Yes, sir. And as well as supported by staff hired through the Natural Lands 908 2/19/99 WHOLE COMM./Budget/Bill 990023 Restoration Project as well.
As the centers are built, who will they be -- who will they actually work for?
We plan, upon completion of the facilities, to have one full-time person in each facility.
Okay. Now, are they accounted -- when do you think that these facilities will be completed?
They're going to be 909 2/19/99 WHOLE COMM./Budget/Bill 990023 constructed over the next two-and-a-half to three years. Nancy do you want to come up here? Just a second. (Nancy Goldenberg comes forward.)
There's a serious of periods throughout the -- between now and the end of 2001. Pennypack is the first one.
Does the Five-Year Plan reflect additional staffing levels specific to the six environmental education centers?
Okay. So what is the plan going forward to ensure that you're going to have the staff as the facilities are completed to run --
At this point -- go ahead I'm sorry. The plan at this point going forward, 910 2/19/99 WHOLE COMM./Budget/Bill 990023 as much as we've done recently with the reorganization in-house is to continue that reorganization to ensure that we have staffing for those facilities. We can also, as we develop the Five-Year Plan in the future, request additional staff, but we have not done that to date.
Well, if you're going to do it through reorganization and not add any net new people, does that mean that someone who is doing some particular job today, through reorganization, ends up at one of the environmental education centers and, therefore, does not do what they are presently doing today?
Well, potentially. But I think when you look at the way we've been conducting business in the park over the last five to ten years, we have been doing things differently. As I've indicated, with contracting out of mowing, with the support now of the Parkway concessionaire, we hope to lessen our burden in maintenance of certain facilities in the park. So it's a process that, you know, we're looking at. And we're trying to work within our 911 2/19/99 WHOLE COMM./Budget/Bill 990023 present budget yet to provide, I think, the necessary support for these facilities. We've also reached out to the School District of Philadelphia, among other partners, for these new facilities. We're working closely with them. We hope to get teachers or School District of Philadelphia staff either permanently assigned or in some way assigned part-time, if you will, to these facilities.
Well, I think what I'd like to see at this point in time, if you could forward it through the Chair, I would actually like to see a plan by the Park Commission that envisions net new people staffing and running these particular centers. I mean, I'm not going to obviously try to interfere -- you can to reorganization the Park Commission staff any way you want. My concern is that you can only do so much with X-amount of people. And to the extent that you have the same number of bodies and expand programmatically, which I've supported virtually every programmatic extension that the Park has ever proposed, I am concerned that you just end up 912 2/19/99 WHOLE COMM./Budget/Bill 990023 stretching your resources too thin.
And so I'd like to get in as early as possible in this curve and see a plan that says, If we are going to have net new people run these centers, this is how many we need, this is what they would do, this is how much it would cost. And in a phased-in basis, begin to prepare for that over the next two, three years.
And we have developed business plans for each of these -- or will be for each of these centers.
Good. Now, specifically, can you tell me the two centers that are proposed that would be within the boundaries of the 4th District, Strawberry Mansion and Wissahickon.
What is their status, what's the anticipated completion?
Nancy Goldenberg. I'm 913 2/19/99 WHOLE COMM./Budget/Bill 990023 the Program Administrator of the Natural Lands Restoration and Environmental Education Program. Currently, Councilman, the two facilities in your district are in the schematic design phase. We have retained architects to begin redesigning those, and we are holding public community meetings in each of the districts over the next four months for the design of those.
Okay. Now, Director Mifflin, I attended a meeting not too long ago specifically regarding the Wissahickon facility.
There were some concerns expressed -- some may have been very legitimate concerns -- by people who utilize the Andorra facility. And there have been concerns raised as to the need for another facility in the area, its impact on Andorra. Can you tell me today what the status of any of those issues may be? Are we going forward with the Wissahickon location? And anything else you might want to share about that.
Okay. As you well know, 914 2/19/99 WHOLE COMM./Budget/Bill 990023 this has been an issue with the Northwest community -- specifically the 22nd Ward -- that have been come out and pretty much opposed, if you will, in writing the location of the -- the proposed location, which would be in the 21st Ward for the new center. We have responded to all the criticism of that decision in writing to these people who attended the meeting and to others who have not, who have just written to us. Officially, the Park Commission's position is unchanged; we're proceeding with the Wigard Avenue 21st Ward location. We, at least at this time, continue to believe that it's a far superior location to the Andorra Natural Area from an expansion standpoint, largely from an environmental standpoint. And last week, in a Park Commission meeting, a resolution was passed by the commissioners that there would be no reduction in the support of the Andorra Natural Area --
-- to the 915 2/19/99 WHOLE COMM./Budget/Bill 990023 functioning of the Andorra site --
-- no matter how many miles there are in between them.
