Art in Public Places Board - Regular Meeting

Art in Public Places Board - Regular Meeting — March 9, 2026 - 6:25 PM

[Music] For all those who will be testifying please raise your right hand. Do you solemnly affirm the testimony you will give today is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Thank you. Please be seated. Thank you. >> MAY we have, um, the lobbyist note, please? Hello. >> raymond pereira, office of the city attorney. Any person who receives compensation, remuneration or expenses for conducting lobbying activities is required to register as a lobbyist with the city clerk prior to engaging in lobbying activities before city staff boards, committees or the city commission. A copy of the applicable ordinance is available at the office of the city clerk. Miami city hall located at 3500 pan american drive, miami, florida 33133 thank you. Thank you. Um, we have roll call please. Yes, chair francisco here. Um, vice chair olga here. Board member maria annapolis here. Board member nelson delgado. Board member christina cuervo here. Board member gary feinberg here. Board member. Yuri. Board member juan valadez. Board member jacqueline roach here we have chrome. Do we have any absence waivers today? No we do not chair. And do we have any minutes? No we do not. No. We already swore in the public. Okay. For our items um are we moving on anything first changing any order? Through the chair I we are requesting to hear item number five for the senior center. Um, after items one and two we have the artist present for this one. Thank you. And we're also requesting to withdraw item number three. Um, that is the ethics refresher. Um, it's going uh it's also listed on the agenda as a discussion item. So it's going to remain a discussion item and removing it from the good okay. Okay. Well um let's talk about number one and number two. File number one item number one file the 18738a resolution of the art and public places board approving the election of a person to serve as a chairperson during the 2026 calendar year. Thank you. Um, we finally have, uh, more than quorum and, um, you know, now we we have more board members that can make this decision. Um. I guess we should all nominate a person to serve as chairperson and a person to serve as vice chairperson. I'll make a motion. Would you like a motion or would you like us each to name our desires? Well, I'd like if if I'd like all the board members to to express um if possible what they what what they would like and then we'll we'll discuss it in the open and. MR. Chair, if I MAY if there are nominations for chair if you could take those first. So if anybody would like to make a nomination for chair. Okay. >> okay I'll make a nomination to vote for francisco to remain as chair. There there is an item with our rules and procedures that says that you must also acknowledge that it's a term that exceeds the three consecutive terms that are allowed by by the by the rules and procedures. So by through a vote you can continue um however you just need to acknowledge that without nomination. Okay I would add that but I guess if everyone else wants to comment they can okay. Are there any. Other would like to make a motion? Why? MRS. Cuervo, we don't have a change. Are there any other nominations for chair? You MAY also self-nominate. You can make your nomination. I would like to nominate you, MRS. Guerra I think I changed. Yes, MR. CHAIRMAN, we are in a female month women's month and it would be I think you you are really prepared as well. That's very kind of you. Thank you. You didn't expect. I'd rather. >> let's listen to everybody else. I would I mean I would like to nominate francisco again and olga as the vice chair. So if we can just do chair as item one and then move to item two. And so there are two nominations for chair at this time. What's what's the difference. Just join them all together okay let's read item one and two we're nominating chair and vice chair I mean it's it's it's not a it's a formality. It's so you do have two nominations at this time for chair. Okay I'll I'll also nominate then vice chair for olga as vice chair. So I think they want us to move through the first. So do you want us to vote on the chair. Yes okay so. Do we need christina. Okay so there's a motion and a second. Yeah I'll second christina's motion. Unless anybody wants to second maria's motion. But I think we have we have a second here so we can vote on it. Do you want to take a roll call. This the nominee have to accept. Yes. >> yes, but let's let's take a vote first roll call vote please. And we'll add the language that you said that the three term that we we as a board are also voting on that a success a successive term b served past the three term limit. So are you declining the nomination then. Francisco you're nominating francisco I believe. Was there another nomination for another chair for another person for chair. So typically there are nominations and you vote on who you would like between the two people. I well I think there's only two votes for francisco and one vote for me so okay that's fine I die no more. It's fine. Yeah I think francisco had done an excellent job and he had conducted the business of the board in a in a very professional way. But I think a change it will give us the opportunity to perceive the business of the board in different perspectives. So I want to acknowledge your point of view and I agree and I think it's a wonderful nomination at this moment I'm going to support um chair is that right? Um, particularly because at this moment we're dealing with a um you know, a back and forth between him as a representative of as as our chair and the city with this issue with the city administration building so specifically because of this interaction right now I feel that it's an important time to keep him as chair and I think that we should keep this in mind for next year since already this is an extension I think let's let's kind of you know, project that