she really did a fantastic job. And so did you, Brandon. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you might want to spearhead doing, you know, getting all the information together for us to put on right? That's a good idea. Maybe you could, uh, follow up with an email to her. You know, we can said she couldn't be here. Perhaps the chair could create a committee with dawn at the head. Um so she's not. Oh, yeah, That's right. She's an ultimate. Yeah. Then. No, You can't have an alternate chair of committee. No. Um So that would have to be. That was that was her well, It's kind of a task more than a committee. I don't know if we need a committee if she's You know? OK, OK. Ask a question on that jump before you move away from that for dawn. Uh, is that in Ordinance, or, um, Somewhere that we can consider that, Uh, alternate darling could not hear that chair of that committee because she's an alternate. Is that in writing somewhere? Yeah it's uh, if you look at the, uh, Public art ordinance Uh, the committee is run under Robert's Rules of Order, and Robert's Rules of Order say that only a member of the committee can chair Only a member of the committee can chair a subcomittee or a jury. Yeah, it's um You have to always refer back to the ordinance, but it also is the chairs, prerogative to appoint. Um committee as long as the chair operates within Robert's rules, and um, because Robert's rules are included by reference into the ordinance. That all committees within Tarpon Springs shall be conducted according to Robert's rules of orders, except where specifically overridden Yeah. So you know, I know even my age a committee we have one woman that sits on the board of directors simply because she wants to do the social events. Because only the members of the board of directors can share committees. So it's a pretty widespread, uh You know, uh Accepted part of Robert's rules. So do you have? May I see that in writing cause I know you want I asked for it, but you didn't. But you have the ordinance. Yeah, but it's not in there. That's what I was. That's all we go from. That's all we gotta do writing. That's all I'm asking is where is it in Robin Room that I can see Rolls is a book about this thing, but that's what I'm asking you. Where can I find it? But you're not telling me where to find it. Well, it's probably under committees and under Roberts rules. But it's a It's a pretty accepted. Uh uh, Graham, do you want to try to Google it Thank you, Brandon. Thank you. Thank you. Have a great day. You too. And highlight Yeah, we can. I think we can move along. We can look at, um we can Google it and look and send you the section on the committees, you know, Thank you. Um, are you gonna vote on that motion? Uh oh, yeah, all in favor or all in favor of Google maps. Motion to further pursue using Google maps for planning out an artistic landmark map in Tarpon Springs all in favor. Uh, any opposed OK, unanimous. OK, um And you can continue that. Uh, Graham. Why do we keep going? Um Dorset Park Mural. Um, Diane Yes, Um So Nick has and I have been kind of working on this project. Um May just kind of mostly facilitating the information. Um But anyway, um Basically my task was to get the artwork. That is proposed. To um the company speed pro to give us estimates on the application because, as you know, um They At Dorset Park they were talking about possibly redoing the building in the future. Um However, that would probably take a couple of years from now. So we were looking at kind of like an application. That could be, uh, a little bit. You know, flexible, you know, based on what they decide to do with the building down the line. So, uh, in talking, um To Nancy. Um I guess they were talk. The committee was talking about doing it on the West wall, which is the opposite wall from the Playground at Dorset Park. And so what I found from speed pro. There's he. He went out there, measured it. The pro went out there and measured it and kind of looked at the artwork and then said But he recommended for the application. So, he said, if you want something that's removable They act, it actually would have to be on three separate panels, and it's like an aluminum panel that could then be taken off the building. Uh and then you see on this handout that I gave you On this. I just tried to consolidate it because the estimate is so confusing. So basically, um, that would be the application for the three removable panels. His point was, is that the only drawback about that is that you can see like a bit of a seam on it and everything he recommended doing it, Um, the second application, then that second price. Where it would be just like the Christopher still mural that's on the chamber building. And he said, and then, um, in talking to Mark Laurus. He said that you know, we don't know. You know what's gonna happen with that? It might just be an add on we don't know if we don't have a crystal ball to know. But if they did have to Demolish that wall and then put this artwork back up the city would pay for that. It wouldn't be another expense for the public art committee. So Um, speed pro. Uh and I am recommending that we do the second one, which is that application like the crystal mural, And the nice thing is too on that West wall. It's gonna get a lot of sun. And so, um, they put a really nice UV right? Put uh, application on it. And as you can see, you know, the crystal mural has been up there for a couple of years now, and it looks perfectly fine. Then it gets a lot of sun, too. So that's what I'm recommending that we do. Which would be that that price, um with the wall application, and that includes everything. You know, that's the total price there. The $4776 OK, and, uh and there was some question from the committee whether this was a graphic Or not, and, uh it is an illustration. OK so we'll be getting the actual illustration. This is No, I mean, uh, Oh, yeah , the he'll be setting it to speed pro, whatever you decide to write, But if he's doing an original illustration, I assume we're going to get it. Maybe to give to the family or I'll have to ask that II. I was just too concerned about getting the prices. It's like I always comes down to the budget prices, you know, kind of thing. So by the way, have you seen the revised budget? Uh, revised design. I saw the first one. Yes, I have seen Has some comments. As he comments on the Right? Want them to be. Exactly. Um, this is a supposedly the, um, the first one that we all saw was kind of like a first draft to the family and everything, And then they made modifications and, uh, came up with this more colorful one. And this one is apparently was approved by the family in selection committee. Um do you have any other comments Nick from I spoke with, um Yeah, I spoke with Nancy Royal. And um, she said that what we have in front of us, this is the Final. Iteration. You know that the artist came up with and that you know that she approved of it. Committee approved of it. You know, and, uh Yeah, And then we could go ahead and go forward with this being the being the final mural, OK? Um On that. Uh, Not until public public comments. Um. All right. So this is this is the, uh I really like the addition of the track. You know, instead of those blurry black lines that that were there and I, I assume he's also going to give us a receipt for all the materials he used. You know, cause I. I mean, if he if he used paint materials and stuff like that one would assume that And actually the second page here is his invoice, and he he does have materials listed there. Oh, yes. Yeah He's very expensive. Um point of order. Are we discussing whether to approve this or are we just discussing it? I guess discussion to approve. In that case. I move we approve the current Dorset Park mural designed for funding by the Public Art Committee when they when we choose the wall application wall transfer process, the $4776. Change option. OK, Do I hear a second? I could You say it again, Graham? I didn't hear you. I'm sorry. Um I propose that the Public Art Committee fund the Preparation and application of the Dorset Park mural design as approved by the family and selection Committee. Um