Attendance: 

Staff:  Lyman Collins; Nancy Novell; Marla Dorrel, Council Liaison; Gail Taylor

Absent: Carl Regutti; Adam Cave; Melanie Chernoff; Nick Merola

Guest: 

I

Call To Order – Carol Aupperle, Chair

II

Minutes
Julia Kunkel Morrison moved to approve the minutes.  June Finkbeiner seconded.   Motion to approve the minutes passed unanimously.

III

Board Orientation – Karen Gray, Deputy Town Clerk

Karen Gray thanked everyone attending.  She explained the information she had distributed.  Technology Services requires board members to read and sign the form “Technology Appropriate Use Policy” and Karen asked everyone to please sign and return to Nancy Novell.  Everyone was given a Town of Cary pin, notebook with pad of paper, and pen.  Nametags will be available March 3^rd.   Karen asked the board members to wear their nametags at public meetings.  Green polo shirts will be given to each board member and she will need sizes.  Board members should email or let Nancy Novell know preferred sizes.  Karen explained that board members cannot conduct business via email and cannot meet unless there is a quorum.  Board members’ terms have been set and will be posted on the web tomorrow.  Staff will go over terms.  There is an attendance policy if you miss three meeting between February and September you would have to reapply.  You can explain why you missed meetings on your application when you reapply and this would go before Council.  You cannot vote by proxy if you are not present at meetings.  To serve on the board, voter registration must be current and Karen must see that.  Anything dealing with publicity has to go through Susan Moran, our Public Information Officer.  Karen reviewed “Working with the Town of Cary ” and “Citizen’s Guide to Services” and discussed volunteers and their roles. 

IV

Comments from Council Liaison – Marla Dorrel

Marla explained that she is serving as Council Liaison and will be the eyes and ears of Council.  She said it is her pleasure to be liaison to this board and said that she was appointed by the mayor.  She extended congratulations to the new board.  This is the first official meeting of the regular Public Art Advisory Board.  Marla thanked Carl Regutti for his role as Chair person for the interim board.  She offered her assistantance to this board. 

V

Board Introductions

Carol Aupperle thanked Carl Regutti for his role and guidance as Chair. Board Members gave brief introductions of themselves and information about their backgrounds. Carol explained she has discussed with staff that if we will be discussing a particular site, Nancy Novell will put an address on the agenda.  This will be a heads up for the Board so the members will have the opportunity to go by and see the site in advance of the meeting.  She noted that this is a talented board and the next year will be an exciting and rewarding year.  Nancy said staff will be here to support the board’s needs and to provide information pertaining to public art.

Nancy explained the board needed to establish staggered terms, so it can get on a regular rotation.  An email had been sent to ask Board members if they had preferences for terms.  Names were pulled from a hat to determine who would serve how long.  Maximum term is 3 years.  This will be posted on the Town of Cary website’s Public Art page on the Current Member Roster. Marla said there is a two term limit. 

VI

Town Hall Campus Gateway Project

Overview – Julia Kunkel Morrison

Carol Aupperle said new board members should read minutes on the town’s web site to educate and update themselves about this project.  Julia Kunkel Morrison gave a brief presentation of the Town Hall Campus Gateway projects involving Catherine Widgery and others that the Public Art Advisory Board had identified.  The number one priority is Catherine Widgery’s gateway piece on Academy Street and Chapel Hill Road .  She gave the new members an idea of where things are on the map.  Carol said that Cary Visual Art is a partner with the Town on Catherine Widgery’s Gateway project and that we wouldn’t be where we are with this project without them.  They are bringing funding to this project and will match the Town’s funding of the project.  Carol suggested that everyone look at the minutes on line and ask questions of staff if there are any. 

Introductions and Update – Catherine Widgery

Nancy Novell gave handouts, “Gates of Light.”  This is the name Catherine Widgery has chosen for her sculpture.  Carol Aupperle introduced Catherine Widgery, Public Art Designer, and gave a brief history of her work and accomplishments.  Catherine discussed issues concerning her design for the gateway at the corner of Academy Street and Chapel Hill Road including the widening of the road and filling the swale behind the Herb Young Community Center.  She said that even though her sculpture will be at the back of the community center building, placing it there will give the back of the building prominence, making it look as though you are at the front and serving as a gateway into downtown.  Her design combines nature with technology.  Stainless steel columns placed in a spiral pattern reflect the expanding and growing nature of Cary , as well as the warm and welcoming aspect of Cary .  She has interest in having the pathways to lead you into the columns of the sculpture which would follow the spiral pattern. The columns will be lit and the shadows cast will be interesting with details.  The columns and paths would lead to a center area which will be cut out of stainless steal and inlaid into the concrete.  The image will look like the bottom of a loblolly pinecone.  She said this sculpture will bring people to the campus to visit and experience the sculpture, and that it can help create an image for Cary to identify with.  The details are still in the works. 

