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| | | | Meeting convened at 4:13 p.m. | | | |
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| | | | Individual also present:
Minutes note: Sally Witte, Dept. of City Development | | | |
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| | 2. | | Review and Approval of Previous Meeting Minutes
Minutes note: Vice-chair Kovac moved approval, seconded by member McSweeny, of the meeting minutes from May 8, 2018. There was no objection. | | | |
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| | 3. | | Recommendation to rescind the 2018 Project Grant award in the amount of $7,000 to Black Arts MKE for Ton Ko-Thi Children’s After School Performing Arts Program and to award $7,000 to the organization next in rank by the 2018 Grant Review Panel
Minutes note: Ms. Witte commented. The next applicant group is the Latino Arts Council. 35 grants were awarded last month. Black Arts MKE was awarded $7000 specifically for Ton Ko-Thi Children’s After School Performing Arts Program. Ton Ko-Thi had separated from Black Arts MKE prior to the award decisions unbeknownst to staff. After a press release was made, Ton Ko-Thi informed staff of its separation from Black Arts MKE. Black Arts MKE confirmed verbally that its board moved to separate from Ton Ko-Thi. Due to the separation of the organizations from each other, the board should decide whether to rescind the award for Black Arts MKE, award to the next group, or award to Ton Ko-Thi. She was not notified of the separation until after the award decisions were made. Ton Ko-Thi was under the umbrella of Black Arts MKE. Reasons were not given for the separation. Fiscal receivers are not allowed under the guidelines. Notification letters about the award were not sent out yet until the board resolves the matter. The awards were publicly announced.
Member Morris commented. Ton Ko-Thi should be considered to be awarded in lieu of Black Arts MKE. It will be Ton Ko-Thi’s 50th anniversary year, and Ton Ko-Thi has been a long recipient of the board’s funds. The two groups should have addressed the award in a separation agreement.
Member Layden commented. She would possibly consider awarding Ton Ko-Thi had Ton Ko-Thi known about its inclusion in the grant, but that was not the case.
Member Flores commented. The situation is unfortunate. As a matter of legality and fairness to all other applicants who have applied accordingly, solicitation should not be altered, be reopened, or allow special preference to an organization to apply after the deadline. The award is project based and not based on the organization. There have been other types of cases where projects ultimately failed to meet the award criteria, and the award was rescinded and awarded to the next group.
Chair Ald. Murphy commented. The situation is unique. The fiscal agent is no longer on the same application. Historically, the process is to go to the next group for the same award. The arts board did not do anything wrong here. The two groups did not work out the award arrangement internally despite separating from each other.
Ald. Kovac commented. If Black Arts MKE kept the award, the money would be used alternatively and not for the specific project that was reviewed. Certain organizations may have been award recipients for many years, but they are not guaranteed being a recipient every year.
Member DeLind moved to rescind $7000 of the 2018 Project Grant award from Black Arts MKE for Ton Ko-Thi and to award the $7000 to the next highest scoring applicant, the Latino Arts Council. Seconded by member Flores. There was no objection. | | | |
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| | | | Meeting adjourned at 4:28 p.m.
Chris Lee, Staff Assistant
Council Records Section
City Clerk's Office | | | |
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