PAC - Minutes - 01-14-13Minutes of the
Public Art Ad Hoc Committee Meeting
January 14, 2013
The regular meeting of the Rosemead Public Art Ad Hoc Committee was called to order by Mayor Armenta at
5:36 p.m. in the City Hall Conference Room located at 8838 East Valley Boulevard, Rosemead, California.
PRESENT: Committee Members Armenta, Bruesch, Loa, and Montgomery-Scott
ABSENT: Committee Member Camonte
STAFF PRESENT: Administrative Intern Tchobanian
1. PUBLIC COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE
None
2. REVIEW OF MURAL CONCEPTS
Committee Member Montgomery Scott - presented a working concept of the mural.
Committee Member Bruesch - expressed concern about mural looking cluttered and not including truck
farms. Mr. Bruesch also pointed out that the horse in the city seal is hidden, and should be visible considering
Rose's horse farm.
Ms. Frances Chavez - expressed concern about centralizing Mr. Rose and not including others who are
buried in the cemetery.
Committee Member Montgomery Scott— suggested that the mural should work cooperatively with the
history at the cemetery, and shouldn't replicate it.
Ms. Janice Wiggins White - recommended that Savannah School be moved to the opposite side of the
cemetery in the mural due to chronology. Ms. White also recommended focusing more on history rather than
current projects.
Ms. Toni Chavez — also recommended adding more historical aspects.
Committee Member Bruesch — explained that Rose played a role in starting the wine industry in the State of
California, therefore recommended adding grapes to the mural.
Committee MemberArmenta — inquired if muralist Ernie Rios had any direction or instructions
Public Art Ad Hoc Committee Meeting
Minutes of January 14, 2013
Page 1 of 4 .
Committee Member Montgomery-Scott— answered that Rios, who is a longtime resident, had been told to
depict Rosemead's history from the Indian period to the present.
Committee Member Bruesch — explained that Savannah Cemetery was meant to honor the San Gabriel
Valley, and should focus more on yesterday than "now". Mr. Bruesch also commented on the exclusion of red
cars, while explaining that they had no stops in Rosemead.
Committee Member Montgomery-Scott— commented if cars didn't stop in Rosemead, then it would not be
an integral part of Rosemead history. Mr. Montgomery-Scott commented that the focus of the mural was
thought to be Rosemead.
Committee Member Loa — inquired if focus should be on history or accomplishments, such as the Vietnam
Memorial and 9/11 Monument.
Committee Member Bruesch — commented on 4m graders being taught Californian history, which includes
Indians, missions, and pioneers. Mr. Bruesch inquired about the exclusion of haciendas.
Ms. F. Chavez — commended the inclusion of mountains, the overall landscape, and the Savannah School.
Ms. Chavez also commented on the exclusion of the Guess Mansion.
Committee MemberArmenta — explained that the Guess Mansion was included in the previous draft of the
mural, but was taken out because it wasn't as well known as the Dinsmoor House, which is the City's
museum.
Ms. Wiggins White — commented that Guess built the first school in the City, Savannah School, and
suggested that Guess Mansion should be included instead of Dinsmoor.
Committee MemberArmenta — explained that Guess Mansion is a regular residence and residents wouldn't
recognize it. Ms. Armenta commented that Dinsmoor is the City's museum and has a sign stating that fact.
Ms. Armenta then stated that the Guess house isn't any less important, but people actually live in it.
Committee Member Bruesch — commented that the Guess Mansion residents oppose people taking
pictures.
Committee MemberArmenta — suggested that perhaps Mr. Rios can draw the Guess Mansion the way it
used to look rather than the way it looks today.
Committee Member Bruesch — suggested getting students involved in the project.
Ms. Wiggins White — commented on the importance of an emphasis on history. She suggested moving the
Rose portrait to a corner of the mural and limiting the mural to the time of Rosemead becoming a city.
Committee Member Montgomery-Scott— stated that stopping at incorporation would throw out Rosemead
history after that time period. He suggested that most residents are more connected to the past fifty years as
Public Art Ad Hoc Committee Meeting
Minutes of January 14, 2013
Page 2 of 4
opposed to what occurred before then.
Committee MemberArmenta — suggested including pictures of pioneers with images in the background
detailing what they accomplished or represent.
Committee Member Montgomery- Scott— suggested that if the point of the mural is to connect the younger
generation to it, the aspects of the mural that they will relate to are the current items. He also commented that
by recognizing the Splash Zone, they can then walk back to the history of Rosemead.
Committee Member Bruesch — questioned if the purpose of the mural was to introduce children to the
history of Rosemead or to the history of the San Gabriel Valley in general. Mr. Bruesch inquired if the
purpose was to bring in children from surrounding neighborhoods.
Ms. F. Chavez — suggested including Ira Thompson's name on the wagon, and explained that he was one of
the first pioneers to arrive in Rosemead in 1851.
Committee MemberArmenta — suggested incorporating the mural with the cemetery. Ms. Armenta inquired
about the time frame of the project and if the possibility of having school children involved is feasible.
Committee Member Bruesch — commented that school children have more opportunities nowadays and can
do the research on the project.
Ms. F. Chavez — inquired if the mural would be coated in polychrome and be anti - graffiti.
Committee Member Montgomery-Scott— confirmed that it will be coated. He further commented that the
City has done many art contests and the response is not always high. Mr. Montgomery-Scott suggested that
another possible way to get school children involved is to have them help with painting the mural.
Committee MemberArmenta — suggested incorporating students in the mural by providing tiles for them to
paint.
Committee Member Loa - suggested using tiles for fundraising and involving families.
3. FUNDRAISING EFFORTS
Committee Member Montgomery-Scott— summarized the fundraising ideas thus far: tile and brick sales,
fundraising dinners at the Moose Lodge, donation jars and conceptual drawings at special events, donation
jars at City facilities, a spaghetti dinner, walk -a -thon, and suggested something in conjunction with the UFC
Gym. Mr. Montgomery-Scott then commented that a monetary amount has not been solidified yet, but it could
be as high as $20,000 — $25,000. Mr. Montgomery-Scott commented on the infrastructural work that would
have to be completed, and was unsure about how detailed it would be, and that fence work would have to be
completed adjacent to the building as well as landscaping.
Public Art Ad Hoc Committee Meeting
Minutes of January 14, 2013
Page 3 of 4
4. DISCUSSION OF AGREEMENTS FOR PROJECTS
Committee Member Montgomery-Scott— commented that there will have to be a right of entry agreement
for use of the Moose Lodge, and a right of entry between the City and Savannah Cemetery. Mr. Montgomery-
Scott then commented that there will also have to be a joint understanding of the process of development and
maintenance of the mural.
Committee Member Loa — inquired about the City's partnership with Savannah Cemetery
Committee Member Montgomery- Scott— answered that the City has a Memorandum of Understanding
with Savannah Cemetery and the agreement will build on it. He then explained that maintenance is the only
issue. Mr. Montgomery-Scott commented that the Moose Lodge would also be involved if the three -
dimensional structure were to be built, and inquired about who would have liability responsibilities over them
if they were damaged by winds.
5. DATES AND TIMES FOR FUTURE MEETINGS
The Committee agreed to meet twice a month on the 2nd and 4th Mondays at 5 PM.
6. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 7:02 p.m. The next regular Public Art Ad Hoc Committee meeting is scheduled to
take place on January 28, 2013 at 5:00 p.m. /)
ATTEST:
-< KJ
Barbara Tc oba 'an, Administrative Intern
Public Art Ad Hoc Committee Meeting
Minutes of January 14, 2013
Page 4 of 4