Chapter 1.48
ARTS, RECREATION AND PARKS COMMISSION
Sections:
1.48.010 Commission – Established.
1.48.060 Officers, meetings, bylaws and quorum.
1.48.085 Communications to city council.
1.48.010 Commission – Established.
There is established for the city of Wenatchee a citizens’ advisory commission to be known as the Wenatchee arts, recreation and parks commission. (Ord. 2015-24 § 1; Ord. 2015-02 § 1)
1.48.020 Composition.
The commission shall consist of nine voting members including one student member. Members should have interests in visual, literary and performing arts; parks, recreation, urban forestry, social and cultural activities; and the Wenatchee Community Center. Membership of the board should include, if possible, both casual and organized users of the parks and recreation facilities and programs. Members of the board should be selected from as evenly dispersed geographic areas as possible. Members shall reside or be employed within the city of Wenatchee. (Ord. 2015-24 § 1; Ord. 2015-02 § 1)
1.48.030 Appointment – Terms.
(1) All commission members shall be appointed by a majority vote of the city council. All appointments and reappointments to a commission position shall be in writing and signed by the mayor.
(2) The commission terms and positions shall be as follows:
(a) Positions 1 and 2 shall be appointed for a term expiring December 31, 2025;
(b) Positions 3 and 4 shall be appointed for terms expiring December 31, 2023;
(c) Positions 5 and 6 shall be appointed for terms expiring December 31, 2024; and
(d) Position 7 shall be reserved for the student member and appointed annually. The term shall span the academic year.
(3) All subsequent appointments for each position, except for vacancies, shall be for three-year terms.
(4) Vacancies occurring other than through expiration of terms shall be filled for the remainder of the term of the member being replaced.
(5) No member shall serve more than two consecutive full terms. If a member is appointed to fill an unexpired term of 18 months or less, that term shall not count as a full term.
(6) Members of the commission shall reveal all potential conflicts of interest due to membership of or employment by other entities and shall recuse themselves from discussion and decision-making concerning issues for which a conflict exists.
(7) The position of a member shall be forfeited and become vacant upon three consecutive unexcused absences from regular commission meetings.
(8) Members of the board may be removed by the mayor, with concurrence of the city council, for neglect of duty, conflict of interest, malfeasance in office or for other just cause. (Ord. 2022-31 § 1; Ord. 2015-24 § 1; Ord. 2015-02 § 1)
1.48.040 Compensation.
Members shall serve without compensation from the city or from any trust, donation, or legacy to the city for their service as such members; but this limitation shall not preclude a member or his firm from receiving compensation from the city under contract or otherwise for services rendered outside his duties as a commissioner. (Ord. 2015-24 § 1; Ord. 2015-02 § 1; Ord. 99-35 § 3. Formerly 1.48.030)
1.48.050 Purposes.
The commission shall serve the following purposes and functions:
(1) To advise and make recommendations to the mayor and the city council concerning a comprehensive parks plan for the acquisition, sale or trade of land, buildings, facilities and equipment for the development, maintenance and operation of an adequate system of public parks, arts and recreational facilities of the city both within and without the city’s boundaries, in cooperation with city departments, public agencies, and the public;
(2) To promote and encourage public programs to further the development and public awareness of and interest in the visual and performing arts, recreation, parks and the cultural heritage of the city;
(3) To act in an advisory capacity to the mayor and the city council in connection with the artistic and cultural development of the city;
(4) To develop, implement and review a comprehensive community arts, recreation and parks program and annual work plan;
(5) To provide local artistic and cultural services to citizens of the Wenatchee area by making available to the city and its citizens expertise on the subject of visual and performing arts and cultural heritage;
(6) To encourage donations or other support to further expand artistic, parks and facilities and recreation programs and services for the benefit of the community;
(7) To hold regular public meetings and keep written record of its proceedings which shall be of public record;
(8) With the mayor and city council’s permission provide advice on any beautification projects the city of Wenatchee undertakes or with the construction of public structures to be able to plan for art placement or incorporation in the building design phase;
(9) To encourage multi-generational, multi-cultural working, sharing, learning and teaching in the arts;
(10) To provide recognition and encouragement to local artists, both those established and those as yet unrecognized;
(11) To review the suitability of any work of art, park amenity or recreation program;
(12) To advise and make recommendations to the mayor and the city council concerning a recreational program for the residents of the city, such program to include plans for utilization of all available parks, playgrounds and recreational facilities. The board shall be kept continuously informed of the conduct of the recreational programs so as to be in a position to suggest such program changes as shall be consistent with available facilities and funding;
(13) To review and recommend programs, fees and budgets for all aspects of arts, recreation and parks services;
(14) To act as the city’s advisory board for tree issues including: A comprehensive community forestry work plan for the planting, care and management of trees; the protection and renewal of downtown street trees pertaining to the regulation of their planting, maintenance, removal and replacement; the protection of existing downtown infrastructure by recommending new and replacement street trees which are selected to avoid conflicts with overhead wires, buildings, signs, sidewalks, curbs, and underground utilities; providing news and information regarding the selection, planting and maintenance of trees; make recommendations from time to time to the city council as to desirable legislation concerning tree programs for the city; and promote the local observance of Arbor Day with an official proclamation;
(15) To advise and make recommendations to the mayor and city council concerning the Wenatchee Community Center including reviewing and providing advisory opinions of Community Center related proposals, operations and programming and reviewing financial audits and annual reports of contractors;
(16) To provide review and advisory opinions of arts, recreation and parks related proposals within the city at the request of the mayor. The board’s function for these issues will be specific to the proposal and the request for review;
(17) To advise and make recommendations about cemetery policies, procedures and programs, including the budgetary implications concerning the Wenatchee Public Cemetery and cemetery services provided within the city; and
(18) To perform such other functions as may be directed by the city council or mayor from time to time. (Ord. 2018-44 § 1; Ord. 2015-24 § 1; Ord. 2015-02 § 1; Ord. 99-35 § 1. Formerly 1.48.010)