So we don't want to negatively impact the Andorra facility --
-- as we try to improve and upgrade access to these kinds of centers for a very large area up in the Roxborough community.
We think the Roxborough community should continue to be served in this manner. The support of the Schuykill Center for Environmental Education, the support of Saul High School have all indicated to us that, in fact, this is in fact a very good location for them, even though it's close by, there are plenty of needs yet to be served in the population yet to be served. 916 2/19/99 WHOLE COMM./Budget/Bill 990023 So we're certainly respectful of the comments of the Andorra Natural Area proponents, and we're trying to see if we can't reconcile their concerns.
Lastly, on that particular point, let me just say for the record that -- I mean, having no participation, in the discussions, the decisions, the determination of where any of these particular centers were going to be, generally knowing that this proposal was out there, and quite honestly, being very pleased to hear when the final decisions were made that two of them would be in the 4th District. I mean, we've got 60 percent of the park in the district anyway.
I mean, I was pleased to hear that one would be in Strawberry Mansion and one would be in the Roxborough neighborhood. So I was recently, I guess, somewhat recently stunned to hear that there would be opposition to the opportunity to have such a wonderful facility in the community that people 917 2/19/99 WHOLE COMM./Budget/Bill 990023 would have access to this in an area that, as you talk about, whether it's Saul High School or the Schuykill Center, the Andorra Center itself, and just knowing the beauty of the Wissahickon, I'm just hard-pressed to understand why there would be opposition. But I want to reassure you of my support for the decision that was made. I do think that it's a good site -- both the Wigard Avenue location as well as the Strawberry Mansion site. And if there are any further difficulties in that regard. I'd appreciate it if you'd let know because I will certainly fight to keep the site at that location. It deserves to be there, and the people in that community deserve to have this kind of facility.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Rizzo.
Thank you, Madame Chair. 918 2/19/99 WHOLE COMM./Budget/Bill 990023 I can probably direct this question to Mr. Donaghy. You mentioned about the severe weather and the fact that you had a lot of trees down throughout the park. Could you describe the program -- many of my constituents call about the hiking trails that re blocked by fallen trees, and there's an effort -- and I've noticed it myself -- to at least cut them clear. But a lot of the timber is left even though they're come with a chain saw and cut a path through. But many of those fallen trees are dangerous. There's sharp protrusions coming from them, and people have to duck under them, and many of them have not been opening the trails. So is there a specific program or an effort to cut the path clear and then go back and try to remove a tree that could be a dangerous situation and fall on someone as it deteriorates?
Sure. Do you want to answer, Jim? Let me start. I'll give you some general comments on it very, very quickly. Traditionally, it's our practices in the woodland areas to clear the trails, as you've indicated, and not remove the remainder of the 919 2/19/99 WHOLE COMM./Budget/Bill 990023 debris. It often causes more damage trying to do that than it does good. And the natural decomposition of the material over a period of time helps with the eco system in that particular part of the park. We rely very heavily on the Park Rangers. Our Friends groups and on our volunteers to inform us when a dangerous condition or a blocked trail exists. And we have worked very closely with those groups in I think responding to them. As part of the Natural Lands Restoration Project, in fact, we have hired staff to work on our trails and to work on conservation volunteer projects. So I am under the impression that, in fact, we're doing even a better job more recently and improved the level of clearing trails removing dangerous conditions. If we're not removing it back far enough off the trail, please let us know or, you know, we don't to create a dangerous condition.
What I've noticed is that sometimes a tree will fall across the trail, and it will maybe fall across at a height of about 920 2/19/99 WHOLE COMM./Budget/Bill 990023 four or five feet, and people have to duck under it.
And there's branches and things that are very dangerous and sharp.
They're like razors, and it appears in that situation, it's just considered to duck under it and that's good enough. So I'm wondering if there's a formal program where someone has the ability to report and has knowledge. The biggest problem that you have is trying to tell somebody where this tree is.
And you really have to depend on people that are out there --
-- to do maintenance for us because I would never be able to tell you where a tree would be blocking a path; it would be, you know impossible for you to find it.