that this would be his last term since it's already one beyond and we can prepare for next year. Well with all due respect to your opinion I would like to say that I'm being here as long as this board started you just new into this and this took me well I've been doing this for 1820 years. Reading this today for me was a really surprise. I don't think we should handle matters in this way. Um, I think MRS. Cuervo has, um, the knowledge of all this that had happened since the beginning and he will conduct us into a better process for for the most important, uh, job that we have to do now with the freedom park. Uh, I don't think that this is going to conduct the board into an intelligent way. Can we have two and take a vote. If you if you would like to take a vote you can on the and so I believe the nomination is for to um for the chair to remain in place. Let's yeah great. >> well one more note maria I mean thank you for for sharing this I think that it being this chair takes a lot of time and energy and space and I don't want to speak for christina because she's she's an amazing person as well. But I don't know that she's able to carve out that much space in her head and her time like for that you know, so I. Well I'll be watching christina as as well as MR. Francisco. Francisco had done an amazing job. I just said it before, but I think we should refresh the way we looked, the work that we're doing. We should refresh this. I think christina has more than plenty experience into this unless she doesn't want to do it. I mean, this is not an imposition. I wish I can have the knowledge of english as well as you guys. I'm too old and this is not my first language and actually I'm the most of all of us the most the one real involved with the arts and I this is my prerogative this moment not to deviate the attention of all the artists that are coming. I mean just to get into this, uh, kind of a nasty internal job that should be done maybe according to the law and the different way. But this particular office has been under a lot of pressure since the beginning since tomas regalado actually was the one that brought a friend from california to here and it has been a lot of back and forth with that office. And I don't think the local artists or even the state artists should pay for all of this little back and forth. I think we should concentrate better and do our job of what we were actually called for. Again, I don't see why we can't have two nominees and we take a vote. Well if everyone agrees. You can't think. There was a second my nomination. I think we should let's just vote on francisco and let's see if it passes and then let's move on. I think we've you know and I appreciate all your comments maria I think everybody what's important in the most important thing is we all have an equal vote here and so we all can voice our opinions and and so being chair is it is a good time um consumption but it is also and francisco's done a formidable job keeping us on track but at the end of the day we all have the same vote and are all carries the same weight. So I think that that's important and I'm here to work cooperatively with the with the group and I made the nomination for francisco so and I think there's a second so I think it MR. Chair if you're okay with it I think we should vote. I we definitely need a roll call vote please. Christina cuervo board member christina cuervo. Yes. >> board member juan valadez. Yes. >> board member I mean vice chair olga granda. Yes. >> board member maria napoli. Yes. >> but again I wanted to make sure that my opinion is taken into consideration. I don't think that we should, uh, deal or talk or resolve issues that are concerned to the board out of all the members together. Board member christina cuervo. Yes. >> I'm sorry you were the first one. I'm sorry. Board member gary feinberg. Yes. >> board member juan valadez. Yes. >> board member jacqueline roach. Yes. >> motion passes 7 to 0. I accept and I also, um. Maria, um I hear you um and I and we will be discussing that at this very meeting. Okay, so I hear I hear exactly what you're saying and we will be discussing it at this meeting and the item that I have proposed is precisely to address that. Okay. But we will be discussing it because your your your opinions and your your insights and you know our not only heard but I mean we respect them and. And I do respect your work. I know I know you do I. Know you know me. >> no no no this isn't this is this is like I said we're your your your thoughts and you know your comments are noted and I believe we'll be addressing them tonight. Um further okay. All right. Thank you. You're welcome. Um, uh this includes the the the the note. By the board that that we that I can serve more than the term limit or three years and all that right. Correct. It includes that that that comment. As long as you guys stated on the record and. It was stated on the record. >> it was it was okay. Thank you. All right. So now we can move to the vice chair. Item number two file id 18738a resolution of the art in public places board approving the election of a person to serve as a vice chair during the 2026 calendar year. I'd like to make a motion to nominate olga granda for this role. Thank you. Second second by MISS Napoli's. I believe we can we can vote please. Board member juan valadez. >> yes. Board member maria napoli. Yes. >> board member gary feinberg. yes. >> board member um christina cuervo. Yes. >> board member jacqueline roach. Yes. >> um vice chair olga granda. Yes. >> chair. >> francisco. Yes. >> motion passes 7 to 0. >> thank you. That's item number one. Number two and now we are moving to item number five correct? >> that's correct. Item number five file id 18963a resolution of the art and public places board with attachments pursuant to chapter 62 article 16 entitled art in public places of the city of the code of the city of miami, florida as amended approving the selection of joyce ballet as the finalist