Will County Gazette

Village of Channahon Arts and Culture Commission met May 14.

Here are the minutes provided by the commission:

Pat Clower called the meeting to order at 4:10 p.m. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. Roll call was taken with Pat Clower, Greg Peerbolte, and Megan Verbic. Monica Sweeney entered the meeting at 5:01 p.m. Hayden Minor was absent.

Verbal Roll Call: ALL AYES

Also present was Staff Liaison Melissa Mazintas. Absent- Thomas Durkin.

Approval of Minutes:

Peerbolte made a motion to approve the minutes April 9, 2025 minutes. Verbic seconded.

The meeting minutes were approved.

Public Comment:

Mary Catherine Ryan introduced herself to the Arts and Culture Commission. She works for the Channahon Park District and with special needs adults in New Lenox. The park district has added a class called artist in the making which will be one on one tutorials. They have students making murals and were talking about the murals at the bus barn which then led her to the Arts and Culture Commission.

Old Business:

Attraction Map:

Mazintas said Tom Willcockson from Mapquest has completed the maps and vignettes for Channahon and has sent us the file. We had asked Willcockson to have the six vignettes on a us the

Peerbolte pointed out to the Commission the vignette for the Motel Manor. He said we wanted to promote the historical aspect of the Manor with the Route 66 symbol and the old fashioned vehicles. We felt like it would be increasingly important in 2026 if we want to be able to brand that way for the 100th anniversary of Route 66.

Mazintas said she reviewed the final map from MapQuest and as best she can tell Willcockson has met every one of our requests. She asked if the commission is at the point where we should be picking a style, picking a printer, getting a quote and then presenting it to the board.

Clower said yes. She asked the commission what size z-card we should go with. We do not want to go too small but it should be able to fit in a pocket. (9:43)

Peerbolte asked how big of a map do we want to have printed.

Clower said we need to triple check all of the correlating numbers and then we need to figure out the layout on the back. We have 23 things listed, so do we want to add photos of some of these places to the back as well with a write up of what each thing is.

Verbic said we had also talked about having the Art and Culture Commission mission statement on there.

Mazintas said a brief history of Channahon had also been mentioned.

Peerbolte said he thinks adding some vintage photos may be a nice touch as long as they stay within the design and capture the spirit. He said we had discussed having a QR code on the map but is unsure why we wanted to have that option.

Mazintas said we had discussed listing businesses but we could do anything.

Peerbolte said could we include descriptions for these places.

Verbic said she thinks we should, otherwise the map may become too text heavy.

Mazintas said she will talk to Sydney since she is in charge of that and maybe she could come to the next meeting.

Sights Sips and Sounds

Verbic said we locked in October 24th for the event. We spoke with the jazz band at jJC and they are going to get back when they have a number on a total band of members. We also met with Mary at Three Rivers Environmental and based on our conversations, it would be easier to use one of their caterers for the event but Mary did give us all the information we would need if we did bring in outside alcohol.

Clower asked what we would have to do for outside alcohol?

Verbic said we would have to apply for a one day liquor license through the Village. Mary did mention we could be eligible for a non-profit discount if we have that. Mary also said it would be a max of 150 people which would include vendors, commission members, artists, and the band so she did recommend it be a ticketed event.

Clower asked if Sweeney or Verbic had spoken to any caterers and received any quotes.

Verbic said she did not have that information as of yet.

Clower said if she and Sweeney could get a budget together for everything we could go from there. She asked if there was anything Verbic and Sweeney needed from the other commission members. She said she is on the raffLes and so far she has secured two responses for raffle prizes.

Mazintas said she is in charge of reaching out to Minor and he did respond with the two websites we had previously used for call to entries. She looked at both websites and they are only for the call for entry. There is no way to fundraise or auction off the art on those websites. We should find out who Diamonds and Denim used for their auction.

Clower said she will get forms ready for the raffle so if you get a raffle you could have them fill out the form.

Mazintas said if you want to get a form or instructions over to us at the Village that would be helpful because she is sure someone will call the Village and we would want to have answers for them.

I & M Gateway

Clower said last time-we met we-talked about the giving-tree. She called and spoke with the artist. Her name is Morgan Elser. It is a stainless steel tree that we would add leaves two for donors and such. It sits on a steel plate and has 4 piers 10 feet apart. The tree cost S 90,000 to complete. One of the ideas was to put this at the gateway and then when the Town Center opened move it over here. She said she believed Durkin spoke with Mayor Moorman

Schumacher about it but at that time no one knew what it would cost. Do we want to see if we can get it priced out from other people?

Verbic said it is another artist's idea we can not just copy it.

Clower said we would have to change 25% of the design. She said she doesn't think 90,000 dollars is something we could do.

Peerbolte asked if we can use the tree as inspiration.

Verbic asked Peerbolte if he could speak to the process if the Village was to make a request to area artists. She knows of the City of Joliet doing that in the past with their city center.

Peerbolte said he thinks you can do that. If the Village has a budget for it that would be the way to go.

Clower said there is not a large budget for it. She believe our budget for 2025-2026 is $10,000.

Verbic asked if we could just put out our concept and see if we can get artists to respond with their original ideas instead of changing 25% of the giving tree.

Mazintas asked if we would just put out the concept and the artist would give us a rendering and an estimate.

Peerbolt said we could send out a request for proposal and the market will tell us what it's going to cost. If we put out a budget of §5,000.00 and know one submits anything then we know it is not doable. We are not obligated to take the request for proposal. We could say here is the budget and the contextual elements we are looking for, the must haves and ask them to submit a proposal.

Clower asked if we should get input from the community.