Although there are people who are as knowledgeable, we think, of the park as 921 2/19/99 WHOLE COMM./Budget/Bill 990023 we are, and they can come to our Maintenance Center, and we'll go with them if they feel the need to show us personally that condition. And, you know, there are equestrians who use the park as well, so I was thinking, you know, while you were speaking that, you know, maybe we're hitting it from the standing ground level but maybe we need the support of some other equipment to get a little bit higher. Thank you.
You're welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilman Cohen.
Thank you, Madame Chair. On tree pruning, do you have any -- we not the improvement, we even feel it a little bit -- not too much yet -- in the community. But do you have any idea of what your plans, say, for the about approximately 8,000 trees you hope to prune in the next fiscal year? Do you have any idea of how that relates to the number of requests you've had? What exists in the demand sector as shown by 922 2/19/99 WHOLE COMM./Budget/Bill 990023 actual requests? 'Cause I understand that you have installed some procedures which have resulted in the districts being able to have a better count of what's happening. In fact, that you call, you can even find out that, yes, they have a record that you requested; it's been in for a year or two or whatever that time period may be. Tell me how, does it compare? What percentage of requests are on the record now do you think that you'd be able to deal with in the forthcoming year?
This is Jim Donaghy. In response to your first question about how we determine where we're going to prune, that is driven by the number of requests that we have in our database. So for the first two years, we looked at the areas where the highest number of requests for pruning had occurred, that we had recorded, and we did try to prune a fair number of trees in each of the Council districts so that everyone was being served because there is such a backlog. And we did it again for the second year and we will be doing that again for this coming 923 2/19/99 WHOLE COMM./Budget/Bill 990023 year. In response to how many of those that we'll get, I can look into in and let you know what we have recorded as of today and what percentage will have been addressed by the end of this year or even by the end of next year.
All right. If you'd send that through the Chair, maybe she would arrange to have it circulated throughout the Council.
This is Bill Mifflin again. I think it's perhaps important just to mentioned that we've only been pruning on a scheduled basis, if you will, for less than two years now, and the backlog two years ago was enormous. And as most Councilpeople know, it was not unrealistic to be told that it could be more than ten years or so before we could begin to schedule a tree-trimming. So the backlog is huge. What is actually recorded, of course, is I guess a smaller number, but from a professional standpoint, we know that we have a huge backlog of what needs to 924 2/19/99 WHOLE COMM./Budget/Bill 990023 be done from a horticultural perspective.
There are certain areas of City services for which the City receives in return for what it does a very high rate of approval, and tree-trimming is one of those areas.
Abandoned cars are not your direct concern except if they exist in the park. Is the park beginning to be used as a storage place for --
Unfortunately, it is, and I believe it's one of the service levels that we report, and I know we also report a number of tires, automobile tires that we remove from the park.
Do you have that responsibility, or is that part of the Police Department?
Well, ultimately, it's the Police Department. But it's often a team approach with Fairmount Park and Fleet Management and the Philadelphia Police Department and I suspect others, who will concentrate in a 925 2/19/99 WHOLE COMM./Budget/Bill 990023 particular park area and remove the cars. Many of them have been -- they're down at the bottom of the valley and they have to be extricated out of the park and then towed away by the Police Department. Sometimes they're just on the fringe of the park. And when we see an abandoned automobile we report it immediately and encourage neighbors to do the same 'cause once it gets down into the interior of the park, it's much more difficult to extract. But it is a team approach and we do -- unfortunately, it's one of the things that we have to do.
Well, we like to see tree-pruning approached in somewhat the same way that the courts approached the court backlog in criminal and civil cases, where the backlog was enormous to the point where it was frequently felt to be ineffective to even file a lawsuit, and that it also promoted criminal behavior on the ground that you'll never actually get tried in court; if we can make bail, we're okay. And those backlogs have been considerably trimmed, and if we get the 926 2/19/99 WHOLE COMM./Budget/Bill 990023 same kind of result there, I think the Fairmount Park would receive all kinds of plaudits. It's also important because it brings the Fairmount Park Commission into contact with citizens who don't used other Fairmount Park facilities because you're the only true-pruning agency in town, isn't that right? Even far removed from a particular park area.
So it gives a chance to win broader support for the other purposes of Fairmount Park. Let me ask you, I see nothing -- maybe I missed it -- about the golf courses, but I understand that you're engaged in activity bidding out the golf courses to different vendors or to a single vendor. Can you tell me something about that?
