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Minutes 03-20-97MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL CITY COMMISSION MEETING HELD IN THE LIBRARY PROGRAM ROOM, BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA, ON THURSDAY, MARCH 20, 1997, AT 7:00 P.M. PRESENT Gerald "Jerry" Taylor, Mayor Jamie Titcomb. Vice Mayor Matt Bradley, Commissioner Shirley Jaskiewicz. Commissioner Steering Committee Wanda Phi{lips Joan DuBois Stanley Weaver Terry Vinas Dr. Luis Vinas Kerry Willis, City Manager James Cherof, City Attorney City Staff Virginia Farace, Library Director Arleen Denmson, Library CALL TO ORDER Mayor Taylor called the meeting to order at 7:11 p.m. to interview the exhibit design consultants for the 1913 schoolhouse museum project. Ms. Farace explained that there were only two responses to the RFP. 1220 Exhibits is based in Tennessee and could not attend this meeting. Ms. Dennison will g~ve an overview of their report. Evaluation forms were provided to everyone to rank the firms and come up with a recommendation to take back to the City Commission. 1220 Exhibits Ms. Dennison advised that 1220 Exhibits attended the open house at the schoolhouse two years ago. In checking their references, they did a lot of work throughout the southeast United States. She called other museums and both firms have a very fine reputation. The City would ike the firm who is chosen to meet with the following three groups in the community and come up with some concepts: Dr. Luis Vinas, who is the Chairman of the Medical Exhibit Committee. along with a group of physicians; The Agricultural Committee. headed up by Ms. DuBois: and The Historians and Educators. MINUTES SPECIAL CITY COMMISSION MEETING BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA MARCH 20, 1997 Afterwards. they will come back with five color renderings that we can utilize in our marketing and fund raising efforts. This will help us focus more on what we want to do with the building. After that, we will come to the Commission with a RFP for a designer and fabricator to design the total floor plan. Th ~s will be a much larger budget and include the building of the exhibits. We chose to split th s project into two phases. This will give us the boost we need to progress on with the project without investing huge sums at this time. The firm that receives this contract can still bid on the second phase of this project. Each firm met all the qualifications based on the Purchasing Department's qualifications for bid. and all their paperwork for doing business is intact. Historically, 1220 Exhibits has been a fabricator. They started out as a firm that actually builds the exhibits and has later gotten into the design end of it. They have done an excellent job on numerous projects in Tennessee and Alabama, including the Women's Basketball Hal af Fame, the Georgia Sports Center, and the Creative Discovery Museum. They listen to the people, do stow lines, and there is always an opportunity to change with them. They did shows heavily in the beginning where they design the display boards. Their work is very colorful, professional, and very clean looking. One of the museums they work with said they are very helpful in arranging a payment schedule, and their exhibits held up against wear and tear. They are very creative and their references are excellent. They have experience in all aspects of the planning, creativity, and need assessment. 1220 Exhibits quoted a cost of $21,500. Guglielmo & Associates Ms. Dennison advised that Ms. Guglielmo has worked on several projects in St. Augustine, including the Govemmem House. According to the feedback she received, Ms. Guglielmo works very well with different groups. She has done a living history with a CD Rom and a touch screen video, which is a very modern presentation to history. She is always seeking something different that comes through by staying within the budget and timelines. They felt a partnership with her and she has a great history background and excellent resources for projecting image. Her exhibits are user-friendly with very Iow maintenance. She works very hard. is involved with her work, and there is open communication. At this time, Deborah Guglielmo of Guglielmo & Associates, and Norm Myers of Fair Concepts Exhibitions Incorporated, entered the meeting. Ms. Guglielmo advised that both firms are located in Tampa. Guglielmo & Associates is a small firm of four people. However. they have several associates. They prefer to call in persons within the fields of specialty as they need them. Many projects that they will present this evening, and 2 MINUTES SPECIAL CITY COMMISSION MEETING BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA MARCH 20, 1997 others they are currently working on, are similar to this project in that they involve preservation monies. They will listen very intently to what the City wants and make sure that translates into exhibitions that are feasible. It is important that the ideas