Title
Enhancements for the Gainesville Solar Walk (B)
This item is a request for the City Commission to authorize the Art in Public Places Trust to fund additional enhancements to the "Gainesville Solar Walk".
Explanation
In March 2002, artist Elizabeth Indianos installed a public art project in cooperation with the Alachua Astronomy Club titled "Gainesville Solar Walk" at a cost of $30,000. Since this time the Art in Public Places Trust (APPT) has been cooperatively working with the Alachua Astronomy Club for additional enhancements to the site in order to make it an attraction for Gainesville. These enhancements include: repair to monuments, the design and fabrication of two benches by the solar walk artist, Elizabeth Indianos; installation of two pairs of interpretative signs designed by the Alachua Astronomy Club and graphic designer Saydi Kaufman and fabricated by Crystal Graphics, Inc., and installation of two donor plaques made by Creative Workshop, Inc.
Fiscal Note
Funding for one of the donation plaques will come from the Alachua Astronomy Club, Inc., the Trust will fund the other. Total cost to be funded out of the Art in Public Places Trust is $8,540 for one donor plaque, monument repair, interpretive signage and benches.
Recommendation
Recommended Motion: The City Commission: 1) support and approve the APPT recommendations for the Solar Walk enhancements and authorize execution of a contract with Elizabeth Indianos for the two benches and repair work totaling $5,050, (Ms. Indianos' original contract stipulated that any additional work on the project or repairs be done by her); 2) authorize the interpretative signage to be contracted with Crystal Graphics, Inc. in the amount of $2,750; and 3) authorize the Trust's donor plaque to be created by The Creative Workshop in the amount of $740.
Alternative Recommendation A: The City Commission denies support for the request by the APPT to continue enhancements to the Solar Walk.