Well, presently, the Fairmount Park's six golf courses continue to be managed by a professional golf course operator. This is a concession agreement that's been in place for, I believe, 11 or 12 years. For the last year, we were informed 927 2/19/99 WHOLE COMM./Budget/Bill 990023 approximately a year ago that the present operator would like to assign the concession to another vendor, another operator, so it's not a bidding procedure or process but the Park Commissioner is reviewing the assignment, and we feel this is an opportunity for us to improve upon not only the condition of the courses but the way in which the contractor conducts the business. The contract is the contract; we can't make major changes in the contract.
Under the contract, the current member has the right to reassign.
Of the Park Commission and City of Philadelphia, and the Procurement Commissioner actually approves it as well.
And I understand that you're going through that process now?
A combination of things. 928 2/19/99 WHOLE COMM./Budget/Bill 990023 The agreement had to be negotiated between the entities. That was not an issue that we were associated with but it took some time. And the piece that we're now working on are sort of the mechanics, details of the agreement. We're looking for, as an example, increased dollars coming into the escrow account to ensure that we have sufficient funds for capital improvements and are working on a capital improvement plan, a three-year plan where six of the courses would receive the much-needed capital improvements. So it's a legal issue at this point.
That's actually handled through the lease not with a for-profit but with a not-for-profit in East Fairmount Park.
What not-profit 929 2/19/99 WHOLE COMM./Budget/Bill 990023 group operates the Park? How do they obtain financing?
It's a group known as "The Friends of East Park," which is basically a community-oriented focus group. They are able to recapture the funds that are generated from the operation, and the money is put back into the facility.
There was an improvement noted when it can came under private -- or, in this case maybe, nonprofit management. We heard the same general reports on the golf courses. And that kind of improvement, I'm glad to see you're concerned about that in the event there's assignment. With respect to Valley Green, which is so important to so many folks, Northwest, I don't see any specific mention of that. Do you have reports? Is the restaurant finally carrying itself?
It's still a struggle, 930 2/19/99 WHOLE COMM./Budget/Bill 990023 Councilman. It still continues to be largely a seasonal operation. That also is an agreement, a lease agreement with a not-for-profit, and the Friends of the Wissahickon actually operate the inn. And I'm sorry I didn't mention that in the testimony here 'cause we actually have some very positive things to say about the inn. We'll be embarking upon a $750,000 capital campaign to improve the facility, to bring it up to code from an accessibility perspective and to add a new kitchen and new rest rooms. This is privately funded, not City-funded, and this should -- we should begin work very shortly, within the next month, and it will take about a year to complete. But at any given time, I think the inn will only be closed for about a month, and that will be late next fall.
I think in some area of the walkway, there's still a drainage problem -- not as bad as before -- where water accumulates and seems in certain areas not to have a place to run off. So that even if you even have a week of 931 2/19/99 WHOLE COMM./Budget/Bill 990023 clear weather, there are often puddles.
It would be very good, I think, if somebody could examine that. I think it needs some more work.
And in some areas, the railings need reinforcement or replacement.
Well, a lot of the work you've just described actually is being in combination with the Natural Land Restoration Project. We are looking specifically at the 7-mile length of what's often called "Oakleus Forbidden Drive." Actually, we're in the design stage, beginning-design stage now of its improvement, and that will be a major accomplishment for us.
Well, and you've extended, I think, in a very good way the area right it -- I'd call it "a beach" if it were the seashore, but, you know, right where the water's edge is, the picnic facilities have been vastly expanded and the walking areas, and I think it's very much a plus. 932 2/19/99 WHOLE COMM./Budget/Bill 990023 The deer kill. We are just hoping that, whenever it happens, if it does happen, that it will be the last time we hear it. I may have a different --
Councilman Nutter may be more reasonable than I am in accepting the need of it, but we're hoping that whatever happens ultimately, that we'll never have to go through that kind of torment again.
What was that, Councilman? I'm sorry, I didn't hear the first part of your --
Well, I'm talking about the deer kill and the decision by Fairmount Park. If I had a good different approach I could come up with, and I guess anybody would, but whatever is done, we hope that something will happen so that we won't have to repeat exercise of upsetting so many people and having it create such an unfortunate diversion away from the very fine activities of the Fairmount Park Commission. Thank you, Madame Chair. 933 2/19/99 WHOLE COMM./Budget/Bill 990023
Madame Chair, on that point, can I call on Councilman Cohen on that narrow issue?