Lyman said that Catherine will present her final design presentation at a public meeting Tuesday, March 2 at Page-Walker Arts & History Center at 7pm .  Board members are encouraged to attend.  He said that since Catherine was in Cary to discuss details with town staff, he thought it was a good idea for Catherine to attend this meeting, be introduced to the board, and to bring the board up to date about the project. 

Catherine discussed additional areas she is designing for Town Hall campus.  She has designed stone blocks as a seating area at the corner of Academy and Ambassador Loop.  These would be granite, low to the ground and kids can sit on.  It has a massive sculpture presence and reflects the spiral design. Catherine liked having the same style just using different material.  Carl Regutti said that white quartz rock is also a rock you can find in Cary .  Catherine said quartz doesn’t seem to last as long as granite.

Catherine discussed the glass bridge and etching the two panels on either side.  She said the handrail will be lit and it would be beautiful to see at night.  It’s hard to show the detail on her drawings. 

Two other projects Catherine will propose will be arranging the pattern of the bluestone tiles in the floor in the entry way to the Council Chambers surrounding the Town Seal, and arranging the pattern of holes in the wooden acoustical panels on the walls in the Council Chambers.  The panels will be drilled anyway, so not much budget cost there.  Luan wanted to know if the stainless steel could be incorporated onto the columns inside the building. Catherine said she thinks this would be too much.  Carol encouraged everyone to look at the material Nancy prepared. 

Lyman said that staff and CVA are continuing to work with Catherine to refine her proposal. The glass is the most critical because it can not be etched once it is up.  Barbara Petty asked what the process is, is there still time to make decisions, and will there be further discussion about materials and how they are used.  Lyman said that there have already been two public meetings with community input and these issues have been addressed.  Carl said he was concerned about the use of cheap materials.  He wants something that will be here for 100 years.  He said we have to come up with a balance between budget and good materials used.  Lyman said that staff is very concerned about the materials and maintenance of all the pieces.  Carol said that if anyone has any insights about any of this, you may email Nancy and she will forward the information to Catherine.  Barbara is concerned with the granite material being used and thought it should be discussed.  Lyman said the board members are always encouraged to speak up and asked the board to talk with citizens about public art and bring back citizen input to the board.  It is important that comments are made.

Update on Town Hall Campus Gateway Committee

March Meeting Date

There are many time sensitive issues in conjunction with the Town Hall Campus Gateway project and the construction schedule.  In order for Council to consider this project as soon as possible (at their March 23^rd meeting), the Public Art Advisory Board needs to consider moving up the date of the March meeting.  Below are a series of meetings and dates scheduled in order to move this project along.  Members of the Public Art Advisory Board are invited to attend any and all meetings.

March 2nd – Public Meeting at 7:00 p.m. at Page-Walker Arts & History Center- Catherine Widgery will present her designs for the Town Hall Campus Gateway Project

March 2nd – Town Hall Campus Gateway Committee meeting immediately following public presentation

March 8th – Town Hall Campus Gateway Committee meeting at 4 p.m. at Page- Walker Arts & History Center (this has been changed from SAS)

March 8th – CVA Discovery Committee Meeting at 5 p.m. at Page- Walker Arts & History Center (this has been changed from SAS)

Carl Regutti move to change the March 2004 Public Art Advisory Board meeting to March 8 at 7:00 pm at Page-Walker Arts & History Center .  Barbara Petty seconded.  The motion passed unanimously.  

VII

Old Projects

USA Baseball Complex – Update

Carol Aupperle explained that the USA Baseball complex is where the US Olympic baseball teams will train. This is an expansion of Thomas Brooks Park and is slated to be finished next year.  This will be very high profile and they are interested in having public art there.  Carol Aupperle and Julia Kunkel Morrison had volunteered to serve on the Artist Review panel for the public art projects. 

Artist Selection Committee Chair

Carol said she will step down because of her role as Board Chair.  Carol asked for a volunteer to take her place on the panel and Luan Harmeson volunteered.

VIII

Board members – Reports from Representative Organizations

Cary Visual Arts (CVA)

See handout from June there are two handouts.  June mentioned the upcoming Temporary Public Art Exhibition for downtown Cary .  She has photos of the pieces, however due to the time; those have been saved for next meeting.

Fine Arts League of Cary (FALC)

Ella Williams passed out their newsletter and said that everything she would report on is the newsletter.  They have acquired $7500 in prizes for the Annual Juried Show.  They will have a new format with three judges.  They are trying to make it a regional show.  This will be at the Cary Ballet Conservatory in April.

Other organizations

IX

Old Business

Capital Improvement Projects – Review

Please review handout and be ready to discuss at the April meeting.

X

New Business

We will need to have a vice-chair if anyone is interested please email Carol Aupperle

Volunteer Banquet next Tuesday, February 24.

Reminder to attend Catherine’s public meeting March 2^nd and help get the word out about her visit.

Barbara Petty said CVA is looking for a Public Art Advisory Board liaison for a public art selection panel for work at the corner of NW Maynard and Chapel Hill Road .

XI

Adjourn