but in particular the wall transfer process, the $4776.60 option. OK, second. Yes, I Uh, any other further discussion? Now you can have public comment. OK we usually don't. But Juliana, why don't you Yeah. Excuse. Hi, Celia. Um Juliana Day 413 East Oakland Street Topping Springs. I know at the last meeting. I was like it was one thing that you brought up about the, um, baseball player that it didn't show. The symbol on his shirt. So Because, as he's leaning over something about that And Where is the ball in his hand? Right Disappeared. It just It was on the last one, though. But where is it now? Thank you. Because Because that was when I When I first glanced at it, it almost looks like the basketball is the baseball is through the Let me go look at the original one. Here's the original. That's my, uh Right. It would have been right here through the ball. The baseball it disappeared. Is that good Looking out? Is it supposed to be in his hand? No, no. The original is like right behind the basketball player's knee. You said it was And you said you was gonna move it from behind his knee, because if he's throwing it, what's he's doing behind the basketball's knee player's knee? I think that the three athletes are Completely different and separate. And what we're looking at is a sort of Position from about Maybe 15 ft left of home plate and seeing the baseball already halfway down the pitch. He already threw the ball. Yeah. Within his hands and looked like he threw a ball. The ball hand is open. Not clutch, but yeah, there's a there's a ball missing in the in the final one, but I'm not sure that it really matters. Um If The family and the selection committee have approved it, OK, one more question. The track. What's the What's the symbol of why is a track there? We have some family members here to ask. No no, These are the door side. He's the Dorset. He's not a royal family. Sorry Well, you know, it is all in the in the interpretation of the artist, you know, Like any art, you know , project so I mean, maybe that was just something he incorporated. I mean, there's no track at Dorset Park. I didn't ask Nancy. Why that you know why It never was a track there. Well, it seems like a graphic. You know, but it's If we want to make this When can I address her question? Because I am on that panel with Nancy. Um When they changed this the track, it was more to show it as a ballpark where you can have different things going on, because eventually, maybe in the near future, they might be a track up there because the park is changing, but, um, that's what he was trying to do is make it more of an atmosphere of a of a park that had had more things going on than just, uh, both ball playing. OK, but I felt this picture is supposed to represent history. No, because the track is not history. No art is not history. Art is art Art is art. Yeah Yeah, you know, you read this heart You know, The thing is that it's open for interpretation. But I, I hear your point, You know, I mean, This is it's almost like the Black Heritage Project. It's kind of You know, skirting the boundaries between you know, art and, you know fact. Um I put it completely different way myself, allowing history to inspire an artist, right True. But letting the artist do his thing. Or her thing that thing whichever way you want to do that, And here we have a clear case of an artist doing their thing. Right? And I like it. So do I. Graphically. It works for me. I noticed. You also added the basket, which wasn't in the original. And also added all this rainbow stuff which wasn't in the original too, You know, But I'm fine with that. Because last time you had the, um, the dots and it was like Almost looks like Cantone squares. Sorry Chatty. I said to me that the other background didn't make much sense. I mean, this is about this is a park. It should be depicted things that happened at a park. You mean this Well again it is. It's a design and it's not. It's just a design. It's not supposed to mean anything. You know, it's That's again It's going back to being art so Yeah. I don't know. How does the committee feel about this? Nick? Do you think it Um I feel that you know that. Having spoken with, you know, Nancy and all who you know, we're kind of the conduit right to get this, you know, done, you know, And let the, uh Dorset Park Committee or the, uh uh, The Rudy Committee. Um You know, um Make the decision of what they wanted. Uh I don't have a problem with it. Uh, again, you know, there's both sides Should it reflect history? Uh, you know , or directly or, you know, is it an interpretation Is it to inspire, you know? Yeah I mean, as a graphic. It works for me. I mean, I don't wanna play art critic, you know? Well, that's right. Obviously we're the public Art Committee. We're not the historical society and I and I go back to approved by family and selection committee. Um, As far as I'm concerned, we're done at that point. Do we approve the money? Or don't we approve the money? That's it? Yeah And so I proposed and move that we approve the money and I call the question. OK? Uh all in favor of approving the $4776.61 budget. All right. IK I OK? It's approved great. Has submitted. Thank you. OK the illuminated art boxes gram my long suffering Graham. The last I heard was from Diane. Late last week. The um public Works had promised to have them all installed by the time that we met today. Did that happen? I have no idea. I was out sick on Monday. So um, you know, just trying to play catch up. Um So I have not had a chance to go down to the sponge docks. Does anybody else? Yeah, There wasn't anything happening down at the sponge docks yesterday, So don't know if they were there today. I haven't driven through today. Not yet. Do we have to go do a field trip? Maybe they have done them. Yeah. I'll check When I get back to the office. I did see Tom function and he sort of led me to believe that they were done, but You know when they did the, uh, unveiling for the you know the statute for sharing, uh, the tree rather, um, I have one thing about eliminated art boxes. One of the artists She was unable to claim her honorarium because she did not have Documentation. She's Because you know, like Not United States citizen. So she has that all set up. Now she just emailed me today and asked if she could receive her. $100 honorarium now that she can be registered as a vendor. Sure it's due to her, so Yeah, thank you, Megan. OK and, uh Graham, I guess this is the other thing we should talk about is I don't know whether we finalized it because just like everybody else in the world, I've I've been pollens. Um Did we finalize the timetable for the next round? I think we did that. At the last meeting At the last meeting, we decided that we were going to, um Put it off for a year because the art boxes were not going to be on display properly for a full year as we promised the artists, um that we would let it ride for a year. Um, but we're going to bring the Call forward a couple of months so that we can do kind of a long year this year and a long year next year and then and then back into the cycle again, right? Because yeah, I agree, because I think we need to give, um You know, uh, public works. Enough time to, uh you know, they have to be selected, printed and then give public works time before the holiday season starts, and they get really swamped. So you know, one of the things that we didn't anticipate as a committee is that when we increase the number of boxes from 20 to 40 just exactly how much longer it was going to take in that print and prep and install cycle and, uh And that that's on us. Yeah well , you know what messed us up to is that you know is a reprint, you know? And um, you know, thanks to Alan for, you know, kind of Taking responsibility and doing it for us. So that's Yeah, OK, uh, OK, the CR a mural project. Did we get any submissions? Diane? None this month, OK? City clerk building. I gather that's still that's under construction as we speak. We speak Megan, our budget update. There are no current project updates and our balance as of March, 13th today. Is $200,000 200,012 dollars. And the only thing that Has gone out with Mister