Thank you. Councilman, I think all I can say -- and I appreciate what I think was a compliment when you say that I might be more reasonable than you --
I think that the Park Commission is operating under very difficult circumstances, trying to weigh the interests of various constituencies. I think, though, you actually do make the point that if there were something else, many of us might be proposing it. But we live in a very real world, and so I think the Park is then left with the only other action that they can take, and I have full confidence that they will do everything that they can to protect any individual 934 2/19/99 WHOLE COMM./Budget/Bill 990023 who lives near or around the park, have it done as humanely and as quickly as possible so that not only the other wildlife that's out there can be protected, but also the rest of the foliage and forest that exist, which all of us love and want to take care of. And this is a conflicting situation, I'm sure, for many of us but it's something that needs to be done.
Thank you both. There being no other lights on, we thank you for your testimony.
Next to be heard is the Philadelphia Museum of Art. (Museum of Art panel members come forward.)
Good afternoon, Madame Chair, members of City Council. I'm Anne d'Harnoncourt, Director of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. 935 2/19/99 WHOLE COMM./Budget/Bill 990023
And do be good enough to spell your last name for the stenographer.
Small D, apostrophe, capital H-A-R-N-O-N-C-O-U-R-T. Sorry about that.
To my right is Gail Harrity, our Chief Operating Officer at the Museum; to my left, Robert Marrone, our Director of Facilities and Operations; and to his left, Cheryl McKlinney-Brooker, our Director of External Affairs. And we are delighted to be here but we will try not to take up too much of Council's time. We know you are pressed for it this season. And I have -- we've submitted our testimony to you in written form, and I'll just make a few comments on some of the highlights. It has been quite an extraordinary year for the Museum. /Budget/Bill 990023 Honorable Nelson Diaz, who, as many of you know, was at HUD and was also a judge in the Court of Common Please in Philadelphia before returning to private practice; Anthony Tarracciano, the former head of First Union Bank, who is now Vice President with American Water Works; and Dr. Margaret Wang, who is at Temple University, a specialist in childhood education; and finally, Dr. John Williams, a distinguished physician and collector of African-American art, which delight us very much indeed. I should note that we are very grateful to the City of Philadelphia for its continued capital support, and in particular for this Capital Budget Program, which is a very substantial commitment to the Museum over the next six years of 37 million. We face some very ambitious and important infrastructure projects which keep that great building going and keep its public safe there for fire, life safety, heating, security, and other very important things. /Budget/Bill 990023 building infrastructure if we're going to do our job serving the public. I think you all know that the past year, we've had should wonderful variety of exhibitions. I might draw the Council's notice particularly to the summer installation of great sculptures by Henry Moore in the outdoor of the East Court, as well as the little exhibition inside that celebrated our late Chairman of the Board Phillip I. Berman, and also, I think, demonstrated the degree to which sculptures of great scale and public reach have an impact, not only on the Museum but on the city as a whole. And those are great spaces which we seek to animate and draw people to, and sculpture is a wonderful way to do that. Our involvement this year with children -- and school children in particular -- has gotten deeper than ever. We served nearly 70,000 school kids this year, and we are deepening and strengthening our partnerships with a lot of educational institutions. /Budget/Bill 990023 Philadelphia. We are grateful for the two teachers who were seconded by the School District to the Museum to help with our very big ambitious program to reach as many kids as we can. We're working with the Free Library and colleges and universities in the area and some particularly wonderful new work with schools for the visually an mentally impaired. I might note, because it's something I would hope Council would be particularly aware of, we are deeply grateful to the Delphi Foundation for a very major grant to the Museum to help place artists in Title I schools for residencies and enable the Museum also, in turn, to offer after-school art clubs to young people who are really at risk and who have been taking wonderful advantage of these programs. We've also been working with the Archdiocesan schools and the University of the Arts in highly technological projects which enable us to reach kids not only right through our doors but beyond our doors, hoping to have them join with us. /Budget/Bill 990023 neighborhoods in which the City of Philadelphia is so rich happens in two or three different ways and has a stepped-up impetus this year, particularly with working with the Police District Advisory Council and police clergy and through a number of outreach programs at community centers and senior citizen nursing homes and mental health community facilities.
