City of Laredo, Texas Fine Arts and Culture Commission, 18 Jul 2018

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From YouTube: 07-18-18 Fine Arts and Culture Commission

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07-18-18 Fine Arts and Culture Commission

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Robert Lopez here.

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Campbell here so Santos, that's it dr. Balian, here Gabriele Castillo, that's Jordan! Here, sir.

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Rodriguez, that's it Julio Mendez you're! Here we don't have any citizens comment set at the moment, so we will do the reading of the minutes. Now we please take a few minutes and read it and see.

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They'll be able to commit such they are person.

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From the minute all right, we have a couple of reports, status and parties contracts for the mural arts grant program.

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These left I'm not saying that City Attorney's Office is still waiting on some information from one artist or.

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Yours, okay, so that means how.

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Many artists were there again.

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There were three to mean Oh three, so the other.

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They're, just like you don't like, oh but.

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They can't start another one couldn't start at first, nothing.

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So I guess that's what we would and that's what I want to know is. Can.

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They present in the other two and they're not to.

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Coordinate they're not coordinating works.

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And the semi-annual committee report to the mayor and city council.

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Were all part of.

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This bag of fun, though, is Federation a non-profit for the fine arts and culture Commission. Do we have any information on that? Just.

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That this City Attorney's Office is looking into it and they'll provide additional information as soon as they have.

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Okay, the new items for discussion and possible action. This is where Gail was bringing in some information and she was going to discuss that with them. So I don't know well.

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If she's still planning to be here right now, maybe we just take a moment but Mark said, but where do we add is I? Think your your comment that you made business.

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Okay and that would be Eve for the next meeting, but we've discussed when, when with our next meeting, B and fun would be the items for the agenda. That's when we bring in the one for the cultural district, so in absence of Gail I, think what we need to do, then, is just talk about scheduling the next meeting and see. If we can, you know, wait for her when we discussed it. Does anybody have any? We helped schedule every second?

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Remember someone else remembering.

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Said that Wednesday's were going to be a problem for me and I just been there when they asked me I, couldn't remember why I said that so.

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I said: no, no is it now.

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I know why so it's all of the the walked ends up and Alzheimer's meetings are all on Wednesdays, no.

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Actually here, instead of at.

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That meeting and so but.

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I told them that you.

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Know this is I, don't want to miss any more so.

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So I'm here at this meeting but but I have a conflict.

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On on West on the Wednesday, whatever that we seem to be scheduling them the same time so.

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The second Wednesday I think.

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It's very Wednesday, so it's either that.

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You know I'm, we are.

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Wednesday meetings the walked as Alzheimer's, which.

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Is in September.

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So that will carry me through September weekly meetings: okay,.

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So when would we want to schedule our don't.

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Mean your thirst: it will be fine Thursday without us. I, don't sleep with anybody, but.

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Do we have to stick to the way we know what.

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We talked about this, so all.

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Right so it would be fit for then.

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That would be obviously the 23rd.

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Actually, that's the the fourth Thursday in August.

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I, let me hold on, let me just check something, but normally we would want to obviously talk to the others, but I know.

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August, okay, so on that sixteen and I hope you all come because the Boys and Girls Club we're having our I believe it's that day, it's our big raffle. You know the big boys, the girls club raffle, but so time tickets. Anyone say that I.

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Be able to meet on Thursday, August, 60 I'm, sorry so.

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Sorry, okay, any secret. My.

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Schedule is usually much easier than this, but it's just you know please.

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Can we leave for the 23rd day if you.

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Want try the 23rd, that's.

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That's fine, okay,.

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So Thursday August we.

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Go back to having the meeting.

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All right, that's way easier. I know.

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Too, okay, so Thursday August, weekly.

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All right, I really don't feel like. We should discuss anything without Gail being here. We we have discussion on some items, but I think she wants to approach him. I think she brought him up for discussion with I, don't know who she was going to talk to her. She was going to information, so it's one of the things that we did do I do. Remember.

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Is that and I'm sure you all were aware that there was some issue with one of the artists and there was some issues and I don't know if she shared this with all of you.

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She received an email and I got a copy of the email, and this person was upset because you know she didn't get it when somebody brought it up to another board. Council member and.

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Other council member, when I hadn't approved it, even though we had not got money for that project who.

