Title
Resolution to Authorize Purchase of Canoe Fan Artwork and Appropriate $35,000 from General Fund Unobligated Fund Balance (8 Votes Required)
Memorandum
The City currently has a loan agreement with the artist Victoria Fuller for her piece "Canoe Fan" which is installed at Gallup Park. Canoe Fan was installed as part of the City's Canoe Imagine Art program in 2015 (https://www.a2gov.org/departments/Parks-Recreation/play/Pages/canoeimagineart.aspx). Ms. Fuller's piece was the only one loaned to the City - the other pieces in the program are the property of the City. The loan agreement was initially a two-year agreement that was extended for an additional two years. Ms. Fuller has been seeking a purchaser for the piece throughout the loan period, but has not found one.
The loan period ends May 30, 2019, after which Ms. Fuller will be required to remove the piece. Ms. Fuller initially offered to sell the piece to the City for $45,000, which she indicates was her cost to produce it. The Ann Arbor Public Art Commission (AAPAC) reviewed the request and recommended not purchasing the piece. On May 6, 2019, Council passed resolution R-19-215, directing the City Administrator to enter negotiations to potentially purchase the artwork and to prepare a proposal for Council consideration, including a recommended funding source. Following these negotiations, Ms. Fuller has offered to sell the piece for the reduced price of $40,000.
Ms. Fuller has also offered a lease to own option, with $20,000 paid now and the remainder paid at $416.50 a month over a 4-year period. Staff does not recommend the installment option, given the amount of funds in question, the administrative overhead of negotiating and drafting an installment agreement and issuing payments and related tax documents, etc. over 4 years, and the preference to have full control of the artwork immediately.
Staff does not object to the City acquiring the artwork. However, there is concern that no money is budg...
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