artist as a finalist artist in accordance with section 62658 of the city code for the integration of public art at the doctor armando diaz senior center located at two five tamiami boulevard, miami, florida 33144. Good evening, members of the board. Next slide please. You you had a chance to hear about this item before. This is still armando diaz center located in at 25 tamiami boulevard in the flagami neighborhood flying by the tamiami canal canal to its north and to its south. The renovation and expansion of the doctor armando senior center included expanded green areas, new restroom facilities, new community room classrooms, new computer lab and a new gym. We were considering two different options for the art placement um this time uh one of the confirmed sites for public art is the community community gardening area and this time we are revising the updated proposal by artist joyce billiard who is present here today. Identified area number one within that gardening area. Um were they previously they um they were recessed voids inside the columns trellis there were two feet eight inches in the width of the trellis and four feet space in between. Uh we're also looking at identify area number two this time it includes part of the fence and adjacent wall in the community gardening area. Artist joyce billet proposed a site specific sculptural installation for one of the areas on site two titled bloom. It's a large scale participatory sculptural installation integrating laser cut painted metal with living nature orchids. It explores human connection to nature, community stewardship and engagement um. The concept is developed in partnership with fairchild tropical botanical gardens. This is a different iteration of the proposed concept brought to you for your attention to accommodate it accommodates functionality and access to seating areas. It still features organic cut out patterns inspired by leaf movement. Um offered integrated orchid mounting system and it's durable weather appropriate. It has a durable weather appropriate finish. This is how it's going to look just the sculptural part of it. We also have a second option proposed which is a proposed orchid wall adjacent to the gates in the gardening area. It also is done in blue tones that evoke calm, creativity and focus. Orchids would be interwoven into metal structure and visual transformation as plants bloom would be visible to the residents and visitors alike. Um the artist um was offered a possibility to extend the gate sculpture to the edge of that wall so the wall would become part of the installation. The word the wall that is currently featuring um a wooden um plant mount would become part of that installation. The reason we're considering that is because during a recent visit, representatives of district four and the members of the staff discussed that it would be preferable to maintain the access of some of the light coming from a top and the side of the gate. So that's why we offered an artist an opportunity to possibly consider moving the mounted the um, structural composition a little bit to the right and encompassing the wall that is currently um hosting a wooden um plant base. And this is another option in terms of the pattern. There is um another option proposed by site two by joyce when pack and district four reviewed the proposal this option was not preferred due to the circulation and programing challenges. This option is called portals and the artist is here to speak a little bit more about it. We're now offering a few renderings so you can see it from a few different angles. The measurement of the space between the two columns is eight inches um eight feet four inches and if the structure the portal will be installed um the remaining area will be five feet five inches as you can see. These are our current options and artist is here to answer your questions clear. >> we have three options. We do but the first two are preferred by pack and district for. Both or it's an or it's still an or. Um both but there is a preference towards option one option. The first option with the strips attached to the sides of the trellis. But we have to choose only one of them. Yes. And can you do you have still where magnus's pieces are going to go. Are there are they still going inside those. Here is where the magnus's pieces is going to go. Okay so it's not it's not in the same space that was. It's a different side of the center. It's the front of the center the wall that is adjacent to the front gate okay. Can we see a close up of the the material like how thick and is it it's it looks to me like it's a jagged edge. So if you want to feature the very first slide of this part of the presentation which is uh showed in a different color but you will see a little bit better the laser cut painted metal um the. And good evening board members really quickly just wanted to introduce myself leo cosio chief of staff to commissioner ralph rosado district four um here to answer any questions you MAY have. Obviously this is important to us. We're here. Um and as was stated, she's correct. The two options are our top options. But really I leave it up to you to share your expertise and and and your thoughts. Why did why did you prefer. Um why do you prefer option one over option two. Can you go back to option one? So for this one we just felt like it was a nice accent. Um we thought it it really enlivened the space with a little more color but also didn't take away from the natural features that are already there. It's a really magical space. If you all haven't been I really invite you to go. So it's it's already kind of very peaceful and very welcoming and and I think we needed some sort of little extra kind of accent to the space. That was our opinion. Um but again we do love the other option as well. So we're we're very much kind of split on on our preference there. This is here. Yeah. Thank you for for having me here and I'm glad I'm able to speak to to the project and also