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Is that council member can we know that or I.

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Don't know this, isn't the situation where the one who had the big.

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One that was next to.

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The boxes, this is not the boxes, the.

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And I responded.

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So I thought I didn't want to make her feel bad, but I wanted her to understand that you know it's not because one was better than the other. It was because it did not fit the criteria so, but the other one.

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This, the artist who the one that was going to do the downtown on the wall- oh and.

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She not only got it approved, but got more money than wheat, germ alert rising, and so that really that kind of threw a wrench in the whole thing, and so we have that discussion, gorilla, fine and so she wanted to. We could drop the letter, so the councilmembers really asking to see what our role was. You know what is a role, and you know what is expected of us and if this is going to be allowed, you know, then, what it's a purpose of this Henry I.

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Think you I think most of all the concern was, as the definition here is very clear, we're supposed to be nothing more than receiving information from those I want to participate and then making the suggestion is to to the councillors, but I think that the situation that most prevail at that time that we discussed it was the fact that, if, if we're going to make the decision as to who they are as a body for the commissioners and then the commissioners are going to be able to pick somebody of their own desires just because they like it better, it creates a problem for them all of those over there, because when you put sure you.

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Somebody twice.

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So anybody that.

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Have done whatever understood there was going to be one that they probably can create much more and.

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You know what elaborate it was, my understanding prior to joining the Commission. Anybody could go before the City Council and it was up to them once the Commission was established. We were supposed to be that filter right.

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It wasn't just anything that was going to be presented to the City. Council was going to first come to us and see how we recommend is not they're going to do whatever we suggest.

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We were going to be that filter, and that was the understanding, and that was what created all this, because originally we had twenty five thousand for the whole shebang. Well, it was my understanding that this lady got 25 I, don't.

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Think it's dimension, 20,000 I think if they mentioned 20,000 last time over.

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20,000 was what she had originally Oh.

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Remember when, when we received the proposal, I think she reached and we said well, that's a lot of money.

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That practically takes everything, and certainly that was not the reason you know well, not the whole reason why you know that particular proposal was not selected, but she went to another city, council member and she got my understanding. Is she got 20 and it wasn't approved and so and so somebody else found out and rotate and said. Okay, what is the purpose and I think it was Vicki mm-hmm.

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Said what is the purpose? You know, why are you there I would be insulted in buhbuh, buhbuh, buhbuh and.

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You know say: well, we need to discuss this and, if necessary, quite and we dropped a letter to the council and ask for clarification as to what is a troll. What is the purpose of the Commission and.

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How do we make sure that we, you know that we are not? We don't get site theft, you know and.

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Somebody goes around now.

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I understand every council member has discretionary.

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It's up to them to say, worse, I'm, going to fund this project, but when it comes to the arts, I think that the whole thing should really come to us. First.

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So so a suggestion I really do on the whole, the suggestion would be that we confirm amongst ourselves- well hopefully with with with with more of us here about about what we not only understand our role to be, but actually one powerful to be I mean why not I yeah and then then the way, in my opinion, the way we should present as we should present it as our understanding is. This is our role. This is what we will do. This is what we can do.

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This is what we have the expertise we we can do these things. We have an opportunity to remove bottleneck from you know some of these councilmen.

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Want anything to do.

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Alright, so we and so you'll get some.

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Agreement from some some of them, this is what we can do. That is our understanding. What.

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We want clarification.

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That, on is what about those outliers who just who either go me you directly. We see that what you would probably want to be doing is referring them to us and let us move them through the.

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Process, that's.

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How we see it and.

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Then that's what and then, let's see who objects to that worst-case scenario is what happened, which is someone that we actually put through the process, mend them against the others, and then they didn't like the outcome. So then they went straight to the city councilman and in its some way he may have been blindsided or she young. Maybe they were blindsided, maybe didn't really I. Think like oh yeah, okay, well, sure yeah, that's fine by me! You know. Maybe it was a cinema of you know he didn't intend to.

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He really attend to go around the Commission yeah, for at least we can make that assumption until you were proven. Otherwise, alright.

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Have them clarify because I honestly don't believe then I'm fine going on the record on video I, don't think on the whole. Most of them really would know what they. What what.

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We're supposed to be, you know if you recall, when we first met in November. If you were on board yet Joan, we wrote a mission statement and.

