The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About00 - Non-Agenda Item - CorrespondenceReceived After Agenda Printed April 25, 2017 Non -Agenda Item From: Karen Tringali <karen_tringali@msn.com> Sent: Monday, April 24, 2017 6:52 PM To: Dept - City Council; City Clerk's Office; nbwdc59@gmail.com Subject: Public Comments: April 25, 2017 Regular Meeting Agenda Item XIII Agenda Item XIII: MATTERS WHICH COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE ASKED TO BE PLACED ON A FUTURE AGENDA • Relocation of the Statue Honoring Ronald Reagan from Bonita Canyon Sports Park to Civic Center Park (Muldoon) Dear Mayor Muldoon and Council Members, I understand that it may be premature to ask that you stand down from making this request, and I'm unclear whether the public will be invited to comment on these items, so I would like to take this opportunity to express my opinion on this proposed future agenda item. This matter has come before the council in 2011, and amidst an outpouring of public comments, it was decide to put the statue in a location other than the civic center. It's not that I'm opposed to Ronald Reagan per se, but I am opposed to politicizing our public parks by showcasing statues of any political -party specific individual, president or otherwise. Newport Beach is governed as a nonpartisan municipality. If we open the door by moving the Reagan statue to a more prominent and permanent location, then where do we stop? If funds are raised for statues of GHW Bush, GW Bush, JFK, Clinton, Obama ... where do we draw the line? One statue for every party affiliation; equal numbers for every party affiliation? Our Civic Center Sculpture Garden was never intended to be a political memorial garden. Let's not start down that road by moving the Reagan statue to it. Thank you for your consideration of this request. Karen Tringali Corona del Mar Received After Agenda Printed April 25, 2017 Non -Agenda Item From: City Clerk's Office Sent: Tuesday, April 25, 2017 11:26 AM To: Mulvey, Jennifer; Rieff, Kim Subject: FW: Ronald Reagan Statue From: Kiff, Dave Sent: Tuesday, April 25, 2017 11:26:23 AM (UTC -08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada) To: City Clerk's Office Subject: FW: Ronald Reagan Statue For the record. From: Susan Kopicki [mailto:sckopicki@gmail.com] Sent: Monday, April 24, 2017 10:00 PM To: Dept - City Council <CityCouncil@newportbeachca.gov> Subject: Ronald Reagan Statue Mayor and City Council Members: Choosing now to move the Ronald Reagan statue to City Hall is an unnecessarily divisive move and one that inserts partisan politics into our civil affairs. It is not appropriate to choose one president from our whole history to place in a prominent position without more discussion. To many residents of Newport Beach, Reagan does not represent the highest ideals of our political process and this is a dangerous precedent. I urge you to preserve our non-partisan history and keep the Reagan statue in a park that does not represent power the way that City Hall does. Either that, or commission now a statue of Barack Obama, who instilled equivalent or greater respect and admiration among Americans. Susan Kopicki 511 EI Modena Received After Agenda Printed April 25, 2017 Non -Agenda Correspondence From: Kiff, Dave Sent: Monday, April 24, 2017 12:52 PM To: City Clerk's Office Subject: FW: Statues in the park For the record. From: Susan Skinner[mailto:susanskinner949@gmail.com] Sent: Friday, April 21, 2017 9:39 PM To: Dept - City Council <CityCouncil@newportbeachca.gov> Subject: Statues in the park Dear City Council: I was interested to learn that the statue of Ronald Reagan is planned to be moved from its current location in Bonita Canyon to the park near City Hall. As our city government is, of course, non partisan, may I assume that this will be the first of a number of statues dedicated to well respected politicians from both parties? Thank you, Susan Skinner Received After Agenda Printed April 25, 2017 Non -Agenda Item From: Patty Gwin <patty_gwin@yahoo.com> Sent: Wednesday, April 26, 2017 9:19 PM To: Saboohi Currim; City Clerk's Office Cc: Newport Beach Womens Democratic Club Subject: Re: Fwd: Fw: Reagan Statue in Bonita Canyon Park Thanks, Saboohi, for contacting Fred Page. We needed an art expert's opinion put into words for us. Thank you too. Let's see what happens now. On Wednesday, April 26, 2017 3:36 PM, Saboohi Currim <scurrim2013@gmail.com> wrote: Dear Ms. Brown I received this opinion regarding the proposal by the