And we are working on a -- we try to be like those wonderful Indian gods with arms; we 12 try to reach into as many communities as we can and have them, in turn, reach to us. We're particularly proud, I should say, and one of the satisfactions is coming to testify to the Council, as it were. In a sandwich in between the Park Commission and the Recreation Department and the Free Library because partnerships with all of those entities are very important to us as a new partnership afoot with the Free Library through which household membership passes to the Museum will be placed in every neighborhood branch, thereby affording any access to the Museum by anybody with a valid library card. /Budget/Bill 990023 way you check out a book. In the last calendar year, we had about 775,000 visitors, which -- it just continues to strengthen our delight that we've got an increase of about 30 percent over our annual average visitorship five years ago. And last month, we had 250,000 visitors to our website, as many institutions in Philadelphia are discovering a whole new way to connect. We're very grateful to the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Tourism and Marketing Corporation of Greater Philadelphia for their support in encouraging greater visibility of projects like the Delacroix exhibition. And it's clear that what's good for regional for hotels and businesses in the region is good for the Museum and vice versa. And for the Delacroix exhibition, we have done a survey, and there was an economic impact in the neighborhood of $39 million in the greater Philadelphia area. I don't need to say that to rehearse the Museum's long-standing relationship with the City which operates -- we operate the facilities, which are owned by the City. 25 billion, which covers less than half of the costs of providing the maintenance and security services for the Museum and the Rodin Museum and the historic houses. We're doing the best we can. We're trying to expand our services to all of our visitors and to attract more visitors, and we count on the support of the City and the Council in helping sustain that support. The exhibitions coming up are a particularly kind of broad group. We've got a small and really dazzling exhibition devoted to the Spanish artist Francisco de Goya, which will be here in late April, May, and early June, and I guess it goes through June into the next fiscal year. We haven't had a Goya exhibition in Philadelphia ever to my recollection. He's an artist who has influenced generations of artists since his time. /Budget/Bill 990023 was among the most richly settled and inventive areas of the New World, in the years between William Penn and the middle of the 18th century. And also a wonderful show of Edward Hicks, whose images of the peaceable kingdom have, I think, become beloved to people all over the United States. And in the spring, we're planning a great exhibition of the kind that we have done from time to time surveying a whole century, devoted to the art of Rome in the 18th century. Rome has been a mecca for tourists, for art-lovers, of course for pilgrims, for as long as it's -- practically since it's been founded. And this is the first exhibition to survey all of its arts in the 18th century. And we have wonderful collaboration from Italy, from many of our friends in Rome itself. It will be an international project that we think the City will be very proud of. /Budget/Bill 990023 and large, within Philadelphia, to not only preserve our collections and to extend the reach of our collections and the visual arts in general to as many people as possible. We hope that you think of us as an investment in the quality of life all Philadelphians and the quality of education through art for children and also our visitors of all ages. There are more retired people than ever before, and it seemed to me the other day that half them were in the Museum, but never enough. And also the economic impact, which is very measurable.
But I think the investment you are making in the City of Philadelphia and the investment that we are trying to make for the citizens of this great region have very much in common. Thank you.
We thank you for your comments. Mr. Cohen. Mr. Cohen, just before you do, as the Council representative on the Board of the Art 944 2/19/99 WHOLE COMM./Budget/Bill 990023 Museum, I tell you how pleased I am with the pace of the Museum being up and involved in the actual reinvigoration of the City and its image as an exciting place to be. After Mr. Cohen's speech, would you tell us, Anne, in your briefest recitation how we're doing with those plantings that were happening around the grounds of the Art Museum. I know that's capital, but I think that it kind of goes to the refurbished look of the institution.
First, just a very technical question. The financial data we're given is very limited. And I don't really know -- under a heading called "Summary of Direct Costs" -- and I don't really know what that means -- there's only one item filled out. It's entitled "Contribution, Indemnities and Taxes," and fiscal 1998 actual obligations is listed for 2.5 million. And then right next to it, it says "Fiscal 1999 Original Appropriation," and it says it's $2,250,000, so I'm speculating that that must somehow relate to the figure that you talked about 945 2/19/99 WHOLE COMM./Budget/Bill 990023 as the City's contributions. And I'm wondering, did you actually in 1998, get $250,000 more than the City originally appropriated? Was there an additional appropriation?
We did. We got an additional amount of money in support of the Delacroix exhibition, which was enormously helpful.
Now, you indicate that that's less than half, the 2.25 that's budgeted regularly -- at least that has been for the last four years. And that's considerably below the figure that used to be budgeted?