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Of fact, we were working our objectives and I have my set of objectives. We just never got to us right.

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We have a mission, yes.

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What we wanted to think what they wanted to do was to make sure that we present for our mission. Yes, yes, very clear, and then our objectives would further clarify what it is that we're learning.

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What what is our objective here and then get it approved by the council, because I've served in several parties like in the third party funding, and we haven't had instances where we deny, and it's really not, because we deny it or fitted in to meet one of the criteria or waiver and we've had instances where they just go directly to a board member and so.

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Word never does with it. That's me and.

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Whether or not they have that much investment in overriding the commission- maybe you know and and.

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That would be worth talking about, but I bet.

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Most cases are they're just kind of like oh okay. Well sure, that's how they used to do it, so they didn't really. We you're right. We haven't gone back to them and told the board. This is how we see our role. These are our. This is our mission this. These are our goals for this year and we see our role. Is this? Do you agree so.

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Of the ordinance in your packet, I believe Gale requested it, which is the one establishing a commission I.

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Also that you had some information regarding the use of priority funds that council members, parents, enemies.

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Don't know talk about what those.

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Detonators of your own.

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Then you spoke to mrs. castle and it is okay for the Commission to send a letter to the City Council as the Commission.

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I think we shouldn't assume that has any what was nefarious except an artist. Few wishes do well.

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And then I got a call from one lady in the Aegean Sea.

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Asking why we had we were worried that we had not approved that particular proposal, because we were wanting the part of the artwork, the director of the chena for Donna. That is not flowers and we didn't want flowers, and if it we don't, interfere if it's an art project, it's an artist rendition and we don't put interfere with that. Certainly that is not the case but see. The word is out now that, like we were picking on that particular proposal and I said no I think you have the right formation. We wouldn't do that.

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There's other issues, but that was not one I mean that's absolutely but see unless we get it clarified we're going to continue to have these kinds of issues in the future and so I'm glad you brought this because I think we need to, but we still that litter needs to go. They need to understand the position they put us.

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As long as the weather, the take on the letter is from the standpoint of this is how we understand what we understand our role to be eaten. This is what we understand our role to be, as, as we have evolved as a group, is this consistent with how you see it, and what about.

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What circumstances.

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Would prompt an exception to that? Are there.

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Discussions that.

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We can have that assure you that we're.

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Giving everyone a fair shot, we did I mean remember.

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I actually voted for that particular piece, so it was a beautiful piece. It's.

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Just it didn't didn't meet the other criteria that we scored. It has another advantage of having the videotape, because then there's going to be right.

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Counties early or we get it logically.

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We never discuss well, we'll accept it if they change you there. So really. That would never be a role.

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Yeah, so are we in agreement that we know what the later looks like, that we have a letter yet who's drafting that.

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So we're going to be the ones pulling back to us and maybe that's something that.

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Happy to help with the drafting, but I, probably with not probably I, know I will need obviously all our input but a partner in this. So whether.

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You Martha Verdejo I, figured I, can think of offhand just from.

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Historic historical perspective that you were here when all this stuff was starting to be put together, but I would absolutely be happy to take at least some broad strokes and then we round you know we.

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Send it around then fill.

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We send it to the to the Commission, absolutely I would.

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Have something done by this weekend? Okay,.

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Do we have anything else for discussion this time around? That's it right! No.

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That's a pretty big.

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Think that we've.

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Reached when we're gonna meet the next time, I think now that we're going to be the items that we want to discuss a next time around. Certainly we want to continue with that later, perhaps take some time to either start there or you know whatever needs to be done, we'll do that, but I also would like to bring forth the issue on the cultural district right.

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I think it's time, I have information and I should have brought it so that you would have time to read it before, but the next time I'll bring it, and we.

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Brought it remember, you brought some stuff, I brought some stuff, and so the group had it so to.

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Me what I liked about that I'm so happy! You.

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Brought that up again is I think we need another. Go that the.

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Mirror was a big project that.

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We were working on I think we need to be working on something significant like that, and that definitely will bring some ears in the city. City, council and the city is either so. I think that such terrific.

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I know that it called for us. We can't move until we have a goal from the mayor.

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I did approach the mayor and then I brought it together, and then we have the discussion. We already have a district, but it's not a cultural districts.