City Council to place the Reagan Statue in the sculpture garden of the Civic Center from Fred Page who is a respected art dealer and appraiser. As you will note, he considers the sculpture garden to not be a suitable location for the placement of the statue from an artistic point of view. I would also like to respond to a comment made by Mayor Muldoon regarding why the statue had not been placed in the Civic Center in 2011. Mr. Muldoon said during the Study Session on April 25th that the statue was not placed in the Civic Center as the City Hall location was not ready for it's placement. However according to Dr. Sue Savary and other people who were involved in the matter the statue was scheduled to be placed at the new City Hall but because of the level of community outrage and protest, the decision was made to relocate the statue at the newly constructed Bonita Canyon Park. Mr. Muldoon also stated that the statue had not been placed at City Hall because it had been damaged. If my memory serves me correctly, the statue was a target of vandalism some years after it was installed in Bonita Canyon Park. I am not sure what role that damage played in not placing the statue in City Hall , but I don't think there was any connection between the two events. I also would like to encourage the Council to reconsider the relocation of the statue to the Civic Center in the interest of security. Positioning of political symbols in a highly visible locations may expose them to harm. Given these reasons I hope the Council will reconsider the relocation of the Reagan Statue to the Civic Center. Thank you Saboohi Currim ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Fred Page <fred{a_page-art.com> Date: Wed, Apr 26, 2017 at 1:17 PM Subject: Fw: Reagan Statue in Bonita Canyon Park To: scurrim2013P_gmail.com Dear Saboohi Thank you, and Arlene Greer, for asking my opinion on the Miriam Baker sculpture of John Wayne, which, I understand, is being considered for placement in the City of Newport Beach sculpture garden. I'm strongly opposed to placing this sculpture in the context of the sculpture garden. Here's why: the visage of a politician, whatever one may think of his accomplishments or politics, has no place in a setting which is a showcase for creative art. An attempt to move - to elevate, as it were - this competent portrait of Ronald Reagan, is but the latest example of Newport Beach conservatives' efforts to water -down the arts programs in the city and is an egregious and sly example of a political agenda attempting to supplant an aesthetic vision. If there is truly a movement afoot to re -locate the work from Bonita Park, it seems to me that a more appropriate site is inside one of the new municipal buildings, which are effectively devoid of either decorative or fine art. It is here, among the halls of commerce and politics, that this sculpture is best suited for display. Or perhaps it should really be placed on one of the median islands where the ex -President can greet residents and visitors as they drive and walk about the city. I know that the struggle to bring creative work to a public space is always a challenge. But I also believe the type of work that the sculpture park needs will fuse the playful, the provocative, and perhaps the profound. To me, none of these elements are present in the Baker sculpture. The garden needs to be nourished with the waters of poetry, not dessicated by political prose. Best of luck resolving this issue Sincerely, Fred PAGE ART, INC. 85 VERNON STREET, NO. 209 OAKLAND CA 94610 TEL: 323-422-9192 WEB: WWW.PAGE-ART.COM Received After Agenda Printed April 25, 2017 Non -Agenda Item From: Saboohi Currim <scurrim2013@gmail.com> Sent: Wednesday, April 26, 2017 4:23 PM To: Arlene Greer Cc: City Clerk's Office; Newport Beach Womens Democratic Club; fred@page-art.com Subject: Re: Fw: Reagan Statue in Bonita Canyon Park Hi Arlene I think the error was on my end. I had called Fred Page about the statue and introduced myself as an acquaintance of yours and he may have by mistake considered that the request had come from both of us. In fact the request was strictly from me personally and I have contacted some other experts as well who I am still waiting to get a response from. In no way was the evaluation of the role of the statue in the Civic Center from anyone other than myself and certainly not from you Arlene. I hope the City Clerk will make note of the error and correct the email where your name was mentioned. Thank you Saboohi On Wed, Apr 