Ramirez. Check for his supplies, OK? All right. And then I guess we'll Oh, What are our commitments out of that? Do we have what Remaining payments are due, so we paid Have to pay. Uh the last installment for Steven Oliver when the when everything's completed, which is Well. I one third of 130, right? Yeah. Roughly 40 some odd 1000 plus the other, Um, the Riverside plus the new Dorset Park thing, So we're we're talking approx. We've committed approximately 50,000 or so of that. OK, thank you. But skew a little above that. A little above that? Yeah, OK. We need more car washes. Money into the coffers. OK new business sponges and dreams, the Greek immigrant experience in tarpon Spring. This was a proposal for every FOS. And I know I'm gonna mispronounce Is it Haa Haa? Yeah, it is Haa. And C. OK, and, uh, I think you know we have Uh, she made it. This was, I guess, prompted by the sister cities that, uh, Tarpon Springs has with, you know, various cities in Greece, including The Isle of Han. And, um Uh, I don't know about. I. I don't think she actually spelled out in You know , much detailed exactly what she was proposing to do, or did I miss something? No no, It's pretty pretty obscure. I. I think you know the best Course of action is to send her that document where we say if you have a new art project, you know , you need to fill out all this information and you know what you're gonna do and propose and everything you know, Uh, she's obviously not just an artist, but an author, a playwright, all kinds of things. It's like I'm I was confused as to what her You know what she was proposing to rise with you? Yeah I mean, I didn't know whether it was a sculpture or, you know she didn't give any concrete proposal absolutely no idea of any kind of budget because there was no concrete proposal, so Yeah, I. I read through a blend of sculpture, multimedia displays and interactive components. The installation will offer et cetera, et cetera. And I'm thinking interactive sculpture probably fairly large. Probably fairly expensive. I wonder if we could afford it, and I wonder what it is. And, uh, Things by all means. You know is in Crete. Um I I've found out that I did some research, Western and all. They don't really have much connection. To the sponge diving industry. Uh, Crete isn't that heavily. Involved or wasn't that heavily involved? Um There's not Hardly any of Connection with Read and tarpon as far as Sponge diving industry. Excuse me. And although there are, uh and very few Cretans, uh in tarp, and although there are more I believe in, uh Pasco County and all Um The book is, uh, Is self published. And all so there may be a bit of self promotion. Of going on here. And all, but, uh, it's so open ended. And You know? Doesn't really say much that, uh, You know, I. I think it's just maybe somebody testing the waters. And You know again, I don't see the connection. From Hania to Tarpon Springs and You know what What this is going to bring to the table for us, culturally, uh and all you know. Well, The other thing doesn't uh, toplis mean people pick up. I'm sorry. Doesn't her name mean people Pictures? Yeah something like that. It it it didn't almost sounded made up. But no as she's a real person, But no, I'm not saying she's not real, You know? Sounds like a you know, like a professional name or no, I know some members of the Follis family here, OK? All right. So um, so basically, if she's serious, she'll fill out the recommend the you know, required paperwork that the public Art committee requires new projects, You know? So Diane , will you send her you know, like the appropriate forms and You know, an idea of a concrete Project and some idea of budget. And then we can reconsider. But it's all in that proposal they need to do you know, so OK, so I guess we'll move along from that, Uh, the Bahamian Sponge project. Uh, one of the things I have to, um, comment on here. Is I went back through some of my old files, and I found out that This had been proposed exactly in 2020. And, uh, We actually put out a call to artists, which got no responses whatsoever. Diane I think you can verify that. Actually the call to artist was the one we did for right. It ended up becoming the Steven Oliver project. Katie could you pass those back to the thing that grant that all three together from 2021 was from 2020 2021. So this was before the board of commissioners? Twice in two years four years ago. Three and four years ago. So it didn't It didn't bear any fruit then, and I'm wondering whether we should Go there again. You know, we have Steven Oliver's Uh, dual sculptures, you know, honoring the, uh You know, the sponge, the one down at the, uh, sponge docks, and then you know, the Union Academy community at the Union Academy. So, um You know, it's uh You know, unfortunately, BBA who's the chair of the committee is not here today, but You know, um Uh, I'd like to make a motion to reconsider the project. You just discuss whether we should you know, pursue this. Oh, second, the motion so that we can talk about it, OK? Uh, Nick. How do you feel about it? I mean, About the Bahamian Sponge project about this, you know the statue. OK? I mean, it was proposed before and it never got anywhere. You're saying this was proposed a few years ago, 2020. Could you pass those down? I don't want to show that. I'd like more time to really, uh, think about about that. And all, but, uh. Yeah, I think I'd have to have more time just to, uh, to think about moving forward or not moving forward. You know that? We do have, uh, you know, research now showing you know that, uh You know that before the Greeks, uh Came here that of course, that the there are a lot of people sponging. You know, they're people that were coming. Uh, not just from the Bahamas. But Bahamians coming up from, uh, the keys. He also had the uh uh What we call the conks. You know, we're also you know, coming up, and, uh and we also had African Americans here in, you know, in Tarpon Springs and the local, uh, you know, uh, Floridians, you know, the local uh uh. Yes. You call Florida crackers and all here and they're all everybody was out there. They knew there were sponges there and they were sponging, but they never, uh you know, but it was, uh It. It wasn't really a viable It wasn't an industry Then people doing it , you know, and the grease came up with the mechanized diving and turned it into an industry. However, a lot of, uh A lot of the, uh The people. The uh Bahamians, uh, and African Americans. We're We're hooking. You know they were hooking but still But even after the Greeks came in doing the mechanized diving, it didn't stop. And there were, uh A lot of the, uh the hams and African Americans that were in the, uh, what we call the packing houses or the sponge exchange and all you know, we're Sponge clippers and all the things you do to sponges , you know, before they can hit the market. So Um I feel, you know, Perhaps there should be some. You know, I think there needs to be a recognition of that history. Well, that's the whole point of Steven Oliver's project. I mean, are we are, you know? Are we reinventing the wheel or reduplicating something that already exists? I mean, I don't know. In what form you know again. I'm this I don't know what they have in mind for the but this is a proposal for a statute. I was OK. I was thinking more that Steven Oliver's wasn't really a statue. You know? I mean, it was more you know it display and that this is I mean, what I took away from it when we started talking about it that it was gonna be a bronze like a bronze sculpture or something. I don't know that I have a problem with the A bronze sculpture, you know, honoring, You know, the. I don't know what form that would take. But No, I'm not really ready to strike that off of the, uh uh So you wanna bring it up for further? I'd like to continue this and see what the, uh I wish . Uh uh, Bibo was here and all and I'd like to hear you know from the committee. Uh, you know, or the I guess Biba is gonna Select a committee to move forward with this. You know, I don't know if that's happened, or, uh, Well or if anybody's here to speak on on that, Uh, Or not, but the I'd