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Not borders have to be defined in.

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The only thing I would ask is.

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That we include since we're all in agreement it's this right right downtown, but we include felt Oh see me include I, see because of all the cultural theatrical, especially activities that are in the venire Martinez theater. We currently have to include that, and so that would be great if we carve out this real cultural district here this bummer for time you use theater, but we're talking about a district, and that's this district right here yeah. They.

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Art the Summer Arts Festival, there I mean really is yeah.

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And when the funding they provide because they provide a lot of money, so matter of fact that listed all the cities in Texas that are cultural direction with.

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Of branded and you're talking about little towns, little.

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Small towns, everything you say we should say.

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For San Antonio gets and Alison, but a lot of little time.

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And it's a matter of applying, you know working that grant. Of course grants are a lot of work, but it's worth it.

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They're worth it, and the other thing that it will help us do is, is brandy so it'll help even the Commission on brandy, because.

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What it what it gives us is we're working.

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That literally, is going to define something about the city and.

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It hasn't been defined.

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Yet formally in the structure of that Universal and.

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It should help also I know that they're trying to revitalize the downtown area- and this would be a fantastic ghost away. So no.

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Let's clear that up again, like that, that's a terrific, real big big goal for us to dive into it. Do some research, alright.

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So that would be something that we would want to address at the next meeting. That would be part of our agenda so.

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It will be designating and establishing a cultural or they call.

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Is a culture of cultural generators in.

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Laredos downtown.

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And it's coming from the Texas Commission for the Arts, the Texas, which are an occlusal Commission for the Arts.

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There anything else that we they'll say that she wanted to probably anything else. A next time.

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I think we can bring that that same.

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Yeah, that's what she was going to cover.

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And again, it's going back to what I said. You know that we need to be. We need a clear definition, and certainly we need to know what our role is and that's why she put it here. What is that role in.

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That's what she was gonna come talk about, so then the other thing I would want to add on there Martha for next meeting that we also took strike. Four has a project.

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Let's get that the underlying goals under the mission, let's.

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Reaffirm our mission for our expect, because.

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I would I don't need it yeah.

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So that I can put it in a letter. So let's reaffirm.

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If somebody can forward that to me, yeah.

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We have it and I think I have real money, yeah.

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That was before my time: okay,.

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I brought in a sample and we worked on it and we all have input, and so we came up with our mission and then the next meeting we were supposed to bring in objective Saturday. We got sidetracked, I didn't do my homework. I did bring me in my objectives, but we they were never idle.

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On our first meeting so my first meeting, you came with your.

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Track talking about other things,.

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Can bring him back and we can do what we did with a mission. Yes,.

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Them and then everybody brings in feedback, you know we refine it and then let's see what we talk again when.

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May be included, it's the life of the letter that.

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Was that that's why I mean if somebody can be send me the mission yeah that way, I can at least have a sense for for what's already been established,.

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So what I did, because you know I, look that I went online and I researched what other Fine Arts Commission's have under the California Senate tonio Dallas and I got some ideas, and so I put them together as objectives, and then we customize them to your right. Yeah.

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Think what would naturally happen once we clarify our our identity? More and more and and and are constantly going presenting to the council, either in person or in letters or memos things that we're working on big things that are driving our group, I think will have fewer of those. You know happening you'll.

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Have more councilmen little go? Oh yeah, oh yeah,.

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Cool great thank God, yeah I need you to contact the Commission.

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We need to make them feel that they can, that.

D

They can, they can trust us run trade. The right decision.

B

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Think when I think that we want I'd love to move it's having a music festival or something, you know that that is our. You know yes brought by the Commission.

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That we want to start.

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Let's see where we go with that, and it doesn't have to be a musical festival, it could be a cultural festival, but.

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Me we have in-house even have basically shifted by there as to as a performance venue for music I mean really we, the cultural.

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District is already defined itself. All we have to do.

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Is strike it and then start start detail.

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Because I think that's part of the application process, you have to be showing like here's, what we do in this district in theatre and in music from you know, the final art, the murals of it I, think.

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Almost there we just need to just do.

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It as a commission that would.

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Okay, I make a motion to approve the axises.

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Thank you thank.

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You for a second, your motion.

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For adjournment.

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