HomeMy WebLinkAboutSR - PD Historic Museum - Mtg of 11/20/08CITY OF PALM DESERT
COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT
STAFF REPORT
REQUEST: Continue Palm Desert Historical Society and Leasing of the Portola
Community Center.
SUBMITTED BY: Frankie Riddle, Director of Special Programs
DATE: November 20, 2008
CONTENTS: None
Recommendation:
By Minute Motion,
1. Approve the use of office space at the Portola Community Center for one year;
2. direct staff to continue the rental of a climate -controlled storage unit through FY 1010;
3. direct staff to continue negotiations with the Historical Society for consideration at the City's FY
2009-2010 budget;
4. direct staff to approve a month -to -month rental of the two vacant office spaces at the Center to
the Friends of the Desert Mountains through June 30, 2009.
Discussion:
City staff met with Palm Desert Historical Society representatives (Richard Folkers, Barbara Keedy Estes,
Kim Housken, and Brett Romer) on November 4, 2008, to continue discussions regarding the needs of
the Historical Society and the opportunity for it to convert the Portola Community Center into the Museum
of Palm Desert History. The Society's concerns include its current low number of volunteers, its existing
budget, and the expansion of its programs without time to adequately develop sound goals and objectives
for the new museum. Its commitment to a facility to showcase the community's past is strong, and the
members' concerns about taking more time to plan are commendable.
There was a unanimous concensus of the meeting's attendees that an extension of time would be
invaluable to the creation of the mutually acceptable agreement between the Society and the City. Offers
that had been previously discussed and which remain on the table are:
1. Leasing the Portola Community Center to the Historical Society for $1/year, said lease to include
a provision that the City continue to provide utilities and exterior maintenance for the building as it
currently does for the El Paseo Fire Station;
2. The El Paseo Fire Station would continue to function with its current programs under the existing
lease with the City;
3. The City would participate in the renovation of the Portola Community Center in the amount of
$200,000.
4. Staffing of the new museum would be the responsibility of the Society;
5. Should the Society decide to rent some of the office space or meeting space at the Portola
Community Center, reasonable rates would be set for the community and its non profit
organizations with the proceeds going to the Historical Society.
CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
Palm Desert Historical Society Use of the Portola Community Center
November 20, 2008
Page 2
Staff offers the following recommendations for City Council's consideration which would assist the Society
at this time:
1. Provide one of the currently vacant office spaces to the Historical Society for immediate
occupancy at no charge;
2. Continue to provide the already existing climate -controlled storage space rented by the
Department of Building and Safety through Fiscal Year 2009-2010 to provide protection for the
collection of historical documents currently being stored by the Society;
3. Direct Staff to continue working with the Historical Society in the preparation of an agreement
which the City Council would consider for inclusion in its Fiscal Year Budget 2009-10.
Progress has been made since the original meeting with staff, Councilmembers Finerty and Kelly, and
Historical Society representatives on June 28, 2008. Staff agrees with the Society's request that more
time is needed to allow for a financially sound program to be developed for implementation.
In addition and in response to a recent request, Staff also recommends that while the discussions
continue, the Friends of the Desert Mountains be allowed to rent the office spaces currently vacant (2) on
a month -to -month basis through June 30, 2008.
Submitted By:
c
Frill de Riddle
Director of Special Programs
Concur:
Jei
Aheila R. Gilligan /
ACM of Community Services
CITY COUNCIL AC ION:
APPROVED DENIED
RECEIVED OTHER
1FEETIN .;
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ADSENT :
A33STAIN:
VERIFIED
Original
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A royal:
,,'arlos L. Ortega
City Manager
Paul'. Gibson
Director of Finance
ler 'e Office
2