thank you for sharing your thoughts. Thank you for your beautiful work. Really incredible. Um please could you read could you read your name and address just for the record? >> yes of course. Joyce billet uh, 2600 island boulevard aventura, florida. The I was um really leaning towards the last option that is not right now the preferred one but I I did want to give you my thoughts on it and maybe address some of your concerns. Of course. Um, this is for the community and I want to make sure that it's something that, um, will be useful for them and that they'll be happy with. Um but in terms of an art piece, I felt like this was more of a statement and that it would have more presence in the overall site. Um, the the concerns you you shared I think was about um accessibility and maybe blocking the the passage but there still is five and a half um feet to to travel through which is a pretty um wide passage and I and more than what is required by ada the the other thought is maybe the edges could have been worrisome and that's something that is very valid. Um but since then I've thought of um adding this slip to to the frame so that it would be completely protected on the edges. So I just wanted to give you my thoughts and kind of um, you know, share that some of your concerns could be addressed and maybe we could still consider this option as something um that to have on site. Can I ask a question? Would it would it limit the I guess impact of the piece if the portal frame was slightly thinner? No, I don't think that would be an issue at all. >> we would be open to. That and I'm happy to discuss what you know dimensions work best for everyone of course. Great thank you. Thank you. >> can you explain a little bit about um I think it's lovely um, the maintenance, uh, the flowers and the you know how how how we see that evolving, you know, with time. Um, so this is in partnership with fairchild's um million orchid project, which is a project that they've implemented in florida for a few years now where they have a lab where they grow orchids and to a certain stage that they can be outside attached to a tree and survive the the conditions of the exterior. So in working with the team from million orchid project they would be installing with the community um the orchids and explaining how to maintain them the first they've advised that the first 30 days they need to be watered every day and this can be done with a spray bottle and even a tube that's attached to the spray bottle. So it's a very simple process. Um and then over time it just needs to be watered sporadically. So ideally what they've recommended is to have a volunteer that would sort of spearhead that. It could be a few volunteers you know with a schedule and who does what but have a person responsible. Of course throughout this whole process we'll have their support. Um, and you know, they do projects with school and it's really a passion for them. So they want to abandon the the project if if you need any support along the way in terms of maintenance and uh. Does the city have any agreement with fairchild or. We do not know. Is that something we could look into or is that. I think that MAY be um that could be incorporated. Into this like for the maintenance of this project and maybe some some stipulation that they'll you know, they'll they'll yeah be on board. >> we can incorporate that into the agreement.. >> the original million orchid project was like the native one. It's a small I have a couple in my tree very happy they're surviving. Um, so the orchids would be those orchids or is it open to more the colorful and different varieties because in your you know, your renderings are beautiful and it's a lot of color but my experience is that they're kind of like. So these are um actually the wooden ones that you see on the screen um was an installation I did in collaboration with fairchild and these were the orchids they provided. So I believe they have a lot of different species and they would choose the ones that work best for the location and the installation and also our preferences in color. But they've had all sorts of different colors in them and they grow as well. They kind of start to take over the structure. So it was light and shade considered. Um yes. I've showed this to to the team at fairchild and uh they seem to be okay with these locations. So in these programs that you create as an artist, the maintenance is part of what you propose. Uh, and in particular in with this programs of of flowering maintenance. Not particularly I can't commit to to the maintenance but uh support for it advice for it and um, you know help from fairchild the that that is the plan but there is no no maintenance provided on on my end. On your program, on your creation as an artist. Yes that's right correct. Is there a plan if they fail if they don't survive.? >> uh well there's uh one is the the sculpture lives as a sculpture without the flowers. Um the other one is the plants could always be replaced. You know an orchid can be replaced if if needed but they do go through seasons and they should survive. Do you do you believe if if um if the third option is selected with a narrower frame um, do you believe that the inside is missing something now because you know, because the art is on the outside because you were thinking about putting it you know, in these I imagine because it it integrates with you know, with with them and sitting and you know being around this is kind of like just an entryway right? Yes it is but um even the outdoor spaces feel indoors it's very warm. Mhm. Um so I have no issue with that at all. Um even if they're a little thinner. Are people in wheelchairs wheeled through that doorway. It is ada accessible. No no no I know it's accessible width wise but I mean I I'd be hesitant to make that doorway any narrower just out of the understanding or the realization that somebody's going to hit those edges with the wheelchair with the walker I have to pu