like to, you know. I'd like to what would be called, Uh what I table it or would I need to discuss it further it do I get it. Do I get to speak on this before y'all table this? Oh, I mean, what My thing was they wanted down the line. OK, well, you know, I heard the motion or something to take it off the not just to reconsider. Oh, So what do you mean by reconsider? Well like, you know, bring it back for further discussion. Oh, yeah. I wanna bring it back for further discussion, and, uh, You right and to hear you know what's going on. I mean, it seems to be You know, a worthwhile project? Uh you know, I don't know what form it's gonna take you all. But I'd like to find out more. So I didn't know if the motion was to Do away with? No No, no, no, It's just it's reconsidered because it came up four years ago. And you mean it came up in the, um here in the public art committee, OK, I didn't Yeah. No I mean it. It even went so far as, uh, A call to artists. Right Diane? Well, that was the initial call to artists that we did for the black heritage. Um project and the artists that responded the 14 proposals that we got. Nobody proposed a bronze statue, So they all came up with all kinds of different, Ray. I'm sorry, not my interpretation of art, but I mean, it's like there were lots of different things, but nothing was, um nobody jumped on the statue, You know, bandwagon they all propose something different, all 14 of them, You know, kind of thing. And Steve, including Steve and Oliver and the selection committee. Decided to go with Steven Oliver's proposal, you know, instead of saying because it wasn't the cult artist was not specifically that we were looking for a bronze statue. It was kind of open ended to whatever media The artist, you know, was there their proficiency, you know, kind of thing. So that was one of the issues. I think that took the statue off the table was that we never got any proposal. For that, you know. That's how I remember it anyway. In the absence of the Um, person on the public committee who's responsible for Preparing cold to artists and forming committee and so on for this project, um, and given that we have not yet had any Report back from the committee or from the Member in charge of the committee. I am going to say no. I'm not interested in discussing this further at this point in time. OK, Katie. Well from what I'm hearing. It sounds like a serious um Serious injustice for the for the Bahamian sponger. Because a lot of a lot of people May have come through that sponge dogs. To Being part of the sponge industry. The sponge hooked a bohemian sponge was the first to bring that industry to the decks. And when they brought it, it was, um Daddy Brooks, the one of the me, uh, in what in the 19 hundreds when he brought 1928 when he was the first the papers that you just gave me showing that this was was a downplayed In 2020 20, the as I mentioned before the master plan for this city in in January of 2020 called for a statue. Or a, um, to be placed on Dodecanese in representation of the Bahamian sponger who has no representation down there now. You the art committee. Just as Diane was saying had a lot of different ideas. Nobody stuck to what the master plan called for a statue. It turned into an art project one sitting on on on on at Citizens Alliance for Progress, the Union academy sitting down there over a drainage ditch, which has very little representation of the sponge, the one that was supposed to be unveiled on Dodes also has not been produced by Steven Lot of a lot of responsibility was put into an artist Steven, who hasn't very little ties in our community. That first committee was unbalanced. As far as I'm concerned it, it shows that a lot of people on that committee was was calling for history. Go do go to the go to the community. Talk to the community about the history. It One of the committee members told me personally. That they they were the ones who chose to make it two separate art project and stick them on two corners. This this project here should be approved to move forward with a Bahamian sponger statue to be placed on Dodecanese in representation of the first sponge who ever set foot on Dodecanese, Eva. Might have been been put in charge of this, but I'm pretty sure from what I'm looking at. This is trying to be put on delay again because you're trying to go back to 2020 say that another that another committee chose to segregate it and put it into do two different aspects. All I'm asking is that these spongers be given representation on the follow the master plan. Give this panel a com a chance to come back to you with an idea of what it looks like. I have already asked seven people to be on this on this panel and a few of them here sitting here today. I'm sure we'll be glad to give you the opinion on why This should go forward. Katie, Um Nick just said no, We're not going to reconsider. We're gonna wait for the Committee to report I just said no, we're not going to reconsider. We're going to wait for the committee to report Right. Come here. Hm What committee This committee the bes Committee. Viva! Don't have a committee. What Who is Vivas Committee? Because I she's in submitted. I submitted seven names to Diane and ask her to submit those seven names to this committee that Eva ever get the names of the seven people on the committee that I suggested, Because when you look at it, it was my idea to even put it on the table. So I would think I would have some voice and even it was. It was everybody if you got it, got it, so But but But you're saying Eva have to select a committee. The committee is already there and everybody is basically over. It is the member responsible for reporting back from the committee. You She's not here. That's what that's my point. Exactly Joan, you keep saying she has to create the committee when I've I've given you a suggestion of seven people whose volunteer She can take your suggestion. Well that's what I like to see happen is the seven people that I commit? Submitted or that has has already volunteered to be on this committee. Some of them sitting here today. I would like her to consider those seven people. Because that's more of a representation of what who's gonna focus on stay focused on the on the statute of FD. It might be like an art project, but it's not gonna be separated and tossed around in a bunch of ideas to come. And now you got a project sitting on the corner in in the community that a lot of people are not satisfied with. I'm I'm sorry to say. Preferably It'll get better because you're saying that it's not completed from 2020 to 2024. That project is still not completed. We're trying to move forward with a new project to go back to the master plan. Would it call for was for a statue to go and do a Dec. It didn't call for it for a bunch of art to go on two different corners. You know what Master plan That was? You had 1 2021 that you spoke when I gave you the minutes on because a lot of the verbiage in there on January 10th. I think it was 2020. Where you yourself? Joan changed the, uh, verbiage from a statue to a art abstract. I have the minutes written out. I went over numerous times. Yeah. So it was brought before the board of Commissioners and change. No, No, it was it was. It was brought before this board and changed so the committee changed it. Exactly But you You've got your art project. You got your art project on your two corners from what I'm seeing. That's not the Bahamian Sponger project because the Bahamian sponger has no identity on that corner down there on the on on Union Academy corner, it doesn't have any representation of Mr the first Bahamian sponger who came over here. And started training people was Daddy Brooks. He was the only Bahamian sponge captain on the decks on the das two ship that that was dark right there in in in on dodes. None of that is on Union Academy Corner. None of that is represented represented on that corner, and Steven haven't finished what he was supposed to complete on the deputies. But I'm saying four years down the line here. You still working on that project? This is a new day and a new time. We're asking for a new Committee that I've already