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- What group will review the applications for OCAC grants and recommend awards to <br /> the BOCC—the current OCAC Advisory Board, the VB's Advisory Board, or some <br /> new entity? Will the reviewing group be representative of the artists and arts <br /> organizations of Orange County? <br /> - What assurances are there that the OCAC will continue as a function of the VB after <br /> 2010-11? In later years when personnel changes, will the arts function remain? <br /> - Is the VB a multi-government agency because it is funded by Hotel Occupancy Tax <br /> receipts from the Town of Chapel Hill and Orange County? Will the VB have to <br /> change its bylaws to become the Local Distributing Agency for the State Grassroots <br /> funds? Will the NC Arts Council have to approve the VB as the Local Distributing <br /> Agency?" <br /> Mary Harley Kruter read from a handout. "My name is Mary Harley Kruter. Although I'm <br /> a member of the Orange County Artists Guild and the Orange County Arts Commission <br /> Advisory Board, I am not speaking officially for either organization this evening. <br /> Thank you for supporting the arts for the past 25 years. I urge you to continue this long- <br /> term commitment to the arts as you consider moving the Arts Commission to the Visitor's <br /> Bureau. I have concerns for the continued existence and integrity of the arts function of Orange <br /> County government if you decide to make this move. <br /> If OCAC is placed within the Visitor's Bureau, I ask that you consider issuing a written <br /> directive to structure the Arts Commission within the VB that includes the following: <br /> - Revise the mission statement of the Visitor's Bureau to include the arts function, and <br /> revise its by-laws to reflect the added responsibility. <br /> - Specify the percentage of the revenues going to the Visitor's Bureau that are to be <br /> expended by the Arts Commission for the arts community. <br /> - Specify the proportion of these funds that are to be used for county-funded grants. <br /> - For the flow-through grant funds from the State Arts Council, <br /> o Specify that funds withheld for administrative expenses are retained by the <br /> Arts Commission for its operations*, and <br /> o Certify with the State Arts Council that it will continue the designation of the <br /> Arts Commission as local distributing agent in this multi-governmental <br /> agency. <br /> - Specify the entity that will be charged with reviewing the grant applications and <br /> making recommendations to the BOCC for approval. Assure that persons <br /> comprising this entity are broadly representative of the entire arts community – arts <br /> organizations as well as artists. <br /> - Add at least two positions on the Visitor's Bureau Advisory Board who represent the <br /> arts community. <br /> - Add at least one position on the Economic Development's Advisory Board who <br /> represents the arts community. (Please remember that there is a thriving arts <br /> industry in the county that could generate even more sales tax revenues if guided by <br /> the Department of Economic Development.) <br /> Such a directive would assure all of us that the arts function could continue beyond the <br /> initial year of this reorganization. Thank you. <br /> *State requires distribution of at least 50%. OCAC has distributed 85-90% annually." <br /> Heather Miranda read a prepared statement. "My name is Heather Miranda, Director of <br /> Health Support Services, for Piedmont Health Services in Carrboro, North Carolina. <br />