Peerbolte said The City of Joliet received the request for proposal and then brought them to the public. They gave prompts and they received 50 submittals and brought 14 before the public. Their budget was §200,000 for design, build and install.

Clower said she called the Mayor of Lockport and left him a message about the rotating art that we had spoken about at the December meeting.

Peerbolte said there is a tourism attraction grant coming up that we may be able to put in for.

There may even be a micro grant program through the county which could fund something small. If we want to put out an RFP that would be up to Durkin.

Mazintas said she liked the idea of putting out a request for proposal because not only could we include resident feedback when we get the responses we would already have all the information pulled together to advertise what we want to do at our Sips, Sights, and Sounds event. She especially thinks we need to get feedback from our residents to try to avoid backlash. If we really like the concept of the tree that should be in our concept for the RFP.

Could we put out an estimate in the RFP and see what the artists are coming back with before we decide on a budget?

Clower said she thinks a §90,000 dollar project for a first project is too expensive. She doesn't know if we will get the support from the board. If we look into getting grants and with the fundraising we want to do and with the budget that The Village gave us we could accomplish something. Maybe the gateway is not our first project.

Verbic said she wants to argue that we should have something bigger here at the Town Center as opposed to the spot at the gateway.

Peerbolte said he thinks a big project at the Town Center is a couple years away so we should do something smaller to prove we can do it and save the big fundraising for Town Center instead of paying to move it. If we decide on a project and they have S5,000 in the budget but the project will be S15,000 we ask the board if they would be okay with us putting out a request for proposal knowing that we will be fundraising, seeking out sponsors and looking for grants.

Sweeney entered the meeting at 5:01 p.m.

Clower informed Sweeney that the Arts and Culture Commission was speaking about the - givingtreeand-that-itcost990-0

Peerbolte added they were kicking around the idea of putting out an RFP which is what the

City of Joliet did for their public art.

Sweeney said she found an artist to do the work and asked if there is a budget for the project?

Mazintas said it is 910,000 but it is for everything for the year. She asked Sweeney who is the artist she found.

Sweeney said she talked to a lady named Diane from the Frankfort- New Lenox area but there is also a Nancy who does stuff for the I & M Canal and for Illinois State. Her daughter is actually an artist up in Chicago.

Peerbolte said his feeling is we go sma(ler for this project and larger for Town Center.

Sweeney asked if when C(ower spoke to the artist did the 990,000 covereverything or was it just the sculpture.

Clower said it was just the sculpture and the plate and piers.

Sweeney said she still likes the idea. It does not mean that we couldn't use a different medium as well. She will reach back out to this lady and see what they say.

Verbic asked if we want to put out an RFP, we could send it to those artists you found and see what they come up with.

Peerbolte said he thinks this may be a wait and see for Town Center when we may have a bigger budget. It could also look of putting if we put up a huge piece of art right there off of Route 6.

Clower asked if we should set a more realistic goal. Should we look for art projects more around the S20,000 price point? If we were to use plate metal, that we could probably pull off with our budget if we really want to get something over at the gateway.

Sweeney said she doesn't think we should settle for something mediocre. We can always advertise and approach sponsors. She wants to look into some things and will get back to the members.

Mazintas said we have also talked about roaming art. We could always place a piece of roaming art there while we work on fundraising.

Peerbolte said we will wait to hear back from Sweeneny and if we need to we can begin discussing a request for proposal.

Attraction Map Continued

Mazintas said we paused the conversation because we were at the point where we were ready to talk about the printing.

Sweeney said we need to choose the size we want and then give it to the printer. John, the owner of Minute man press, gave her the samples. She provided his contact information.

Clower asked if we should go in and talk to John at minute man press and show him what we want.

Mazintas said let me give him a phone call and see what he needs from us.

Peerbolte asked the Commission what else we should provide to Minute Man Press. We want a brief history, mission statement, QR code, village logo and then some blurbs. John would be the designer so hopefully he can help us make it more appealing.

Sips, Sights and Sounds Continued

Clower said we talked about the event which Verbic said is on the books for October 24, 2025.

Sweeney said Mary at Four Rivers was very receptive to our idea.

Peerbolte said if we want this to be our signature event every year it is probably going to cost us about 5s,ooo. We should still make money on the event with the auction and the raffles alone. Ticket sales will probably cover the event cost.

Mazintas said high tables were mentioned earlier so she will contact Channahon General Rental for prices.

Verbic mentioned she thinks we should stick with one of their designated caterers for our first event.

Mazintas asked if we still wanted to use the Hive.

Verbic said Mary had sent information of the caterers and who we use will affect if we are doing the set up and the clean up which for our first event it would be helpful to have the caterer do that.

Mazintas said Clower is going to make a raffle form and we will be coming up with a letter to send out for the call to entry. Peerbolte reached out to a contact at the YMCA for the online auction information and Mazintas reached out to Minor to find out what call for entry sites we used in the past. She clarified with Sweeney that we will want the art auction off online before the event but we also want the art to be at the physical event.

Verbic said for our budget we need to figure out catering, the band, shuttles, tables and table clothes.

Mazintas said she will figure out what the Village will require for a one day liquor license to be at the event.

Sweeney said when we reach out to caterers we should have them give estimates for 100 people.

New Business:

Chief Bogart will be attending the next meeting to present badge ideas that the officers have drawn up. The police department is having a competition and the final choices will be shown to the Art and Culture Commission for our opinions before they go to the board the following Monday.

Next Meeting Date:

The next meeting is Wednesday, June 11, 2025 at 4:00 p.m.

Clower made a motion to adjourn at 6:03 p.m. Sweeney seconded. A(( ayes approved the adjournment.

https://www.channahon.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_05142025-671