suggested selling people. Seven people to work on the project that we first established in 2020 that should have been on the focused on dose. That's all I'm asking is a new B is in charge of it. And the only thing I we can do is she got this email She can consider these people and their qualifications. Usually a jury is between 3 to 7 people. So, um You know, it's in her camp. Really I base this committee all of the same people that the seven people that y'all had on the Black Heritage Committee because it's the same committee just different people. It's reversed because in this one as you can see some of the people sitting out here today, often in the community, I can't think of a better artist that that's a renowned artist that Mr Stackhouse, who's will who has also volunteered to sit on that committee, so everybody on this committee is well deserved. Miss Dorset. B The Dorset is it educator? So she's and she's she's a historian in the Black Black heritage. Black history like Tina is with with with Greek history. You're talking to the lady who has black history. So we, we're trying to get it refocused on what we should do on the deans for that statue. I feel comfortable with the committee that we have, because all of them are well suited. We have a veteran. We have two people from the community. We have an educator. We have a renowned artist, OK? Well as I said, it will be forwarded to be, and it'll be up to her to make a decision. So OK, So do we have a final decision on this? Is it going to be tabled? Can you read the motion, please? Megan? I just had motion to reconsider the Bohemian Sponge statue and then Everything that you guys just discussed. There was no motion. Yeah, there was you made a motion to you made the motion, Mr Jones second. Oh, there was no motion, right? OK so can I get a motion to reconsider? No, OK. Is there any motion on this? Nick. Graham. Confused. I'd like to see this, you know. Grand might need to tune up a real motion are you but, uh, I'd like to see This, uh, go ahead and continue to So let OK, so you wanna make a motion to that effect to postpone it until be book is back on the I can back here in the committee. Yes. OK, Can I get a second on that one? No motion dies. OK, so we've kind of we've kind of hit a stalemate here. So I guess it's up to me since we can't come to any decision, and, uh I think the only thing we can do is just Um Move this, you know, table it until the next meeting when we can get a report from Beaver. So . I mean, what were our options? I mean, it's We don't really in informally. We don't really have any options. Um, without Viva! You know, she didn't forward a report. She didn't come in person. Um it makes it very, very awkward for us to do or say anything, right? Yeah. So OK, staff reports. Diane Megan, Um, you have in your packet. Um just the handout that I've been sharing on social media about, um The Monday March 25th at the marina. No the, um, unveiling and then also the next day Tuesday, March 26th, I think Cultural Center to, um Steven Oliver's presentation. So um, just please share that information. Um We are going to have it in the theater at the Cultural Center. So uh, it is free admission, but, uh, we need people to RSVP just so we can You know, um, have a good count. There's 70 seats in there, and I think he's gonna do a PowerPoint presentation and answer questions from the audience. You know about the project, so it should be A good You know? Oh, and do you want to? Mention enclosures of Yes, Sorry. Um Yes , uh, was kind of last minute thought but in your packets also . I um added just some ideas that we I've given to you and other at other times, um, about new projects, and, uh, different kind of media like the kinetic and the seating And, you know, just to kind of get your you know your mind thinking about, um, possibilities. So you know, I just decided to That so you could be thinking about the future. Also I will tell you that budget season is just started for the city. So um, I believe you're gonna be doing, um The annual report and may and then, um So based on the projects that you, um we could go ahead if you have You know a good handle on the cost the projected costs of future projects. Uh you can submit that for consideration for the budget , you know, for the next fiscal year, and we have our, uh, maintenance figures, et cetera, right insurance and maintenance. You usually give us that So? So I guess you know, I'll work with you on the, uh, annual report. We just got them. Um so it's very early in the you know the game, So it's good to, um Be thinking about that. You know, for the rest of the year, you know, kind of thing. Um OK, committee reports. Nick, Do you have anything? Committee. Comments. Report. I have no, no. Graham. Um. No I don't really have anything that that. Um I'm I'm looking forward to what? Happens with this, Um Proposal for An additional bronze somewhere down at the docks. Um I'm hoping that Beber gets back. In the saddle and does something with it. Or maybe if You know, she feels she can't handle it. We could appoint another committee member to chair it. See what happens. Katie. Well I kind of agree with Graham because this is a very important project. It represents a community that's not represented in that downtown dode, and it reflects on us as a committee. So how? How this moves forward, So I appreciate any help going toward it, and I will be glad to help. Viva If she needs assistance. You can't you know that sunshine was I'll sit on that committee over there then. Well, that might present a conflict of interest. So Yeah. You know, you know all I wanna do. Is C. Things better for our For, uh, for the city of topping with the connection and the communities in our community and all over the city of top and quite frankly, because not only did the African American community support 202 110 signatures Went toward trying to get this. This statue statue. It doesn't have to be bronze. It doesn't have to cost 30 or $40,000 are we asking is for representation of a statue to go on the decks. For the Bahamians Sponge who was the first one down there who has no representation. Download the decade. OK but I'd just like you to understand that there's a process. I understand. Joan I understand the pro. I understand the process by it. And you we're all bound diet. But But but But what troubles me? Is that when it when it in 2020 when I look at the minutes from 2020 to 2024 This committee changed something that should have stayed on the decks and do what you do, because that's what you are. You are a art committee. That's your forte. That's what you love to do that right? And that's what you said last time when I was here When I presented this, you say we're not talking history. We're talking art. I'm talking for art exhibit to go and do Deane to represent that behavioral sponger point was My point was, we tried it. We got no response. We put out a call to artists. We made our best effort. And if we wanna try to do it again, we can, you know, but not from what I've seen John . No disrespect. May I have? May I have those copies that you shared with me? But I have those three copies. Yeah, thank you. These are from the annual report. OK, thank you. Let me go back again. Um Like I said, I'm looking forward to hearing from Bieber on this. I hope that there will be A Proposal and the selection committee and a and a selection committee appointed. And I wanna see what they're going to come up with. I'm Not interested in Arguing about it. I just want to see the proposal. Right? Listen listen, don't say arguing because all we doing is conversing here. Argan is a strong word. So that's not my intention. OK? I'm I'm sorry I misspoke. II. I um I mean, I don't want to talk about it anymore. What I want to do is I want to hear and report back from the Committee. I want to hear a proposal. I want to hear a budget and I want to find out who the artists might be. Thank you. That's that's what I'm looking forward to. Thanks, Graham. OK? OK, public comments. Brenda Dorset, 531 East Oakwood Street Top in Springs, Florida. I'm a historian. And my story. The stories are very, very, very important. And when you have