26, 2017 at 4:12 PM, Arlene Greer <arlene reg erggmail.com> wrote: Saboohi, There seems to be a disconnect with regard to the Reagan statute. I have not asked anybody, including Fred Page, for an opinion in either my capacity as a member of the Arts Commission or as an individual. The City Council has made their determination and, as a member of the Arts Commission, I will respect and support their position. Thank you. On Wed, Apr 26, 2017 at 4:08 PM, Arlene Greer <arlene rg eerggmail.com> wrote: Saboohi: On Wed, Apr 26, 2017 at 3:36 PM, Saboohi Currim <scurrim2013ggmail.com> wrote: Dear Ms. Brown I received this opinion regarding the proposal by the City Council to place the Reagan Statue in the sculpture garden of the Civic Center from Fred Page who is a respected art dealer and appraiser. As you will note, he considers the sculpture garden to not be a suitable location for the placement of the statue from an artistic point of view. I would also like to respond to a comment made by Mayor Muldoon regarding why the statue had not been placed in the Civic Center in 2011. Mr. Muldoon said during the Study Session on April 25th that the statue was not placed in the Civic Center as the City Hall location was not ready for it's placement. However according to Dr. Sue Savary and other people who were involved in the matter the statue was scheduled to be placed at the new City Hall but because of the level of community outrage and protest, the decision was made to relocate the statue at the newly constructed Bonita Canyon Park. Mr. Muldoon also stated that the statue had not been placed at City Hall because it had been damaged. If my memory serves me correctly, the statue was a target of vandalism some years after it was installed in Bonita Canyon Park. I am not sure what role that damage played in not placing the statue in City Hall , but I don't think there was any connection between the two events. I also would like to encourage the Council to reconsider the relocation of the statue to the Civic Center in the interest of security. Positioning of political symbols in a highly visible locations may expose them to harm. Given these reasons I hope the Council will reconsider the relocation of the Reagan Statue to the Civic Center. Thank you ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Fred Page <freda,page-art.com> Date: Wed, Apr 26, 2017 at 1:17 PM Subject: Fw: Reagan Statue in Bonita Canyon Park To: scurrim2013Agmail.com Dear Saboohi: Thank you, and Arlene Greer, for asking my opinion on the Miriam Baker sculpture of John Wayne, which, I understand, is being considered for placement in the City of Newport Beach sculpture garden. I'm strongly opposed to placing this sculpture in the context of the sculpture garden. Here's why: the visage of a politician, whatever one may think of his accomplishments or politics, has no place in a setting which is a showcase for creative art. An attempt to move - to elevate, as it were - this competent portrait of Ronald Reagan, is but the latest example of Newport Beach conservatives' efforts to water -down the arts programs in the city and is an egregious and sly example of a political agenda attempting to supplant an aesthetic vision. If there is truly a movement afoot to re -locate the work from Bonita Park, it seems to me that a more appropriate site is inside one of the new municipal buildings, which are effectively devoid of either decorative or fine art. It is here, among the halls of commerce and politics, that this sculpture is best suited for display. Or perhaps it should really be placed on one of the median islands where the ex -President can greet residents and visitors as they drive and walk about the city. I know that the struggle to bring creative work to a public space is always a challenge. But I also believe the type of work that the sculpture park needs will fuse the playful, the provocative, and perhaps the profound. To me, none of these elements are present in the Baker sculpture. The garden needs to be nourished with the waters of poetry, not dessicated by political prose. Best of luck resolving this issue. Sincerely, Fred PAGE ART, INC. 85 VERNON STREET, NO. 209 OAKLAND CA 94610 TEL: 323-422-9192 WEB: WWW.PAGE-ART.COM [, jaiD 7 1 k • '� ' 1-Ih4c ;'SR I A P_ I ?t,I=F1I'.:i C --ON -, JI_S:",N-.`-;. cs, JJu5 �PI�II�' l r!'ccl (714)8750999 Arlene rreeerkgmail.com Arlene Greer Arts Commissioner City of Newport Beach 1000 Avocado Avenue Newport Beach, Ca. 92660 (714)8750999 Arlene rg eerkgmail.com 3