Councilman, it's a big push. For the Museum's resources, we depend on annual fund-raising, we depend on our 946 2/19/99 WHOLE COMM./Budget/Bill 990023 endowment, we depend on earned income. Those are the three major streams of money which support the Museum on an annual basis. And it's a tough push, but that's where it comes from.
With respect to the endowment, which is kind of the insurance policy for many years, hopefully many centuries, into the future, are you able to at least maintain that level so you don't have to dip into it to, you know, bring it down lower? I assume that's a constant fund-raising activity of it's own, you know, with respect to the endowment as against the fund-raising efforts for operating expenses.
That's correct, Councilman. The Museum has transitionally actually had a very small endowment unrelated to its peers around the country doing similar work and with similar collections. And over the last ten years, thanks in great part to the great efforts of Robert Montgomery Scott, the Museum's President, and our Board of Trustees, as well as also some good fortune in terms of just investment 947 2/19/99 WHOLE COMM./Budget/Bill 990023 -- or I should say wisdom and good fortune I hope I can claim for the Museum's investment committee, the endowment has grown. And we do not invade it; we try to build it so that we can use the income for the purposes that the Museum needs. It is still, even though much larger than it was years ago, it again still stands at 9 about half of what major institutions have across 10 the country that are our peers in size and 11 collection size, but we're working on it. 12
I think this Council 13 has a very warm remembrance of Robert Montgomery 14 Scott, who appeared here year after year for many 15 years. What is the relationship between the Museum of Art and Fleischer Art Memorial?
It is a little bit difficult to describe, but essentially, the Museum has the responsibility of approving the appointment of trustees to the Fleischer Art Memorial and also of having an oversight over their budget. We do not directly administer them in the normal sense of the word, but there is a fiduciary responsibility created under the will of 948 2/19/99 WHOLE COMM./Budget/Bill 990023 Samuel Fleischer.
Are they separately financed, and is the responsibility theirs?
They are separately endowed by a trust from Samuel Fleischer, and the responsibility is indeed theirs.
Well, we think you're really one of the great treasures. You take us away from all of our daily concerns. And in a very real sense, I think you give meaning to life for all of the segments of the community. And we congratulate you on that even though we pinch pennies when it comes to support. Thank you, Madame Chair.
I read through the testimony, and it appears that you're getting the same 2.25 -- is it 2.25?
That's correct. 949 2/19/99 WHOLE COMM./Budget/Bill 990023
And, now, are you asking for anything more, or are you just thrilled out of your mind with what you're getting, and you'd be pleased to walk away with it? (Laughter.)
But we would like more. Our wishes are constrained to a good degree within the budget of the Administration overall. But -- so both statements are true.
All right, and -- you should go into politics. (Laughter.)
I'm left speechless, almost. So your capital requests, you're pretty much fine with that. You're in the Capital Program taking care of essential building functions --
Our capital requests have been very, very generously -- 950 2/19/99 WHOLE COMM./Budget/Bill 990023
Okay. But you're saying you could use some additional support on the operating side, although --
Although she would like the record to reflect that she did not request it. (Laughter.)
She did not ask for it; she was only responding to the query by the Councilperson and said that if I offered something, she would gladly accept it; is that fairly accurate?
Thank you. There being no further questions, if I were you, I would flee. (Laughter.)
Did you want to 951 2/19/99 WHOLE COMM./Budget/Bill 990023 hear about --
Your briefest recitation on the planting which I think has done a good deal to improve the physical appearance of the Museum.
Well, I would say that is -- thank you for that question 'cause that is a wonderful example of partnership between the Fairmount Park Commission and the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and the Museum. We are really thrilled with the new planting which went in late last spring and summer. We can't wait for it to start to flower in this season. And we are working with both the Park and the Horticultural Society, not only on the progressive future steps of that effort, but also on the support of the maintenance for that. So we're thrilled with it. It makes -- particularly the East Court, we think it will make it infinitely more inviting to the visitors we hope to have come.
Did the rest of 952 2/19/99 WHOLE COMM./Budget/Bill 990023 you have something that was just burning, or did you just want to go? (Laughter.)
Thank you very much, Madame Chair. (Council President Verna returns to chambers.)
Madame Chair, before I relinquish, may I sit in the Chair for the purpose of beginning of the library's presentation? (Library panel members come forward.)