a group of people who have been omitted Changed. Not thought about and I'm glad you brought up something. You said that you heard that Tarpon springs that when the sponges were here, when the people of color started, they didn't have an industry. They they couldn't make it an industry well, they were prevented from making it an industry. Because people would not purchase from people of color. So when they did, what they did was they combined with somebody who could make money for them, so they went to the Greeks, and that's how they got money for it. So it's not that it was not tried. It's not like they just sat back and caught the sponge just to eat them or something. That's not the point and you talk about art. History is important. Are you gonna put something that is not historically correct and call it art? The artist rendition. Um you know, we're talking about a city here who is trying to improve the communities trying to work together so things should matter. They should mean something, not just because the artist thinks it is coming up in the future. No we're talking about something that happens That happened before for it not to happen again, but to see how important it is to get things as bright as you possibly can. Thank you. Robert. Robert Stackhouse. Uh, 735 Chesapeake Drive, Um It's a it's a You know, it's a It's a difficult situation to balance of, uh where where we are in the in the city and where we've been and where we're going, and that's part of what we're talking about. I mean, uh, Um As as as far as as history and art goes. I mean, I've dealt with it all my life and you see it around. I mean, uh, the, uh, the most recent, uh, Academy Award. Best picture is not historically accurate. It's based on it. And we get that sense. But I think that that the difference between Um What's being being asked here is something about a community. That's that's, uh Feels Sort of left out slighted and, uh, I, I think that There's a sense of balance in in this request. Uh, I think I think Nick was was referring to it a little bit in that, Um, it is much as what What? Steven Who's a friend of mine, uh, has done with with that sculpture. He's incredible. He's pled incredible amount of history into it. I think I mean I. I remember at the unveiling of the of the piece at the at the Academy. How many people told me That's me. That's me over there. That's my uncle. That's my cousin. Right So that was that was a very important thing, and that's what public art is supposed to do. And I think Steven does it very well. I mean, he he, uh uh, understood the neighborhood and he's in the area and he's found out that he has relatives here. I mean, he's he feels a connection to this, even though he lives in Maine, part of the time. But I mean, and he's come back and forth in in order to do this thing. I think I think what Steven's done is A is a remarkable job on this, but I think There's a There's a sense that OK, it's over in the yacht Club or not the yacht club, But the, Um uh, yeah, the marina and it it Is to me, not the most fitting place for that, Um, I. I wanted to see with this project when I very first heard about it a sense of parity, A sense of, uh uh This is as important as that. In other words, we have the Sponge Diver statue. And it's life size. People take their photographs in front of it all the time. It's very much an identity thing. And a kind of a, uh uh, a sense of Another. Representation somewhat like that. I'm talking about people that maybe aren't artists people that come to Tarpon Springs because they Because maybe they heard it's the place to go. They may not even know about the sponge industry or the Greek history. They just see a sponge diver, right? And, uh um To see more than one kind of sponge diver, I think is something that that Would would bring, uh maybe a little bit more of a of a sense of balance to what goes on with the sponging industry. So I , I really, you know, Katie asked me to be on on this, Uh, committee would whether I'm on a committee or not, I don't know, but but to speak about it to support, I think their quest for some kind of equality with this or equity with the story and I think Nick really brought Pretty well. I mean, uh, about, um His his aware, You know, you're you're openness to seeing something. VI you know, visually equal history for all of us. Yes yes and without without any More than just that. The impact of a Of a Figure. I I'm not saying a statue so much and I, I you know, And I know that, um It costs a lot of money to do a full size figure. I mean, I can I've been there. I know. I know what that is. It's a very expensive thing. Um but to have some kind of a sense of a Life size figure of a of a Bahamian sponge. I can just see it. I mean, I can see it right now, with a hook and a pail with a glass in it, and you can see through it and stuff gives that sense that, um, it's right there. It's an immediate kind of an observation. Uh, so I, I think, um, that's what people take when they come to a place and come back. And when there's people that are going to read all the stuff that that that, uh Stevens put in his his his thing, and it's gonna be very important. But a lot of people are not gonna read it. A lot of people would just give a look. And uh, so the visual parody I. I think of a of a community and the importance of this community and you know, I I've I've watched Katie here when she was sitting on this side of the thing where I am now and there's a passion in this Mhm and I think that's something that that's very important for the city is to Sort of deal with the passion. So I just asked for you to keep considering this a little bit more, and obviously Bebas got to come in with more information with with with, uh, who's on the committee and stuff like that. But anyway, I just I just here to speak about that and that I think it's W. It's worthwhile to pursue it. A more thank you. Questions there. Here we go. Juliana Day. 413 is Oakwood Street almost forgot where I lived, OK? All right. And I am an artist, but I'm like a crafty artist. And right now I'm working on a sun sun dial. How to tell the story. That's what art is telling a story. From beginning To the middle to end just like we taught our kids in school in writing. They have to know where to start. Way to go and how to end it, so art should be something telling a story. Um telling our history as far as the African American in to and springs, telling our story and making sure that story is told Where it really shows the story. The projects that Mr Stevenson is doing is a good project and everything. But it Don't run the lot. It zigs and zags. Not telling the story like it should be told. From the beginning to the end. Who did this? Who did that? Who did? What? You know, just like the baseballs who's on first who's on second, who's on third. We have to know that OK? As far as your I wanna go to your Google map thing. And doing that Google map thing I would like to see That union Academy era. Area. Just not have one pick. This is throughout that community. It should not have just one P. That's gonna be the Union academy. Um, center. That's only pick will be on your Google map. It should incorporate the whole city Dorset Park. It should incorporate the, um The Lincoln area Lincoln Avenue area. There. Of people who who, um, and that that thing at the Union Academy do do do not even Talk about those people. You know you got at the Union Academy Center right, which was the African American school. It. Don't tell nothing about the first principle there. The first teacher there. You know what? That school What? It don't represent that school at all the African American school. Do it. It didn't tell the story. Of their school. And how I got there. OK, so And also Diane. How do we get notices for events in the community that's happening? Um do it. Go on the city website of where do it go? Well it depends on what it is. Because we you know, the city has different departments so Basically, um, like my tarp and arts deals with the four venues that I take care of, which is Stafford House Heritage Museum, Performing Arts Center and Cultural Center. So and then the public art because