that come out of the creative workshops are cohesive and are going to bring about visually what you want the museum to present. They look at concepts from the reality of construction, cost. timing, and maintenance. She showed and explained slides of projects that Guglielmo and Fair Concepts have done. While explaining the slides, she explained hands-on experience versus exhibits on walJSl extending the experience of learning into fun, and stated that safeguards will be put in place, Presentations will be separate from the exhibition spaces. Those areas are equally important to help create the museum experience for your district, The way those areas are designed to fit in well with exhibition space and presentation of subjects are as crucial to the experience as what people see when they go into the gallery areas. These are part of the concepts that will come out within the presentation report that they will do for us. They will work hard during the workshop to make sure they capture all our ideas and record them Ms. Guglielmo distributed some materials relating to other projects they have done and stated that the presentation package can be usee as a marketing package. Mayor Taylor inquired about the timeline. Ms. Guglielmo said the timeline on her presentation is recommended to be about six to eight weeks. She suggested three workshops to accommodate people's schedules. Mayor Taylor pointed out that exhibits take up space and the school building is small. Ms. Guglielmo stated that the building is not that small. There are creative ways to help make that space spend better and develop ideas that create allusions. Exhibits do not - have to go on walls. In addition, there is fabulous height in the building. Mayor Taylor expressee a desire for this museum to be unique from other museums in the area. Ms. Guglielmo stated that you are buying for attention, interest, participation and leisure time of the local communities. You do not want to replicate others. You want to be umque and patterned to the community and your interests. Mr. Myers advised that the budget will be established after the workshops, and the- designers will stay within the budget. Ms. Guglielmo stated that we could conceptually design and plan for something in the future. However. you have to start with a realistic budget. A more expensive presentation will be no less in this experience than a less expensive one. It just may not have all the dressings. She also stated that they are not going to limit their creative capabilities because of the budget. 3 MINUTES SPECIAL CITY COMMISSION MEETING BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA MARCH 20, 1997 Mr. Myers advised that all their products are warranted from mechanical difficulties, and since they are located in Florida. it is very easy for them to make service catls. A recess was taken at 7:17 p.m. At 7:30 p.m., the Steering Committee deliberated. They felt Guglielmo & Associates would be more available because they are local. They pointed out that 1220 Exhibits cost $10.000 more. They also pointed out that Ms. Guglielmo and Mr. Myers had the cour[esy of appearing before us this evening. At this time Mayor Taylor= Vice Mayor Titcomb, Commissioner Jaskiewicz, City Manager Willis. and City Attorney Cherof returned to the meeting. Mr. Weaver advised the Commission that the Steering Committee recommends the firm of Guglielmo & Associates because they had the courtesy and went through the trouble to appear before us in person. After listening to their presentation and looking through the brochure, the Steering Committee unanimously recommended them. They felt they would be more available to us. Commissioner Jaskiew~cz was impressed with Guglielmo & Associates presentation and Ms. Guglielmo's enthusiasm for this project, Vice Mayor Titcomb felt it says a lot that they appeared this evening. They are enthusiastic and their cost is significantly lower than 1220 Exhibits for phase 1 of this project. He felt comfortable with the expertise and confidence that was exhibit from their presentation. Mayor Taylor felt that the Steering Committee put some time and effort into this and if they are comfortable with this firm. so is he. He advised that Commissioner Bradley had to leave, but he was comfortable with whatever the Steering Committee wanted to do. Motion Commissioner Jaskiew~cz moved to hire Guglielmo & Associates for the first phase of the museum project. Vice Mayor Tltcomb seconded the motion, which carried 3-0. Mayor Taylor thanked the Steering Committee for their interest and effort. Mr Weaver appreciated the City backing up the Steering Committee. 4 MINUTES SPECIAL CITY COMMISSION MEETING BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA MARCH 20, 1997 ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the City Commission, the meeting was adjourned at 8:45 p.m. CITY OF BOYNTON BEACH ATTEST: lerk ayor Vice ~i~or C~mmis~oner / / ~3ommissioner Recording Secretary (Two Tapes) Commissioner 5