That's all right. I have volunteered for this service because, as everybody in this room knows, I'm an old librarian. And I guess once you're a librarian, you're always a librarian at heart. And so I'm interested to know what has happened in this calendar year, in this fiscal year, what your 953 2/19/99 WHOLE COMM./Budget/Bill 990023 plans, problems, and progress might be. Having said that, I want your briefest recitation so that we can spend our time in an interaction. Good afternoon. Please introduce yourself for the record, spell your name for benefit of the stenographer, and proceed with your testimony.
Okay, well, thank you very much. Councilwoman Clark, I'm Elliott Shelkrot. That's S-H-E-L-K-R-O-T. I'm the President and Director of the Free Library. And I have with me Helen Miller, who is our Director of Public Services; Bill Fleming, who is our Administrative Services; and Alfonso Johnson, who is our Finance Director. Did I give you the right title?
Okay, good, good. Much as been stated in the paper over the last several weeks about the need to focus more attention on Philadelphia's neighborhoods. /Budget/Bill 990023 vanguard of positive changes taking place in Philadelphia's neighborhood. In partnership with the Mayor and City Council and the private sector as well, the Library has been building stronger communities with information, ideas, and inspiration for children and adults in our 53 safe and welcoming locations throughout the city. Two weeks ago, some of you may be aware, there were over 12,000 librarians here in Philadelphia from across the country for the midwinter meeting of the American Library Association. I wish you could have been there to hear the accolades about the branch renovations and the technology that is going on throughout our branches throughout the city. And people kept saying what good fortune we must have to have a City Council and a Mayor who are so supportive of our libraries. And I think and I hope that you share the pride of this process of renovation that is going on across the city. 6 million for Fiscal Year 2000. 8 million in the Grants Revenue area. 8 million over the current year's budget. And this is devoted to several areas primarily. One is the opening -- having all of our branches completed by the midpoint of the next fiscal year. All of our renovation projects, for the most part, are completed so that the staff money is there so that we can open those branches. Furthermore, the fund's for half a year for the East Philadelphia Library, the library that has been requested and the Mayor has agreed to provide, as well as money for 12 after-school programs to expand our after-school initiatives with at-risk children. Councilwoman Clark, you asked about achievements. Let me mention briefly some of those. In Fiscal '99, it was indeed a year of renaissance for our branches. The partnership with the City Capital Budget, which enabled us to leverage outside support has enabled us to, as of this date, renovate and bring the new technology to the 29 branches and all 3 of our regional libraries. /Budget/Bill 990023 Three more libraries, Lovett, Mantua, and Torresdale will open this month with these complete new facilities. And as I mentioned earlier, all branches, with a few exceptions, will be open by January of 2000. The partnership between the City and the private sector has enabled us to provide better services. And it's not just a matter of opening the doors of the libraries. Opening the doors is the easy part. As you can see in the written testimony, the number of the visits is going up, but what is so very, very exciting is that the number of items being borrowed from our libraries is also going up. We're averaging, after the first year of reopening of a library with the renovations and the technology, and we compare it to it's last year of complete opening, we're seeing a 20 percent increase in the use of the library and as 21 evidence to show that in the second year, that 22 increase is even higher. Our focus on children is something, I believe, you are all aware of. /Budget/Bill 990023 itself to developing a love of reading, a love of ideas in children. Our after-school program, LEAP, is designed to help youngsters with homework as well as enrich their educational experiences in 31 locations. And as of right now, at the beginning of February, 27,000 participants have been engaged in that program, and we anticipate that by the end of the year, there will be 52,000 attendees at these LEAP programs after school. One of the very exciting new initiatives is the Bits and Bytes Program, funded initially by the William Penn Foundation.
It is designed to employ youngsters, ten young people, young adults, most often college students in the area, as technology trainers who, in turn, provide special training to 115 teenagers who are employed to work in our neighborhood libraries as tech team assistants, providing one-to-one computer help to children and adults, and organizing after-school and weekend computer clubs. /Budget/Bill 990023 for personnel and $200,000 primarily for the books and materials to provide the full-system operations in our branches, beginning January of 2000. So this is a six months of full operation for the library system, something we have not been able to do in years. It includes a little over 68 full-time equivalents, librarians, library assistants, as well as our municipal guards and custodians for that six-month period. The request also includes money for the East Philadelphia Library.
We're in negotiations now with the Balch Institute. They have space and are looking for a compatible use of that space, and we're working with them to find an appropriate rate. And in the capital budget, there's --
You mean at Seventh and Market Street? Isn't that where the Balch is, at Seventh Street, near Market?