I'm the liaison and basically, you know, I'm here to help administratively, you know, with Megan and, um, so all of our stuff. We have social media. You know, we do have the Facebook, instagram and everything. So that's where we push out. Lot of our events, you know, kind of thing. Also the public art events we push out there. Uh, but then there's um Yeah, the merchants Association. They have all a lot of the events in the community. And then there's a recreation department and library. Everybody has different things that they're focused on. We've got the historical society . I mean, have you all worked with the historical society to you know, Tell the story that you think is missing. Have you all have you all work with the historical society to tell our story? Yeah I historical societies. A diff is a totally different You know, So if you're saying it's a totally different animal from that it's separate from the city to me is saying the same thing. It's a It's totally separate from the city. You know, Uh they we they lease the building from us, but they're totally separate. And you know, I get a lot of information about our buildings from the historical society because they have the archives. They have the specialty and everything. So the Steven work with them to get the history? No idea. I believe he did. But in listening to all the comments, I kept coming back to the same comment that Diane just made. You know most of your comments and concerns and, you know, lack of, um You know, shining a light on your heritage. Should be directed to the historical society, too. You know, I'm not. I'm not too I will get to them Good. OK I will get to them too, because they, you know That, too, is a part of the telling the story right to make sure the story is told the right way, right? But you know Your your investing us with a lot more power and responsibility than we actually have. And a lot of it. Deals with history, so you should Really take it to the his pardon My allergies take it to the historical society, you know , and see what they can do, You know, But don't don't John, don't you say just like he was saying, Don't you think art and history. Are they hand in hand? They inclusive they are they are they not? Well, then why not leave? Why are you leaving History out. Why are you leaving the historical society? No no, I I'm now I'm figuring out I am Yeah. Because that's that's a part of, you know, connecting the dots, and that's something that you know, we all want the dots connected to lead someplace . You know, we're not going down. Um A blank alley, you know well again, going back to you know Robert's analogy about the films you know something like Oppenheimer drew from history, but it's not completely historically accurate, OK? But compare that to, um, Snow white or something like that. You know, you have something that's totally the imagination of, you know, in someone's mind an artistic creation, so you you can kind of compare that to different kinds of art. You know , A lot of Robert's work is very abstract. It's what he conceives in his mind. You know, it's not representational. Sometimes you know you'd you'd have to really look at Robert's work and give it a lot of thought. It's very cerebral Art. You know, then there are things like a statue, which is it's a statue. It is what it is. So you know, there are all these, You know, Nuances in art. You look at old art, You know, like from the you know. We even go back to African tribal art. It's not representational. You know, you look at African masks. You know if I if I was all those projects was distorted , but right, But it was the this was the creation of an artistic mind. You know, if I look like that, I'd shoot myself. You know , it's not an actual representation. It's symbolism. It's symbolic. And a lot of artists like that. You know you you can't just like you can't say, you know, take all the Oscars away from Oppenheimer because it's fictionalized. You know, you Going to get a mix of the factual and the artistic. So when you all had those called to art, and you had all those artists come out. Why was Stevens on selected? The panel selected him. They felt it was The best. We had, as Diane said, we had 14 submissions. You know to the call to artists, including one from Spain. Oh, actually. I actually brought it with me. Um And Too many papers up here, Um. You know, they were just you know, they discussed all of the projects based on you know their merit what they thought it was narrowed down to four projects. OK? This was February of 2022. If you want to take a look at it, these were all the P comments, criticisms and suggestions on all of the different proposals. They could also print out for you like, uh, the picture of all the art that they proposed, you know, and you could probably see pretty quickly. Why they they picked Stevens. You know, it's just, you know, but the final Four finalists were humanity Memorial , Casto Solano, Steven Oliver and Louis Marco. Hm? So between those four and they actually had to make presentations in person to the committee. So the guy from Spain actually face time. The committee Steven and Lois appeared in person. So you know, if you wanna look at the comments from the committee, they're all here. And you, Juliana, I'm I'm gonna take myself out of the chair of the Art Public Art Committee liaison and put on my cultural and civic services hat If you all want to work with me to do An exhibit. At the at the museum. Let's do that, then that that's all about history, and that's all about getting it right. I mean, we've been talking about that, and Megan can concur with me for a long time. And um, you know, we even had a meeting about it, and we started gathering a lot of information because we really wanted to highlight you know the historic figures in Tarpon Springs, so I mean, that's where it belongs as an exhibit in a museum, you know, I Understand where you're coming from with the art thing, But I mean, that's where you can really tell the story correctly, You know, kind of thing, so let's set a date and sit down with however many people you want and let's talk about what it would look like and where we'd put it, And you know all that happy stuff. May I say something there as well? Is um Robert brought up balance and I think I too think that that's extremely important. And I have been saying for, you know many AAA long time now that having And exhibit in the in the Train Depot. Once a year for Black History month. Doesn't cut it. And we should have, um, a, um You know a proper historical Exhibit place in Tarpon Springs that covers the entire history of tarp, and so that people can can go through it and have a look at it. And everything from the, um Um, the interesting bits that were in the Heritage Museum about you know the original occupants of this land. Um, you know, the Indians and All the way through the original crackers through the, um the people who settled first, um, on the north side of the Anglo and then came over here. Um you know, the Bahamians who came the African Americans who came the Spanish The, um you know, the All the English people, For goodness sake, who came and settled here, Um Let alone The Greeks. You know, we have a lot of Underrepresented. Populations in Tarpon Springs in The historical view of our city, and I would like to see that corrected for all of us. Not just you, not just me, but for everyone I know And exactly And you should fight for you and I should fight for me. We should all fight for each other, too. And historical museum does have a lot of that They do. Well, I'm gonna I'm just Well, I'm gonna make one more comment. Katie here is just shining examples. She stepped up to the plate. She started going to all the commission meetings. She applied to be on this committee. I know she's feeling frustrated because she's bound by a lot of the rules and regulations. You know, And we all feel that at times, but Get on the historical society board. What's preventing you put an application. I come on board. Uh and plus, you can't sit on but one board and I wanted to mention to Diane, One of the one of these folks have I looked at it. I looked at all that. And