1.48.060 Officers, meetings, bylaws and quorum.
(1) The commission shall have the following officers elected annually by a majority vote of the commission: chairman, vice chairman, and secretary. Commission officers serve one-year terms in each office. At the conclusion of the term, the vice chairperson assumes the position of chairperson and the secretary assumes the position of vice chairperson. A new secretary shall be elected. Officer positions that are vacated through a member’s resignation or removal shall be filled through the succession process and a new secretary elected by a majority vote from the remaining commission members present. The chairperson presides at all meetings, preserves order and decorum, enforces the rules and regulations of the commission, signs all letters and documents as authorized by the commission and as prescribed by law and otherwise performs the duties devolving upon a presiding officer.
(2) In the event the chairperson is absent, the vice chairperson shall fill the role of chairperson.
(3) The secretary is responsible for preparing, managing and distributing the minutes of the commission meetings. In the event that both the chairperson and vice chairperson are absent, the secretary fills the role of the chairperson representing the commission and conducting business.
(4) The commission shall meet at least once per month unless the chairperson determines that no meeting is necessary. Special commission meetings may be held as often as determined necessary by the commission upon advance notice to the member and to the public in accord with RCW 42.30.080. All meetings shall be open to the public. Accurate minutes shall be kept of all meetings and they shall be made available to the public. A copy of all minutes shall be forwarded to the city council.
(5) The commission may adopt bylaws, as necessary, to enable the commission to more efficiently conduct business and fulfill its primary purposes. Such bylaws shall be subject to approval, amendment or rejection by the city council.
(6) A majority of the currently appointed commission members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business; provided, that a minimum of three commission members are present.
(7) Commission member participation in meetings via telephone conference call is allowed if the member is out of the local area and is unable to attend the meeting, and prearranges the use of telephone conference equipment and the equipment is capable of allowing each of the members participating to hear each other simultaneously. During the meeting, the chairperson shall recognize the commission member(s) participating via telephone conference call by name for each of their interactions including discussions and votes. (Ord. 2015-24 § 1; Ord. 2015-02 § 1)
1.48.070 Public art program.
There is hereby established a public art program requiring that one percent of monies appropriated for any eligible capital project, as defined herein, by any and all city departments shall be placed into the public art fund and used for the acquisition of public art or the promotion of art programming.
The commission shall establish, by policy, definitions of types of art, artists and others involved in either the purchase of art or the promotion of art programming. The commission will also develop and regularly update policy guidelines for the expenditure of the public art program funds, which will be presented to the city council for approval. (Ord. 2020-21 § 1; Ord. 2015-24 § 1; Ord. 2015-02 § 1)
1.48.075 Public art fund.
There is hereby established a fund called “public art fund” into which all monies required by this chapter shall be deposited and from which the commission shall administer the public art program for the city of Wenatchee. All city departments shall deposit into the public art fund, out of any monies appropriated for any eligible capital project, an amount equal to one percent of the appropriation for the administration of the public art program. One percent of the funds from multiple city capital projects may be accumulated in the public art fund for the purposes as defined in this chapter.
The one percent art fund contribution shall be calculated as the total construction contract award, excluding any contribution from local, state or federal sources which are ineligible to be used in conjunction with public art fund programs. Design fees, furnishings, and administrative expenditures will not be included as a part of the capital project expenditure. Capital projects that incorporate art may be specifically exempted from the one percent contribution by the commission. Specific calculation procedures may be developed and maintained by the finance department.
An “eligible capital project” is defined as any project with a total construction contract award exceeding $150,000, paid for wholly or in part by the city of Wenatchee to construct or remodel any building, structure, park, street, sidewalk, parking facility, utility infrastructure, or any portion thereof, including permanent fixtures to any building within the jurisdiction of the city of Wenatchee. However, the purchase of land, local improvement district projects including the city’s participation in any such district, maintenance and operation and the purchase of equipment are not considered capital projects.
Public art fund monies shall not be expended without the prior approval of the city council. Nothing in this chapter shall limit the amount of money the city of Wenatchee may expend for art or art programming. (Ord. 2020-21 § 2; Ord. 2015-24 § 1; Ord. 2015-02 § 1)
1.48.080 Standards.
The board shall develop and promulgate the “Standards for Trees within the City of Wenatchee.” These standards shall be maintained by the board and approved by the city council.
These standards shall cover recommended tree types, recommended methods for planting, recommended criteria for tree removal/pruning, recommended alternatives to tree removal and recommended maintenance procedures. (Ord. 2015-24 § 1)
1.48.085 Communications to city council.
The board may forward communications/recommendations to the city council which may be scheduled as council agenda items. (Ord. 2015-24 § 1)