if there's why should I apply for something where someone's gonna be sitting on there for 10 years and then somebody die cause us Well. That's excuse. Pardon me, But that's that's something that should be changed Most most any Nonprofit board worth its salt has term limits. Good right, and that's too long. Right? Yeah, you know, and, uh, you know, Yes . Oh, Mr Smith. OK, you're such a small person. Andre Smith, and I'm gonna use 538 Boy Street. Um I've been listening to the conversations. I'm just returning the Tarpon Springs after about a 30 year military career. And I've had the pleasure of traveling all over the United States. Except for maybe four states I haven't been in I've been to. I can't tell you how many countries I've deployed to three wars. Art. Is extremely important. Every place I've been I've had the pleasure of being in Egypt and visiting some sites. And some of those sites I saw The conversation that was being that was taking place was singing that a lot of these things that you are now witnessing. Have been Restructured. To a degree, and they didn't just re and people don't I mean just to say how important art is, They don't restructure these things just by accident. These things would be instructed and reconstructed to represent something that the person in power wanted to represent. We live in a society here where I'll tell you how important art is to this town. I get to see The young men and the young ladies of this community, the African American community. And I think it's extremely important. You. You wanna build a better community? Make people feel like they're a part of it. Wanna build a better community make people feel like they're represented? You wanna build a better community? II? I heard you say something a little earlier about you guys can do this. I'm gonna be the first to tell you I'm not you guys. I'm you. See, I don't see. Somebody created this for me to say I'm a black man. Somebody created that. I'm just a man. That's what I was before Somebody told me I was something different. That's all you are Not one of you chose to be who you are. You just were born that way. The representation that we need in this community to feel like if you said, but I really like what you said, sir. When you said that, I'd like the idea of thinking about Discussing this and believing that maybe there's something that we can do. Maybe there's something that we can create. It is that important? It is so important that every day since I've been retired, I go to these schools here and have volunteer to be a mentor and I only mentor kids that are at risk. And the reason I do that, and I don't talk to them. I let them talk to me because I wanna hear their stories and I sometimes give them feedback back to say, I just want you to know that I care about you. I want the kid that nobody else wants. I want that kid on my corner. I want that kid with me. Every one of you should be saying you know what I want? I want a better community. I don't want mine or yours. I just want ours because we talk about Tarpon Springs as though it's a community. If it's really a community, then be a community. Not just one side or not. Just I love what you say. There was a unbalanced of representation. That statue down there. And G down. It might not be everything that somebody thinks it is. But when people come to the city And they see that That says something. So putting something in a room or putting something in in a historical building. That's one thing When people are walking down the streets down in sponge docks. They're seeing that that means something. That's why they take the picture there because it means something. Everybody wants to feel that I spent some time up in South Dakota in Pine Ridge Indian Reservation two in your reservation. People need to feel Like they're part of something like they belong to something in that. I fought for a country and when I got back, I said, You know what? I could have been killed. And I haven't even seen all the country that I'm fighting for. So I made it my business to start going around the United States to see every state that we have and all the different cities and I've lived in different places, and I met all these different people, and I've had the best time of my life just experiencing human beings, and I didn't look at them like, Hey, that's a white guy there. That's a Native American guy. I just looked at him. I just met a guy. That open the door for me that gave us an opportunity to get to know each other. Just to. It's that simple . It's not even complicated to me anymore. It's just I wish you guys would take the time. Just take the time. To think what would be the best thing that we can do in a community to bring a community together and to And to make little young boys and your little young girls feel like they truly belong to something. They truly have a culture, not just I, I I'm just I'm babbling on but I'm gonna tell you something. I wrote a paper one day and someone read the paper. And they They couldn't believe it came from me. And I've I've seen that story too several times and they and it was almost like Because of this I wasn't supposed to write the paper that I wrote. My paper was supposed to be somewhat degenerative and I had a father that taught in this building. Social studies. Mr Fleming taught in this building people taught in this building. I just wanna see I just want us as a community, to be honest with each other and it is, it is important. To be honest, it is important to have representation. It is important to say You know what? I believe in you. If these guys did this, all right, let's let's and I like would you would you said, ma'am? Everything I do. I volunteer for? Nobody pays me for anything. I volunteer for several things in this community . I'm helping out with the Rose Cemetery, and I'm helping out with several other things. Because That is my duty for coming back from war and living. I wanna earn my right to be here. You guys sit up on a on a committee. That committee should have a heart to say, Let's do what's right. I don't care about the power. Let you do what's right. Let's make this place a better place. And if you can use me in any way I'm available. The board you're talking about. If they can use me, I'm available. Thank you. Thank you. Bless you, sir. One last thing, John. Okay, then, okay. One last thing, um, on, um Diane's request. We have a We have a group that's called Union Academy Neighborhood Revitalization Committee. That committee will be calling you for a meeting to meet with us to make that happen down in the cultural center in the Um, where is it at the train station. The uptown So we do have a committee because, like, Jones said, I don't mean to be seem like I'm argumentative. That's not my purpose. My purpose is humility and kindness, but I'm passionate. So when I try to when I discuss stuff about the Bahamian sponger, I might get a little boisterous. I might get a little hyped up, but that's just my nature. I think the tranquilizer gun you need. You need to bring me a couple of jelly beans because that's That's that's what happens. But I mean, well, I'm just passionate about the bohemian spongy project. I'm passionate about getting things put in that historical society. And I'm not the historical society one. I'm I'm but we need to go to C service, so our committee will be called in. Not only you it would call a historical society. It would call the train station and who else we need to call, but we just trying to get just like, Mrs Smith said, is to get a balance here to get us pulled back together so Please don't take me as a as a negative. I don't mean to be To. I just have a passion so that I have the unenviable task of trying to harness that passion. I mean, you know, I mean, you know, Yeah, but, uh Anyway. It's four o'clock on the nose. Can I get a motion to adjourn, please? Second OK, we are adjourned at four o'clock. Our next meeting is April 10th. 2024 at 2 P.m. in this second floor meeting room. Thank you, everyone for coming for speaking and, um, it was a pleasure. I really know to feel Fleming because Mr Smith, Yes, OK. Yeah, it is. I remember because I would.